The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1914-04-29
Greece Asks for Justice.


We have recently Witnessed an e1-
traordinsry phenomenon. In the face
of history, absolutely without the
slightest foundation. even in legend
or rumor, running quite contrary 10
all ackuuwi.,ise fact, lone Demos
themes has risin in America who de-
clares, not that. the moon is green
cheese or that the natural propulsion
of water is uphill; no-more Incredible
still-he claims that "the. Bulgarlans
have been for centuries the defenders
of Christianity and the champions OF
civilization
At what fountain head OF authentic
history has he imbibed this ideaf is
he, perchance, student and pupil Oh
the renowned Baron Munchausen, or
have his geographical and historic re-
searches led him to the archives OF the
equally notable Mr. Gulliver? These
authorities, while entertaining: are no
longer considered authoritative. ANY
other book of reference in any Ian
guage will divuge conditions that
bring his theory to aaught. 1.-The pen
is mightier than the sword" we have
been rold but stroke of the pen,
while it may seek to blacken page OF
history, can never cleanse the bloody
Tartar scimitar thathas for ages been
stepped in Christian blood. b..
Innocent errors in Spelling, history
or Geography may arise from two
causes, ignorance or carelessness, out
neither is excusable in the teacher.
The Balkans are very far away. Ine
history Of her many races and her fre-
quent wars is not part of the currlcu'
lum of the American public school
system. Only when such war as
that which involved Turkey and the
Balkan allies arises is there any inter
est reused in America in these coun-
tries so remote as to appear almost
legendary. Only when the Wnole
word shudders in horror at such afro
cities as we're committed by Bulgaria
in the second war does the United
States take thought that over there
on the borders where Orient and
Occident touch there are men and
women, human like themselves, suffer-
ing martyrdom in the cause of liberty.
Then the public interest awakes sud-
denly and asks for facts and informa-
ton. Is it fair that these questions
should be answered by lies? Are these
Balga1ians, indeed. the ''defenders of
Christianity and the champions OF civil
hzation?"
Let Us for moment contemplate
the authentic history of these cham
pions of civilization9'
The Bul gars of today are the lineal,
unaiIuted blood descendants of the
Tarsars who originally drifted in
wandering predatory bands over the.
great plateau of Touran, where theA
formed branch of the Touranian
race, from which also the Turks are
derived. Their first European occu-
patton was upon the Steppes adjacert
to the River Volga, and it was from
this district that they invaded the
Byzantine Empire in A. D. 400.
A. D 5o2 they again pushed farward
their border outpo ats until in A. D.
517 third and more important inya-
lion took place. Upon this occasion
they slew without mercy throughout
the invaded territory and took vast
booty both in treasure and prisoners,
exacted enormous ranscms and en-
shaved thousands upon thousands of
the cap ure inhabitants.
Marcellinus, eontemporaneous his
DOIl6u: IuouGlOuS LII hAo Sht ohlSiOo eA6o
1 ,os0. .O0o drachmas was paid in ransom
10 the Balgsrs for the non-combatant
prisoners taken in this raid, mainly
womep and children. The Bulgars,
dissatisfied with the amount of the
tribute. returned only part Of their
cap,lves, withholding the rest as
slaves.
When Justinius, Emperor of Byzan-
tium, ascended the throne, A. D. 675,
he fouod himself forced to repel these
invaders, who after a furious resist
ance were fually driven back to their
original poiut Of aggression. The de.
feated hordes allied themselves with
th= Hagar. or Chief, Of The Avars,
another rcuranium tribe, and. thus
reinforced they descended anew upon
the Christian empire devastating
Macedonia and Thrace and even in
vestlng the city Salonica, which shey
besiged without success.
s5 Demetrius, Bishop Of Salonica