The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-03
THE Site or THINGS IN CRETE
The signs accumulate that the kingdom

any doubt that declaration Of war on tho part
of the Athcnian Government would be followed
by n renewed instruction in Crete. 1t is worth
while. therefore. to review the action OF the
much abused Ottoman authorities toward that
island. and to inquire what they have to gain Ivy
n change Of regime. We may say at once that.
II public opinion in Europe and America wore
as we'll informed az it ought 10 be- the lcncnt
and judicious conduct OF the Porto toward its
Crctan subjects would be accepted us II conclu-
sivc proof Of its good intentions.
What are the circumstances under which a
large measure OF self-goyernmont has been ae-
corded to the population Of Crctc2 In the fist
place tho people are purely and distinctively
Hellenic. to II degree wholly unappr0achod
elsewhere. OF the 2uOOJD inhabitants thnly
scattered over the great island about one third
are Mosom in faith but tho Ottoman invaders
are represented by only a few families
Of Gambia. the mass Of Islams aihcrcnts being
DESCENDED from rcncgad 81 converted at the
time OF the conquest Here ms in Bosnia the
heirs Of such ncophytcs are Of all Mohammod-
ans the most higotnd and the most bitter against
their Christian fellow-suhIccis. and here too
the landed proprietor like the bosnmc boy.
knows only the tongue Of his ancestors. which
in this ease is an Hellenic dialect derived from
the Dorian. As regards the local distribution 81
the two religions. the large land owners are
Moscm 80 too are majority ofth etown-pcpplc.
while the peasant class and the mountainccrs
are almost exclusively Christian. There are no
striking social differences. however. for the
country is very poor. The sole staples are olive
oil and soup: the combined exports and imports
did not rca il last year two and a hali million
dollars even the retail trade X mrugrc and pre-
curious 'n' '"V moro 'hrv"Fh""t ll' ms
"IS "l NI'U'h lhS"II''u"hs INC "h"' '"9'rh
n"l "' "'o l7''n" rom '"nu'' /" ''Ic ''un'r"'
mas rchnhed p'rl'.uy iu" Ont ann t'.7 i7
conspivnou7} true OF the last o"'hrraN' u IL
the hlshlandefS "i tlr west. among whom the
d'nz' ms oil NphHkla' LaAh'7' ana Myiop"iaino
ar" inc most lhhln"ry known VINO nave con-
sl"huy r'"eh'd AGAINST ln''r ottoman ruler. Us
thcy had previously against tle hyNhuh' In
perurs' the Sarle'hS Hnu the NeheOanS.
Nhen the Sphakiotrs and their comnatrlo's
had been completely suldncl, in 1865. Ala Pasha
was charged with tho business OF feor-aniAng
Crete. The Porte has had during the present
century no moro enlightened servant or more
sihslc-minded Interpreter OF 'he reforming
spirit winch mas from time 10 tlme controlled
iis couns'is We MAJ say tnat seldom i'm Llto-
p'ah history mas " reNot'd uf"Nh " received
$50 literal char''r as was 'mpoiird IN the ccl-
opratcd lrman drawn up hy TINS ottoman -lnios-
man and known a. the organic act az Crete. By
TINS measure inc Cr't'nS We're r'l'ns'd from
obligations toward the common law oi The oin-
pir' Withih the sphere oil thecon''s9i"ns spe'i-
ird' IheS' were amplr' constituting. ia iit.
unduaHNed municipal rights. Inc urban OF
rurh commune Is Today lar moro independent
IN 'ret' IMAM ia Franco or ll"i' us regards ih'
management Of It's l"'"l affairs. Th' plan fol-
lowru was |" give ea'N district "n'rr 'i' Nhfis-
unns pr'don'nated Hree% project and TURK
IL