Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1908 — THREE NATIONS AGREE [ARTICLE]

THREE NATIONS AGREE

Great Britain, Russia and France Have Formulated a Basis for Balkan Pacification. EIGHT PROPOSALS ARE MADE They Practically Affirm AU That Has So Far Been Done Bulgaria To Be Independent, Also Montenegro—Crete to Realize Her Aspirations—Nothing Provided as to the Dardanelles.

London, Oct. 16. Great Britain. Russia and France have reached an agreement on a programme to be submitted to the other powers as a basis for the discussion at the proposed European conference to settle the Balkan situation. The proposals to lie laid before the powers are eight In number. The first is to the effect that articles 1 to 22 of the treaty of Berlin, which relate to Bulgaria and eastern Rume11a, shall be replaced by stipulations recognizing the independence of Bulgaria as at present constituted and determining the financial obligations of Bulgaria toward Turkey. New clauses probably will settle alsodhe question of the Oriental railway. Will Give Crete What She Wants The second and third proposals are that the powers shall take note of the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary, and of the return of the sanjak of Ndvlpazar to Turkey. The foprth article relates to Crete. It replaces article 23 of the treaty of Berlin with clauses recognizing the annexation of Crete to Greece and determining the financial obligations of Greece in respect to Crete toward Turkey. It is understood that the four powers under whose protection Crete has been —Russia. Great Britain. France and Italy—will settle with Turkey before referring it to the conference. Montenegro Gets Her Sovereignty. The fifth proposal Is to the effect that arrangements similar to the foregoing shall apply to the Armenian provinces of Turkey. The sixth article deals with Montenegro. Montenegrin of sovereignty are limited by article 29 of the treaty of Berlin. It is proposed that articles 26 to 33 of the treaty shall be condensed into a single article, abrogating all the restrictions imposed by the treaty under the original article 29. which it is proposed to sweep away. Provides for Compensation. / The seventh proposal affirms the desirability of giving compensation to Servia and Montenegro, but without specifying the means, and the eighth concerns the River Danube and declares it to be desirable to revise the regulations governing traffic so as to give larger rights to the states bordering on the river. There is nothing in the proposals about the Dardanelles,