Бугарскиот премиер Рачо Петров вели дека Востанието [Ilinden] во Македонија е македонско национално движење, организирано од ВМРО, неповрзано со Бугарија.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Racho Petroff says the [Ilinden] Insurrection in Macedonia is a Macedonian national movement, not connected to Bulgaria.
PETROFF HOPES FOR PEACE.
SOFIA. Bulgaria, Aug. 15.-Premler Petroff haс just returned from a visit to the Macedonian frontier, where It touches the district of Dubnitza, and he take a some what optimistic view of the situation in Macedonia. lie believes that the outbreak will be confined to the vilayet of Monastir, where the Turks probably will succeed in suppressing the insurrection.
Regarding the reports that Bulgaria was responsible for the outbreak, he pointed out that the center disturbed area was nearly 200 miles from the Bulgarian frontier and was separated from it by a country largely inhabited by Turks. Consequently, he Bald, it was foolish to say that the movement was. aided by bands from Bulgaria, and it was equally unrea sonable to suggest that the arms of the Insurgents came, from. Bulgaria. He asserted that, aa a matter of fact, the guns used by the insurrectionists were all of French manufacture and that most of them were bought from Turkish officers and men who, receiving no pay, had reported to the aale of their guns and ammunition to obtain money.
The Insurrection, he declared, was entirely a national Macedonian movement, organized by the Macedonian, Internal committee. This, in itself, was proof иf the shock ing condition of> affairs due to the excesses of Turkish soldiers, who. on the pretext of searching for arms. ‘entered Macedonian villages, to plunder and destroy..
The situation in the unhappy villages, he thought, had been rendered more desperate by the reftial of the Turks to permit tha unemployed to. leave In order, to obtain work elsewhere. This goaded the population to the . most desperate measures. Premier Petroff declared that the Bulgarian Government was doing its ut most to maintain peace.
Petroff says that the Turks are pouring overwhelming, forces into Monastir and that they are Sufficient not only to suppress, the present rising, but to destroy the entire revolutionary movement unless the powers intervene to prevent Turkey taking rigorous measures. Upon the whole, the Premier believes there is no immediate cause for alarm. On the contrary, he is of the opinion that the situation will soon change for the better- -Will Suppress Insurrection. Bulgarian Premier Believes , Turkey^ Excepting for two or three places possessing strategic advantages, all of the sixty or seventy villages in the Krushevo district are deserted. In tha Fiorina district, the rebels have a large depot in a, strong position in the mountains, held by 000 revolutionists. Many women are bak ing bread day and night for those in the’ Held and large supplies of clothing, shoes, rifles and ammunition are- kept there. A, spy informed the* Turkish’ authorities of the depot and they sent 1000 troops on August 4 to capture the place. .The fight which ensued lasted twenty-four hours. Manysoldiers were killed, but the stronghold was so secure that »the rebels’, who sustained no losses, repulsed tho attack. “On August 5 sixty Turkish soldiers were found dead at Karamanl, appar ently killed in a hard fight with a su perior force of. rebels.
“The insurgents still hold Smllivo. Many Turkish soldiws, with seven cannon, are only a few miles off, but they dare not attack the village. Before the bands reached Smilivo 1(H) soldiers occupying the village killed many of the Christian in habitants and burned a large part of the place. ‘The bands, on their arrival, an nihilated the garrison.”. quired to provide their own rifles. Now all art» supplied from magazines in the
mountains.
