EDITOR'S LA CHAIR It is evident that many readers do not clearly un- under its own name since it purchased THE GREAT ROUND WORLD on February 16 last. Every day's mail brings letters and cards addressed to "The Universe," "Universe Publishing Company," "Editor of The Universe," "University Publishing Co.," and "Universal Publishing Co." If all these letters came directly to 150 Fifth Ave., there would not be so much confusion and delay. But it is a common occurrence for letters intended for THE GREAT ROUND WORLD to be delivered to The University Publishing Co., 47 East 10th St., and University Press Society, 78 Fifth Ave. These names are hurriedly read by postal clerks and taken for The Universe Publishing Co.; moreover, letters intended for those concerns are often delivered here by mistake. To simplify matters, and because The Universe no longer appears (except as incorporated with THE GREAT ROUND WORLD), it is desirable that the name of The Universe Publishing Company should be changed. Friends will kindly note that after May 1, THE GREAT ROUND WORLD will be published by The Great Round World Company. There will not, however, be the slightest change in the management. It has been very gratifying to read numerous letters congratulating the new management upon improvements introduced in the paper. It is with pardonable pride that several specimens are shown on the last page. They came from entire strangers. Turks Fight Bulgarians CURRENT HISTORY 525 A recent telegram from Vienna contained the information that a collision had taken place between Turkish and Bulgarian troops on the Turks Fight Bul- boundary between Adrianople and garians. Eastern Roumelia. The dispatch stated the Turks had tried to secure a position hitherto held by the Bulgarians, but that the latter, aided by the peasantry, repulsed the Turks after a fight of four hours' duration. At the outset this looks to be no more serious than the record of an ordinary frontier fight; a quarrel between outposts. But so much interesting European history lies behind it, that it is worthy of our serious consideration. Eastern Roumelia is a part of Bulgaria and is one of those troublesome Balkan provinces which are always threatening to overthrow the peace of Europe, because they form the debatable territory which all Europe combines to keep independent, and which, at the same time, Russia, Austria, and Turkey are constantly coveting. In the war between Russia and Turkey, in 1877, the entire arrangement of Balkan States was changed, and the map of Europe was completely altered. This war was started by the revolt of the peasants of Herzegovina and Bosnia, which were then under Turkish rulé, against the imposition of taxes by the Porte. The revolt spread like wildfire throughout the Balkan provinces, and despite the efforts of the Powers to institute reforms, and reconcile the Balkan provinces to the rule of Turkey, the rebellion increased until Herzegovina, Bosnia, Montenegro, Servia, and finally Bulgaria, were all in open revolt. Turkey sent troops to suppress the rebels, and, according to authentic accounts, the Turks behaved with such savage fury that twelve thousand Bulgarians fell victims to their hatred. These massacres were known as the Bulgarian Atrocities, and were the immediate cause of the war between Russia and Turkey. The Russian government proved unable to curb the warlike ardor of its subjects, who were in hearty sympathy with the Servians. Russia soon crushed Turkey, and a treaty of peace was signed between the two Powers at San Stefano, a little village a few miles from Constantinople. Great Britain and Austria were greatly dissatisfied with the treaty of San Stefano, on the ground that it interfered with the interests of the rest of Europe, and it was suggested that the matter be settled by a Congress of the great European Powers to assemble at Berlin. This suggestion was adopted, and out of the arrangements made at this conference, arose the new principality of Bulgaria, formed by the union of Eastern Roumelia with Bulgaria, which then became known as Southern Bulgaria. The trouble in the Balkans has been brewing ever since the way for it was paved by the treaty of Berlin, which left all the interested parties dissatisfied with the decisions which were reached at that time. Turks Fight Bulgarians 527 In addition to this the Macedonian Christians have long protested against Turkish misrule, and have secretly organized in the hope of gaining their independence. In January last the Macedonian High Committee issued a proclamation from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, in which they protested against the rule of the Sultan, and pointed out the various ways in which he had broken his promise of reforms. It concluded with an assurance to the people that the only hope for their future was in rising against the power of the Turk. The Macedonians are absolutely under the rule of Turkey, as Macedonia is one of the Turkish provinces. It has been so practically ever since the Middle Ages, when the Turks overran Europe. The Christian Macedonians have, however, never been in sympathy with the Turks. Bulgaria, on the other hand, is practically independent, and is only bound to Turkey by the payment of a tribute, which, by the way, is considerably in arrears. The issuance of a Macedonian protest from Bulgaria convinced the Sultan that the Macedonians must be thoroughly well assured of powerful support. He suspected that not only were the Bulgarians behind them, but that, perhaps, the more powerful Russians, who always had the desire to possess a good slice of European Turkey, and eventually gain possession of Constantinople, were also interested. The Sultan has, therefore, taken steps to strengthen his positions on the Bulgarian frontier, and it was while this was being done that the recent attempt was made to seize the Bulgarian outpost. |