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   <title>T. Mitev, Chapter 1 - 2</title>
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<font size=+0>CHAPTER ONE</font>
<br><b><font size=+0>THE AMERICANS AND MACEDONIA TILL THE SEPARATION OF
THE REGION IN 1919</font></b>
<p><b>2.</b>
<p><font size=+0>The Americans residing in the Balkans begin to treat the
"Macedonian question" as an important, independent problem of Southeastern
Europe, for the first time in the mid- 90ies of the 19th century.The reasons
for this are numerous and serious. In October 1893 in Sofia, the foundations
of the Inner Macedono - Adrianople Revolutionary Organization/ IMARO/ are
laid. In January 1894, the Prime -Minister of Bulgaria, Stefan Stambolov,
realizes successfully his third diplomatic initiative for the stabilization
of the position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Macedonia and Adrianople
region - the Exarchate. Sultan Abdul Hamid issues fermans proclaiming the
departure of two more Bulgarian bishops for Macedonia. Exarch Jossif I
begins the publication in Constantinople of a newspaper in literary Bulgarian
language - <i>" Novini'</i>, which circulates quickly among the Slavonic
population of Macedonia.</font>
<p><font size=+0>In May 1894, Stambolov's government falls from power.
In Sofia, Prime-Minister becomes the graduate of the Robert College, Dr.
Konstantin Stoylov. For the first time in fact, an American graduate was
coming to the front of the Balkans politics, a circumstance which undoubtedly
activated the interests of the americans, residing in this part of Europe.
The more so, that during the first year of Stoylov's administration two
extremely important things happen. In the spring of 1895 the Macedonian
Bulgarian emigration inside the borders of free Bulgaria lays the foundations
of a new legal patriotic organization -- Supreme Macedono - Adrianople
Committee /SMAC/, seated in Sofia. In June the same year, the Miletish
uprising begins. This shows definitely the appearance of a new hot problem
on the Balkans -- the struggle of the remaining enslaved Bulgarian population
in Macedonia, for liberty and human rights. This is why the evangelist
missionaries decide to look in detail in the theme of Macedonia. The nature
of their future activity was going to depend on the direction of the new
events. At the same time, the American public had to be informed on the
newly arising, big political problem in Southeastern Europe.</font>
<p><font size=+0>On March 19, 1894,<i> "Missionary News"</i> informs its
readers that series of "Macedonian issues'" are being prepared for publication.
The text writing is assigned to Dr. Edward Haskell, head of the Bulgarian
Protestant Mission branch in Bitolya./9/ In the following issues of the
newspaper, the idea is realized with the publication of a series of serious
articles sent by the missionaries E. Haskell,</font>
<p><font size=+0>G. Beyerd, H.Coll, L.Bond and others. The language picture
and the religious situation in Macedonia is depicted in detail. The fact
that, the whole information presented in <i>"Missionary News'</i> is given
as "News from Bulgaria", shows clearly the character of the conclusions
drawn./10/</font>
<p><font size=+0>The interest shown in the ideas of the Protestant pastors
as well as the activation of the Macedonian question during the summer
of 1895, urge the pastors to write a separate booklet on Macedonia by the
end of the same year. It is entitled "<i>Bulgaria and Salonica in Macedonia".</i>/11/
The missionary James Clark is mentioned as author, but in fact the work
is prepared with the active help of E.Haskell and L. Bond. In this book,
once again, the American missionaries in the Balkans, prove that the majority
of the Slavonic population in Macedonia is of Bulgarian national identity;
the predominant religious denomination being eastern-orthodox, and Salonica
being the natural exit of Macedonia to the world. The book is printed in
Constatinople and is distributed in 1896 in USA, as an edition of the American
Council of Missions Abroad.</font>
<p><font size=+0>At the same time and due to the same reasons, a decision
is taken for the transferal of the seat of the Bulgarian Protestant Church
branch working in Macedonia, from Bitolya to Salonica./12/ On the whole,
these facts speak very convincingly on their own. Even during their first
encounter with the essence of the "Macedonian question", as a separate
problem in the Balkans, the American missionaries remain faithful to the
historical truth. Although the Great Powers separate forcefully Macedonia
from Bulgaria in 1878, according to the American missionaries, in the end
of the 19th century, she retains its predominantly Bulgarian ethnic image.
