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James Johnston Abraham кој на почетокот од XX век (1915) престојувал и работел во Скопје во служба на Српската влада. Во своите патеписни белешки тој запишал: „By swinging my camera sideways [...] up and down we went, in and out, amongst the white-capped Albanians, turbaned Turks, hard-featured Macedonians in embroidered tunics, piratical-looking Tziganes, fezzed Jews, squat Bulgarians in brown homespun, tall Roumanians with high-domed astrakan hats, Serbs in grew forage caps, Austrian prisoners in light blue untidy uniforms“. (JOHNSTON J. A., My Balkan Log, New York 1922, 130.)

А ова е за пропагандите и свесноста на странците за нивната реалност, но и како практично се манифестирале:

Barclay and I and a stray Englishman, a mining engineer from up-country, were dining with the Consul that night.

„What you've got to remember, in reply, is that their Christmas is next week, and their New Year a week later,“ he said. „I'm looking forward to trouble in the New Year,“ he added gravely.

-„Why?“ I said.

„Because Northern Macedonia is to become part of Serbia, officially, on the first of January. The people are to have elections, and appoint members to the „Skupshtina“.

„But why should that cause trouble?“

The Consul smiled, and remained silent; but the engineer, who had no official reticences to maintain, answered:

„Why! Because they will then be subject to conscription. The young men will be called up to swell the denuded Serbian Army, and they do not like it. Many of them are Bulgar in sympathy. Such as are Mohammedans are afraid they may be called upon to fight against their co-religionists. The Albanians and Tziganes don't want to fight for anyone, except for and amongst themselves. So there you are! The average Macedonian is neither Serb, nor Greek, nor Bulgar. He's just whatever suits him at the time. Lord! The Macedonian question! There's going to be a small hell’ when they begin to rope in recruits in Uskub[1]. The bazaar is seething with revolt already“.

The Consul smiled gravely.

The Engineer smiled at some memories.

„I remember in the old days, that is some five to ten years ago, wandering hands of Komitadgi used to convert whole villages to the Greek, Serb or Bulgar Church by the sword.“

Noting my surprised look, he continued.

„I know. It sounds almost incredible. But it's true. Those who did not convert were simply pillaged or even occasionally slaughtered by their fellow Christians. The Turks looked on and smiled. It suited their policy splendidly to have these Christians love one another in this way. As a rule they connived alternately at the doings of one or other side, as suited them; but when things became too lively they fell on both impartially, and there was another Macedonian massacre to horrify Europe. How the Turks must have smiled!“

„But are these Macedonian people really different racially?“ I asked.