THE DAWN OF BALKAN FREEDOM

At the middle of the sixteenth century the Turkish power reached its zenith, and thereafter it waned. In

the eighteenth century it was repeatedly attacked and despoiled by the rising power of Russia, at times aided by Austria, and in the nineteenth century its downward course was swift and sure. Greece won her independence. Serbia led the way in the Balkans toward the same end,

and in 1866 expelled the last Turkish garrison. In that same year Roumania became independent, and then in 1874 came the beginning of the end. The disordered condition of Turkish finances led to fiscal intervention by the powers. An insurrection in the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina was suppressed with difficulty, and in 1875 a rebellion in Bulgaria was crushed with such savagery that when two Americans, J. A. MacGahan and Eugene Schuyler, exposed the atrocities, the civilized world stood appalled. Nor was the work of these two devoted men the only service America rendered to the Balkan peoples. Years before there had been founded at Constantinople by a New York philanthropist the great institution known by the name of its creator as Robert College. There many young men of Bulgaria were educated not only in the arts and sciences but also in the principles of free government and the rights of men. Many Bulgarians, too, came to America and were educated in our own schools and colleges. And thus from our own land the light of liberty and the spirit of independence were reflected into the dark places of the oppressed Balkan States. It was because of that American impulse that Bulgaria rebelled, and it was by the word of American witnesses that the unexampled horrors of Turkish repression were made known to the world. Following those appalling tragedies Serbia and Montenegro declared war against Turkey, but were quickly defeated. Then in the spring of 1877 Russia and Roumania declared war, ostensibly for the redemption of the Bulgarians and other Christian peoples from Turkish tyranny. The Roumanian Prince was made commander-in-chief of the allied forces, and though Russia contributed the major part of the army the most critical engagement in the war was won

THE CONGRESS OF BERLIN, JUNE 13, 1878, AT THE CLOSE OF THE RUSSO-TURKISH WAR At this Congress was sown the seed of future troubles in the Balkan Peninsula, which culminated in the Great War.

by the valor of the Roumanian troops. Adrianople was captured in January, 1878, and soon afterward Russia attempted to dictate terms to Turkey under which she would have taken for herself as spoils of war the larger part of the Ottoman Empire. Against this other great powers protested, and a European congress was held at Berlin in 1878 to arrange the final terms of peace and the readjustment of the political map of Europe.

BLUNDERS OF THE POWERS

Two stupendous errors were committed by the powers at that time. One was, that they largely ignored the natural rights of the Balkan peoples and looked chiefly to their own selfish aggrandizement. Serbia and Montenegro did receive slight advantages, but the two important provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina which were almost purely Serbian, and which on every principle of right and justice belonged to that country, were placed under Austrian protection and thus the way was opened for Austria-Hungary years later to seize them and arbitrarily annex them to her own domain. Roumania, which had really won the war against Turkey, instead of being rewarded was actually despoiled by having the rich province of Bessarabia taken from her and given to Russia, her only compensation being a gift of the comparatively worthless region known as the Dobrudscha. Bulgaria was, it is true, erected into an autonomous state, under Turkish suzerainty, but with no thought of its ever becoming or long remaining really independent. Its crown was offered to a gallant German prince, Alexander of Battenberg, and when he asked the advice of Bismarck as to whether he should accept it or not, the Iron Chancellor, anticipating the speedy collapse of the new state, cynically replied,