The Bulgarians are the main engine force of the arising national-liberation
movement and it is from them that future development of forthcoming, important
political processes in the region should be expected. Thus, the Americans
on the Balkans are fully prepared to meet and closely follow the Macedonia-staged
drama in the eve and during the 1903 Ilinden-Preobrazhenie uprising.</font>
<p><font size=+0>This problem, however, has some preliminary moments. On
August 21, 1901, a military group of IMARO, lead by Yane Sandanski, Hristo
Tchernopeev and Krastiu Assenov, organize the kidnapping of Miss Helena
Stone and her Bulgarian aide - Katerina Stefanova- Tsilka. Big ransom is
demanded for the two women, in order to provide means for the purchase
of arms, needed by the national-liberation organization in Macedonia. The
captives are humanely treated by the rebels./13/This action becomes one
of the most thundering political events in Europe. In the period November
11, 1901, until January 1, 1904, the "Miss Stone affair" does not come
off the pages of the American press. Collection of "ransom money" begins
in the USA./14/ The "Macedonian question" takes a definite place in the
American public opinion./14/</font>
<p><font size=+0>With the resolution of the crisis, are engaged American
diplomats in Constantinople, including the director of Robert College -
Dr. Washburn./15/ After the money is received, the revolutionaries free
the two missionaries. However, both the two women and the public opinion
in USA understand perfectly well, that the incident is not a bandits action,
but an important episode in the struggle of the Macedonian Bulgarians for
liberty and human rights. This is the reason for the lack of stable negative
moods neither by Miss Stone, nor the public in USA. This condition makes
possible the completely impassionate and objective position, taken by the
American press at the time of the out-break of the big Ilinden uprising
on August 2nd, 1903.</font>
<p><font size=+0>In the first publications on the other side of the Ocean,
it is pointed out, that the uprising is in that part of the Ottoman Empire,
populated most densely, at that time , with Bulgarians. On November 26th,
1903, the journal <i>" Outlook"</i> writes : " Of the whole population
of Macedonia, the Greeks represent one tenth, the Turks - one third and
the Bulgarians a half, the small remaining part of what is left are Serbs
and Albanians."/16/ In its issue of October 3rd, 1903, the same journal
correctly explained that, the main reason for the tragedy happening should
be sought in the politics of the Great Powers, forcefully separated Macedonia
from free Bulgaria during the 1878 Berlin Congress. /17/</font>
<p><font size=+0>The competent historians in USA have long ago established
in a scientific way that :" the American diplomats and missionaries, as
well as the other foreign representatives in Sofia and Constantinople,
/between 1901-1903- author's note/ did not make difference between the
Central Committee of IMARO and the Supreme Macedonian Committee in Sofia,nor
between the internal and external organizations. For them the organization
was one - Bulgarian in its membership"/18/Thus, the newspapers in USA dealing
with the course of the Ilinden popular uprising in Macedonia, give in the
same place the information on the activities of the military revolutionary
groups of IMARO and the forces sent as aide by the Supreme Refugee Committee
in Sofia.</font>
<p><font size=+0>All observers in USA are unanimous that the heaviest blow
in 1903, on the nationalities living in Macedonia, was suffered by the
Bulgarians, with the Bitolya vilaet affected most : "All informations from
the Monastir villaet are unanimous in its qualification of the situation
as "disastrous", writes on September 8th, 1903 "<i>Detroit Free Press","
</i>It
is accepted that between 40000 and 50000 Bulgarians have been massacred
by the Turks and that there is not a single Bulgarian village in the villaet
that has not been destroyed... The official circles believe, that these
figures are lower than in reality. Some are inclined to believe that the
number of the murdered exceeds 50000. The Turks, obviously, have decided
to wipe out the whole Bulgarian population of the villaet./18/ Absolutely
the same states in its note of September 8th, 1903 "<i>New York Times"</i>.</font>
<p><font size=+0>In its issue of September 17th, 1903, <i>" Independent"</i>
adds : " It is clear that a mass massacre has been permitted in the region
of Monastir. Around thirty six thousand Bulgarians, living in the region,
have been massacred by the Turks and every Bulgarian village has been destroyed
to the ground."/19/ The correspondent of <i>" Independent", </i>having
visited personally the Bitolya's villaet after the defeat of the uprising
adds: "Lately, even a Greek ,who hates the Bulgarians, told me that he
could not sleep at night thinking of some things having happened in the
