The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 1903. THE BALKANS.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 994, 14 September 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, SEPTEMBER 14, 1903. THE BALKANS.

.The situation in European Turkey is becoming more and more serious. Our cablegrams this morning stow that Bulgaria has plainly, intimated to the Powers that if the Turkish excesses continue it may be impossible to restrain the Bulgarians' to a line of neutrality. Fighting, with horrible masSa'cres, are daily reported from Macedonia. The Turkish army, knowing that the Christian insurgents desire officials in proportion to their numbers, are grimly responding to the reasonable demand by reducing the Christian population to vanishing point.; In Monastir district there seems to be no doubt that, the massacres axe being carried out by, Turkish soldiers in obedience to definite orders from the authorities. In Syria the Druses are arming, and in Beyrout the Christians await, in an agony of suspense, the signal for a cruel slaughter. Although the quenching of the Macedonian fire of insurrection seems difficult, the Sultan and his pashas have evidently determined to thin down the Christian population, and the horrible work of massacre, plus I torture, outrage, and plunder, goes cruelly , on. So widespread has bean the devastation that ominous rumors of impending famine are current throughout Macedonia, and it is probable that sheer starvation will carry off thousands whom even the murderous Turk has spared. Given a free hand, the Turk will soon reduce the Christian to silence ; but it is possible that the Powers may have the humanity and courage to interfere, and convert the present reign of terror and savagery into a condition of peaceable government