The basis for this post is to examine the book Fighting the Turk in the Balkans: an American's adventures with the Macedonian Revolutionists by Arthur Douglas Howden Smith (1908).
Upon reading the first few pages the authors introduction gives you an idea of where this text is headed;
I had always been interested in the Balkans, particularly in Bulgaria and Macedonia, and when, in the fall of 1907, a chance was offered to me to go to Sofia and observe conditions at firsthand, I could not decline it. Naturally, one does not start on such an expedition as on the usual summer holiday. Letters of introduction were necessary, and I was carefully instructed in the personal phases of the insurrection, besides being given intimate side-lights on the characters of the prominent chiefs.
There were at the time three revolutions against the Turk raging in Macedonia—Bulgarian, Greek, and Servian. Of these the Bulgarian revolt was the most important and the one that was best known to the rest of the world. This was not extraordinary, because the Bulgarians undoubtedly form a majority of the Macedonian population. It has been computed that of about 4,000,000, they include 2,500,000.
It should be remembered, to begin with, that there is no Macedonian race, as a distinct type. Macedonians may belong to any of the races of Eastern Europe or Western Asia, as, indeed, they do. A Macedonian Bulgar is just the same as a Bulgar of Bulgaria proper, the old principality, that in October, 1908, at Tirnova, was proclaimed independent of Turkey. He looks the same, talks the same, and very largely, thinks the same way. In short, he is of the same stock. There is no difference, whatsoever, between the two branches of the race, except that the Macedonian Bulgars, as a result of their position under the Turkish government, have less culture and education than their northern brethren.
There were at the time three revolutions against the Turk raging in Macedonia—Bulgarian, Greek, and Servian. Of these the Bulgarian revolt was the most important and the one that was best known to the rest of the world. This was not extraordinary, because the Bulgarians undoubtedly form a majority of the Macedonian population. It has been computed that of about 4,000,000, they include 2,500,000.
It should be remembered, to begin with, that there is no Macedonian race, as a distinct type. Macedonians may belong to any of the races of Eastern Europe or Western Asia, as, indeed, they do. A Macedonian Bulgar is just the same as a Bulgar of Bulgaria proper, the old principality, that in October, 1908, at Tirnova, was proclaimed independent of Turkey. He looks the same, talks the same, and very largely, thinks the same way. In short, he is of the same stock. There is no difference, whatsoever, between the two branches of the race, except that the Macedonian Bulgars, as a result of their position under the Turkish government, have less culture and education than their northern brethren.

Shortly after reaching Sofia, I started out to find the Revolutionary Committee, which has the direction of the insurrection in Macedonia. Now, I had had some experience in tracking down South American juntas in New York, but still, I was somewhat uncertain as to how to go about a search for revolutionists in a strange city. It turned out to be absurdly simple, though. An hour or two proved that it was useless for me, ignorant of the language, to play my hand alone, and I appealed to the commissionaire of my hotel, a wonderful Austrian, named Carl, who spoke six tongues and could understand as many more.
And of course as to be expected even more confusion at the end of the book where Mr. Smith writes on page 366;
The outsider who visits the Balkans, and tries to gain an unprejudiced viewpoint, from which to gaze over the situation, cannot help feeling influenced by Bulgaria's position. Bulgaria's claim on Macedonia is based chiefly on the ground of population. "Give us the Bulgarians," is the demand of Sofia. "Let the Greeks have the Greeks and the Serbs have the Serbs."
That is all very well, but how are you going to decide exactly who are Greeks, or Serbs, or Bulgars? While in this chapter I have spoken of broad geographical lines, there is no doubt in my mind that a strict division of the land on such principles would visit much hardship upon thousands of peasants. The hopeless tangle of races baffles one at every turn. For there are Greeks in the Bulgarian area, and Bulgars in the Greek area, and both are scattered through Old Servia.
That is all very well, but how are you going to decide exactly who are Greeks, or Serbs, or Bulgars? While in this chapter I have spoken of broad geographical lines, there is no doubt in my mind that a strict division of the land on such principles would visit much hardship upon thousands of peasants. The hopeless tangle of races baffles one at every turn. For there are Greeks in the Bulgarian area, and Bulgars in the Greek area, and both are scattered through Old Servia.
Smith runs with the Vrhovists in his book but he tells of an interesting story. Here it is;



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