region of Monastir."/20/</font>
<p><font size=+0>The press in USA pays a lot of attention to the difficult
fate of the refugees, forced to leave their homes after the defeat of the
uprising. All American editions in 1903 and 1904 are unanimous that the
main refugee wave from Macedonia in the autumn of 1903, has headed for
Bulgaria and not for Serbia or Greece. This fact speaks, for it self, what
was the national identity of the rebels, as they preferred the savior route
to the East and not North or South!? On October 22nd, 1903</font>
<p><font size=+0><i>" Independent "</i> announces that " In Bulgaria there
are around 22000 refugees from Macedonia"/21/</font>
<p><font size=+0>In its correspondence from September 8th, 1903 ,<i>" New
York Times "</i> depicts the drama of the refugees: " The miserable Bulgarian
refugees, arriving every day in Monastir, tell almost incredible stories
on the Turks' atrocities," announces the correspondent of the newspaper
on the spot ." Sixty families from Smilevo, which had been totally destroyed,
passed through recently. The refugees saw a man and a woman to sit among
the ruins of their house when a Turkish soldier cut the head of the man
and threw it in the feet of the woman. Many Bulgarian prisoners had been
brought to Monastir. Most of them were unarmed peasants, not connected
with the uprising. Twenty Bulgarians were brought with heavy chains on
their hands and feet./22/</font>
<p><font size=+0>The wide resonance of the 1903 Ilinden uprising among
the public of the USA, makes possible for the first time in this country
in 1903-1904, the creation of a special public committee, whose aim is
to organize action for support of the suffering Bulgarian population in
Macedonia. In September 1903 in New York are laid the foundations of the
" Bulgaro - American Macedonian Committee "/ known also as the " Double
Committee"/. For its chairman is elected the Yale graduate- Konstantin
Stefanov, brother of the kidnapped together with Miss Stone in 1901 - Katerina
Tsilka.Albert Soniksen, a popular American journalist and traveler is elected
as Secretary and Ivan Radulov, special envoy of IMARO and IMAC for informing
America on the events in Macedonia, is chosen for treasurer./23/ From American
side as members of the committee enter: S. Low- former mayor of New York
and close friend of J. House, with whom he is in constant correspondence
; H. Potter - historian of the ancient world and well informed specialist
on the Balkan problems; the clergyman Edward Andrews, known in USA for
his publications on the Slavonic languages; I. Willer -- traveler and member
of the American Geographical Society as well as many others./24/</font>
<p><font size=+0>The first thing that impresses in the case is the name
of the committee -- Bulgarian-American Macedonian Committee. This formulation
leaves no doubt that, the people participating in this charity initiative,
have clearly in mind that they have come together to help the distressed
Bulgarians in Macedonia, and not some other population. Besides, the enormous
activity of the committee, during its short period of existence, should
be particularly pointed out.At first, an appeal to the public opinion in
USA is written entitled " A Cry from Macedonia".The document is signed
by 29 eminent senators, politicians and public figures and is published
in one of the most influential newspapers in USA. The appeal calls upon
the influential statesmen in Washington and the American society to provide
political and moral support to the fight for the liberation of Macedonia
Bulgarians/25/</font>
<p><font size=+0>Again upon the initiative of the "Bulgarian -American
Macedonian Committee", in October 1903 at the Washington-held Pan- American
Bishops Conference, the topic of fighting Macedonia is included in the
Program and is discussed by its delegates./26/ The participating, more
than 100, high clergymen state their support for the suffering Bulgarian
population. The meeting calls for collection and dispatch of financial
funds. It is proposed, that the American Protestant missionaries in Macedonia
form a special auxiliary committee in the region, in order to distribute
the foods and money received.</font>
<p><font size=+0>On this basis, in November 1903, the American missionaries
in Macedonia establish the so-called "American Committee in Macedonia".
It coordinates the receival and distribution of the aids for the victimized
Bulgarian population. Until December 1903, the Bulgarians in Macedonia
receive 10000 pounds of flour and " more than 500 big woolen carpets",
used as covers by the refugee's families. With funds from the American
missionaries, several small workshops are created in which the Macedonian
Bulgarians make warm winter clothes for the victims. With the debiting
of the financial funds in USA and their transferal to the " American Committee
in Macedonia" is engaged the "Kidder Peabody &amp;Co " bank in Boston.
