THE SITUATION IN BULGARIA.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11589, 21 May 1903, Page 4

THE SITUATION IN BULGARIA.

Bulgaria at the present moment is enjoying a series of "lightning changes" in thii character and personnel of its political ruleifi. During tho week the Government of the Principality has been in the hands of rm fewer than three different Ministries. Dr. Dancffs Cabinet. which represents ihe Zaukovist or Russian party in Bulgarian politics, resigned, owing, apparently, to strained relations between Prince Ferdinand and two members of the Ministry. The. result was a change of Government-, tha loader of the Stambuloff -section cf the Opposition being summoned by the Trincc to form a new Cabinet. A Coalition Ministry, of a less Rtißsophile character than Dr. Daneffs, was formed; but, according to a cable message this has already collapsed, and lias been replaced by a purely Stambuloffist Cabinet, The situation is interesting mainly for its possible, effect upon the anti-Turkish agitation in Macedonia. To a large extent the peace of the Balkans depends, at the. present time, upon the attitude of Bulgaria in regard to tho Macedonian movamle~t, and if the. new Government were to enter npon a bellicose policy in that quarter, they would soon be brought into open conflict with Turkey. It Ls not thought likely that the party which has now come into power will take up any such aggressive attitude, but it is impossible to predict, with any accuracy, whtut developments may arise from any given situation in. the turbulent and tangled politics of the Near East. Much depends upon the nltitndo of Prince Ferdinand himself; much upon tho part which Russia, in her role of protector of tho Balkans, may feel called upon to play. The growing distrust evinced by Turkey towards the ostensibly pacific intentions of Bulgaria is another factor in a knotty problem, and the temper of tho Bulgarian people in regard to Macedonia is by no means the least dangerous (ilenuoit to be reckoned with. "J.'rincc Ferdinand," Bays "The Timcs's" correspondent, "is credited abroad with the "best intentions, and lie has every reason " to act in accordance with the pressing in- " junctions of tha Powers. But nobody "can yet say wket.liec, in the event of -'Turkish outrages on a considerable scale, "it would be .possible for him, or even "for a Bulgarian Mini-try docile to "Russian influence, to prevent an " irresistible popular movement for inter"vention on the part of the Bulgarians. " Every crisis in the East lias been brought "to a head by -unexpected event?." The suggestion is that the influence of Russia at Sophia may not be strong enough to prevent the Bulgarians from precipitating an international crisis by forcing another conflict with Turkey. The present situation in the Balkans is considered to be very similar to that which led up to the last Russo-Turkish war, with the difference, however, that on this occasion Russia appears to be using everry effort to preserve peace. She has impressed upon the Sultain of Turkey the necessity for quelling the rebellion in Macedonia and of instituting reforms in the disaffected provinces, and at the _ame time she has warned Bulgaria that support of the revolutionary committees will lead to war with Turkey, nnd therefore cannot bo countenanced. It will be interesting to watch the attitude of Russia in regard to the changes of Government which have just been effected at Sophia. When the Daueff Ministry resigned last March, it is said that the Russian Government, in a peremptory Note, instructed Prince Ferdinand to recall them to office, and it is a fact that the Russian party in Bulgaria returned to power within two days, all the former members of the Cabinet retaining their pests except tho Minister of War, who was suspected of Macedonian leanings. It remains now to be seen whether a Ministry which in the past has followed a policy indicated by Russia will be again reinstated, or whether Rv.sHan influence will this time fail to control the situation. Should the Bulgarians tret fairly "out of hand,'' the. position in tha Balkans might be expected to go rapidly from bad to worse.