Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-11-19
The Greece of To-day.

The Greece of To-day.
Few subjects have less interest for the
average American reader than the condi-
tion of modern Greece. To the man of
| scholarly tastes, of course, an imperlshable
glory hangs about her seas, her capes her
mountains aud her classic ruins; but the
political affairs of the country have possess
ed but little pertinency to us since Byron
died at Missolonghi. Fitz-Greene Halleck
has made the name of Marco BOzzaris
familiar to every school-boy. The strug>
gle of the Greeks against Turkish power
for time awakened the enthusiasm of the
world. Even in our own Senate the con-
dition of Greece was once discussed, and,
we believe, it was the voice Of Henry Clay
that sent forth noble words of sympathy,
to which our country cordially responded.
But all that has long since passed away.
The selection of the Bavarian Otho to
rule over the laud of Homer and the isles
where burning Sappho loved and sung"
was an event which attracted some little
attention at the time; but when, after a
comparatively long reign, he was expelled
by his subjects, the fact was readily acqui-
esced in by the European powers. An
other monarch was sought for; and the
lucky royal family of Denmark, which ha S
given a future Czarina to Russia and a
Queen to England, contributed son to
fill the Greek throne. King George was a
mere boy when he arrived for the first
time at the Piraus, and took up his abode
in the royal palace at Athens,
This was in 1868. The young king has
now ruled for ten years. He found the
country burdened by military laws mould
ed after the German pattern, and introduce
| ed by the Bavarian ruler who had preced-
ed him, and these he caused to be some
what modified. A recent phase Of his
reign was the Crotan revolt, which was
fomented by Greek influence, at least five
thousand Greek volunteers having taken
part in that unhappy and fruitless strug
gle. 1t was the return of these volunteers
brigandage and led to the deplorable MUIR
der of four English tourists on the road to
| Marathon. So far the incidents Of King
| Georges reign had not been such as to in
crease either the glory or the prosperity OF
his country. He began the present year,
however, by recommending to his Parlia-
ment the construction of roads, the OPEN
ing of schools of agriculture and other use
full measures. Among the schemes thus
brought before the notice of the nation
were the colonization of the Isthmus of
Corinth, the draining of Lake Copais and
the building of certain important lines OF
railway.
A correspondent OF the London Times
who has been writing to that paper a serie;
of thoughtful articles on the condition o.
Greece, seems to take rather depressing
view of the subject. Forty years Of au
tonomy have done little for the country
at large Agriculture is still backward
because all land is cultivated after the ole
methods abandoned in other European
countries Most of the produce is conveyed
to market on the backs of donkeys; plough
ing is insufficient: s. the growing crops are
exposed to the mutifarious vclssltudes of
an imperfect industry; neither additlona
labor nor capital can be proitably invest
ed in improving the cultivation OF cerea Is
and there is no hope that things will b.
better until the present system OF taxing
the land be totally abolished" 1t is thl
excessive taxation which is the bane of ru
raj existence in Greece.
1t is claimed by the writer from whom
we have quoted that, since their independ
ence, the policy of the Greeks has not beel
to develop the internal resources Of th'
country, but rather to carry out aggressiv
movements, as shown in the records o
Crete. Thessaly and Eprus.
, Turkey, her nearest neighbor, is the III
evitable enemy of Greece, and is only pre-
vented by her dread of the other powers o
Europe from overrunning and reducing
again to her sway the little kingdom which
was formerly one of her provinces. II
avoid complications with this dangerou
neighbor is necessity with any pruden
Hellenic government. To preserve peac
at home and abroad, and to improve tn
condition of her peasantry are also among
the first of its duties. The latter of thes
duties has not been fulfilled, nor has the
dream of grand Hellenic Empire
Greece leading the Oriental nations to
wards modern civilization and power
been even approached.
Americans know of Greece simply through
the writing of tourists, the pleasant letter
of the late Professor FELTON,, or the local re
searches of enthusiastic antiquarians-al
of which have for their scene of operation
the immediate vicinity of Athens. OF tn
everyday life of the people in the interio
we in this country are wholly ignorant
, There are too many interests nearer hom
: to claim our attention but it is to be re
gretted that when We do pause to take
| glance at distant Greece, her political ant
3 social condition does not appear to be
f matter of congratulation.-N Y. Erenin
Post.