/26/ One of the most fervent agitators in the financial fund- raising action
for the Macedonian Bulgarians is Miss Elena Stone./27/</font>
<p><font size=+0>In February 1904, upon the initiative of the "Bulgarian
American Macedonian Committee in New York, once again many outstanding
Americans are engaged in the defence of fighting Bulgarian population in
Macedonia. A new collective appeal on the Macedonian problem is prepared,
demanding the USA, as the most impartial power in the Balkan region, to
undertake diplomatic initiative and " together with the other Christian
nations in Europe" to insist on the fulfillment of the 1878 Berlin Treaty
clauses for reforms in Macedonia. The document is signed by 37 influential
politicians and citizens among whom are: Charles and Arthur Perkins- members
of the House of Representatives; Timothy Dwight - influential editor with
branches of its company in America, England and Australia; George Fisher
and Andew Phillips - professors in the University of Yale; the Governor
of Connecticut and many others./28/ This background makes possible an audience
to be given to the active member of the "Bulgarian - American Macedonian
Committee" Dr. Shoumkov in the White House. In Washington, he meets and
talks personally with the President of the USA - Theodore Roosevelt and
State Secretary G. Hay. He informs them in detail on the situation of the
Bulgarian population in Macedonia. The leaders of the American state give
their agreement to plead in front of the government of England on the problem
and to provide support to the English diplomacy in Constantinople, for
the implementation of the provisions of the 1878 Berlin Peace treaty./29/
At the same time ,<i>" Christian herald" </i>informs, that more than 30000
American citizens have addressed the edition with the demand: the American
government to insist immediately in front of the Great Powers to guarantee
the realization of the reforms in Macedonia , provisioned by them./30/
The public engagement of influential circles in USA with the fate of the
Macedonian Bulgarians, according to a contemporary witness, gives rise
in Europe to" the rumors that it is Americans that are guilty for the Armenian
and Macedonian uprisings - as our missionaries, accepted as representatives
of the American government, sympathize with the movement for liberty and
independence and give moral support and encouragement to the revolutionaries"./31/</font>
<p><font size=+0>This is an exaggerated statement. None of the Americans
residing in the Balkans in 1903 has been personally involved with IMARO.
It is indisputable fact, however, that the support provided by influential
politicians, public figures and the press to the fighting for liberation
Bulgarians in Macedonia, is accepted and evaluated, for the first time
in Europe, as America's real engagement and open support for the cause
of the Bulgarians in Macedonia - the main participant in the Ilinden uprising.
There is no document from that time, which to show that the American president
and the influential politicians of the country have defended the ideals
of some separate "Macedonian nation", simply because no such nation existed
in 1903 in Macedonia.</font>
<p><font size=+0>United States' s interests in the most aggravated political
problems on the Balkans, in the beginning of the 20-th century, does not
decline during the whole first decade of the century. After the victorious
war with Spain for the island of Cuba, the United States have the self-esteem
of a real great power, pretending to the formal acknowledgment of the old
great powers, for a status of great power with right of decisive vote on
the world problems.</font>
<p><font size=+0>In order to gain substantial positions, through which
to influence directly the behavior of the governments of St.Petersburg,
Paris, London, Berlin and Vienna, the Americans start looking for "an entrance
to Europe". The Balkans and the aggravated Macedonian problem promise to
create multiple conditions for this. Thus, the interest of USA towards
the pulsating political processes in Macedonia does not diminish, even
after the defeat of the Ilinden uprising.</font>
<p><font size=+0>In 1906, the history of the Bulgarian-american relations
registers a unique fact : After staying for two years in Sofia in order
to meet in person the leaders of IMARO, the American traveler and journalist,
deeply engaged with the Macedonian question- Albert Soniksen receives permission
from IMARO to enter illegally the region. He is to write a book on the
conditions of the fight for liberty. On February 28th, 1906, Soniksen enters
illegally Macedonia and as member of the military revolutionary groups,
lead by Luka Ivanov and Apostol Voyvoda, roams the region until November
9th. After his return, Soniksen publishes one of the best memoir books
written by a participant in the liberative struggles of the Macedonian
Bulgarians and certainly the best one, written on this topic by a foreigner.</font>
<p><font size=+0>Everywhere throughout its pages, when describing his personal
encounters with the Slavonic population in Macedonia, Soniksen writes that
he has personally verified, that it is of Bulgarian nationality. With one
exception, it is only Macedonian Bulgarians that feed, clothe and lead
through unknown paths the noble American humanist, obviously risking his
life only to gather first hand impressions of the conditions of Bulgarian
liberation struggle and to tell the world the truth about it./32/ It should
not be forgotten that the book is written very far from Macedonia -in USA.
In 1906-1907 the government in Sofia can by no means influence him, as
the Bulgarian legation is established in Washington in November 1914. Thus,
if Albert Soniksen had had any doubts, about whom he was writing the book,
he would have said it. Remaining faithful to the American historical tradition,
this eminent American humanist discusses objectively and impartially the
theme of the fate of the Bulgarians in Macedonia., leaving us some of the
most beautiful pages on this topic in English.</font>
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