where in
all Europe have Russian political exiles found more secure refuge
than in Bulgaria, where they are received with hearty welcome, and
the abler ones of them offered Government employment. As an
instance: the national university in Sofia was founded by a Russian
scholar upon the invitation of the Bulgarian Government. Had this
same Russian scholar dared to cross over the Russian frontier he
would have been arrested immediately, and, if not hung, have been
sent into exile to Siberia. Again and again Russia has demanded that
certain notable refugees living in Bulgaria be delivered up to her,
but always Bulgaria has refused. The Bulgars love the Russian
people; they hate the Russian autocracy.

Meanwhile important events were developing down in Macedonia. The
people throughout this region, with the exception of the few Greeks
along the sea shores, had been bitterly disappointed by the Treaty
of Berlin, which delivered them back into the hands of the Turks. It
soon became obvious that even the reforms promised by the XXIII
Article of that document were to remain meaningless; the Turkish
Government did not even pretend to put them into effect.

During this period many young Macedonian peasant boys crossed the
frontier over into free Bulgaria, where the excellent schools being
established offered them opportunity to obtain an education that had
never before been available to Bulgars. These young fellows returned
to Macedonia unobtrusively and quietly by exerting their influence
on the peasants. At first they merely instructed them in reading and
writing; then they inaugurated evening gatherings where things of
the outside world were discussed. Two of the most prominent of these
young educators were Damyan Grueff and Gotze Deltcheff, now
worshipped by the common peasants as the martyr heroes of their
movement for freedom.

It was Grueff and Deltcheff who first gave these early efforts a
definite turn. They began organizing the villagers into societies
whose object was distinctly revolutionary. But during all their
careers neither of these two men advocated union with Bulgaria.
Later on, as will be shown, they became bitterly opposed to that
idea, as did all of their followers and disciples. They wanted to
create a program for their organization which should be acceptable
to all the people of Macedonia; Greeks, Serbs, Vlachs and even
Mohammedans, as well as Bulgars. So they preached the idea of
"Macedonia for the Ma