The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-09-21
prepared by the National Geographic Sc
cIety washinRton D. Cl

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, ID. C)
Bulgaria, where the Balkan pen
chant for turbulence seems to have
made its first important appearance
since the World war, presents para
dox. 1t Is a country very largely of
peasants, scornful of idleness and pre-
tense, yet producers of what Is per-
haps the worlds best known symbol
Of luxury, altar Of roses.
The country is often considered
merely "one Of the Balkan states"
But whatever Its faults and Its virtues,
1t certainly Is not coorless, and it
fully deserves to stand on its own
feet The differences between the Bull
gars and the Turks are obvious, and
500 years Of domination by the latter
did not serve to eradicate them There
Is almost as much Of u racial gulf be-
tween the Bulgars and the Greeks;
and their differences are accentuated
by an ancient enmity dating from the
time when the Bulgars were a threat
ening spear-point against the Greek
Byzantine empire, and later when for
space Bulgaria was tributary to that
same Byzantium. The Rumanians to
the north are Latins and they, too, are
racially distinct from the Bulgars. The
closest kinsmen which the Bulgars
have among their nelghbors are the
Serbs and other Jugo-Slavs. But just
as In smaller families feuds exist, so
there is little love lost between Bull
garia and the Kingdom of the Serbs,
Croats and Slovenes.
Bulgaria long suffered not only
from the tyranny of the non Christian
turk, but also from the diplomatic in
trigues of the Christian powers Of
Europe. Russia liberated the country
from the Turkish yoke by the Russo
Turkish war of 1s77-7S and proposed
to set 1t up as an Independent nations
with considerably more territory than
1t has today. But other powers, fear
full OF a strong state in the Balkans,
compelled the transfer of areas to ad-
jacent states, divided the territory that
was left into Bulgaria and Eastern
Rumelia, and placed both back under
the suzerainty Of Turkey. Bulgaria,
semi-lndependent principallty, elected
a German prince for its ruler and re-
manned much as 1t was created for
seven years Then by coup d'etat
Eastern Rumella was annexed to the
principality, an arrangement accepted
by Turkey. Full Independence came
only in 1908 when the then Prince
Ferdinand proclaimed himself tsar like
the Bulgarian rulers OF the country's
ancient golden age.
Acquires Bad Name.
Poor leadership during the last
decade has given Bulgaria bad name
with much Of the outside world. After
the war In which Bulgaria, Serbia and
Greece defeated Turkey in 1912, there
was war over the spoils between
Bulgaria and the other former allies,
with Rumania finally intervening
against Bulgaria. The responsibility
for this conflict, whether rightly or
wrongly, has generally been laid at
the door Of Bulgaria During the World
war, perhaps largely because of the
Hohenzollern blood Of the Bulgarian
tsar, Bulgaria lined up with Germany,
Austria md Turkey. But the late pre-
mier, Stamboulisky, was opposed to
this step and was imprisoned because
Of his opposition. His attitude prob
ably reflected that of his peasant party
which is now opposing the new regime.
Though Bulgaria produces the usual
grains, fruits, tobacco and live stock
Of Its. part of the world, II Is best
known for its extensive culture of
roses for the manufacture of the
famous and valuable altar of roses.
The number Of acres Of roses culti-
vated for this purpose in Bulgaria has
approached 10000. An acre produces
about 1000 pounds of rose petals, but
this great bulk of petals yields only
about 20 ounces of altar. The salable
product from a whole acre Is there
fore little more than one pound. This
much-sought essence, however, Is worth
from 500 up per pound In Bulgaria
and many times more than that In for
,eign countries.
Sofia Like Western City.
Sofa, capital Of Bulgaria, and scene
Of the chief acts In the recent coup
l'etat. u an adequate expression Of