"To obtain a proper understanding of this question which has been agitating the minds of the politicians of Europe for many years now passed, but especially since the autumn of last year, when actual insurrectionary fights took place in that part of Turkey's dominions commonly called Macedonia, one must go back to the early part of the year 1878, when the victorious army of the then Czar of Russia reached the little village of San Stefano, near Constantinople. At that time Russia, as the conqueror over Turkey, dictated her terms of armistice and peace, with the result that she compelled Turkey to recognize the creation of an independent principality of Bulgaria, in which all people of the Sultan's subjects in Europe using the Bulgarian language were included. This mean that Bulgaria proper (ancient Moesia), Thrace and by far the largest part of Macedonia were embraced in this independent though vassal to Turkey principality...

But the worst thing the Berlin conference did was the leaving of the Macedonian Bulgarians under the direct control of Turkey, whose rule has very aptly been called "Turkish misrule." The cry went out from the Bulgarians that Europe was dividing them like cattle to suit her own convenience, caring only for her own mercenary interests...

But what has Bulgaria to do with the subjects of another independent state such as Turkey is? United by consanguinity and religious belief with the Bulgarians of Macedonia, remembering the provisions of the San Stefano Treaty and also knowing, as they do, from bitter experience the opression and wrong which they themselves have suffered from Turkish cruelty, they cannot remain indifferent to the sad tales they hear every day from those who flee to free Bulgaria for safety and be true to human nature. They count the suffering people in Macedonia their brethren.

But in Macedonian question is not merely a question of political import and national aspirations. It has become a question of economics. Fully one third of the officers in the Bulgarian army are Macedonians. The same is true with all the civil departments of the principality..."

Източник: Сканирана от оригинален екземпляр

Автор: Трайко Константинов Тесличков (Trico Constantine) [1848-1919] е български методистки/протестантски проповедник, завършва университета Дрю (Drew University) в Медисън, Ню Джърси, САЩ през 1879 г. и докторат по духовни науки в университета в Гейлсвил (Galesville University/Gale College) през 1880 г.
Методистки църковен ръководител за цяла България в края на XIX век, по-късно заминава за САЩ, където е виден деец на Методистката църква на САЩ (The Methodist Church).

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