Morning journal and courier., 1884-08-09

'
 the whole Turkish empire, and were only
 hindered from doing so by fear that SC rotten thing would make a foul smell. When we came to go ashore this feeling was intensified. Our satchels were exam ined at the custom house, pronounced o. K., and then the usual present was de manded by the impudent, shameless off cials. To our credit, be it said, we let the men whistle for their present. I hold that any traveller who weakly yields to these illegitimate demands is a particeps crimi- his in perpetuating one of the most cor rupt systems on the face of the earth.
 We were then referred to another indi- vidual, who made the customary demand for our passports. The moment we had surrendered them we saw a gleam of satis- faction illunine the .sinister-looking face of the man. "The passports are not visaed, , he said, land you each owe me one dol lar." We protested that the regulation re- quiring this was effete. That we had land ed at all the ports of Syria and Palestine and no official had dared ts make such a demand. It was no use. The man threat ened to order our baggage confseated and we reluctantly paid the fee In the northern possessions of Turkey official cupidity seems to be even more rife than in Syria The fact is the Ottoman government is so rotten to- day that it is in danger of falling to pieces any minute, like an over-done potato and
 
 bound to enrich himself before the crash comes. This visa costs fifty cents and the fine for not having it is one dollar; that in any event lawful blackmail may be collect ed Nothing saddens custom house official more than to find the visa all right. You are obliged to get the visa every time you leave port, or move from one point to an othe1sin the interior. Whether it be fee or a fine that you pay, the recipient puts the money where he thinks it will do the most good-in his own pocket. Even the Chinese and other independent Orientals are above such despicable smallness.
 It is common to speak of the Sick Man of Europe, and indeed he has been on his death bed for @ long time; but I think there is venal old ibertine is manifestly in his last throes now-the actual death-film is upon his eyes. Of course there will be scramble for his property when he breathes his last. and who will get the lions share? Greece, I think; and if it cannot be Austria I am sat isfied that it should be Greece. I have been amazed at the manifestations of Grecian in fuence in the Levant Like Italy, Greece is decidedly on the upgrade. Not only are the Greeks to be found in Egypt, Pal estine and Syria, but in Asia Mi nor and the islands adjacent the Greeks are the chief commercial factor. Here in Smyrna, the leading commercial city of the Ottoman Empire, the Greek language is the established medium of international in- tercourse, and the wealth of the city is in the hands of the Greeks. The French follow, and close behind them the Italians The chief European powers are out of the 4ues- ton. But for the jealousies between these chief powers, notably Russia and England, Turkey would have been parcelled out long ago. Greece is bound to be a second-class, and perhaps a first-class European power. When the Ottoman disintegration occurs, as occur it must, and that very soon, nothing would be more natural than for this dominant race to assume the reins of governments; and the politics of Europe wouldn not suffer greatly thereby. It is in view of this political rise of Greece that Senator Randall's appropriation bill deserves another rebuke. Aside from the niggardly character of that bill, ,-one of the most obnoxious propositions ever sub- mitted to Congress,-it is most impolitic in regard to it's treatment of Greece. Let it be known first that the Greeks (as in fact most of the southern European powers and all the Oriental peoples) have profound respect for the American eagle. Again and again hear The American flag is used by the Latins, Greeks, and Levantines for decoration; not only because it is the handsomest of all the flags, but also be- cause of it's import. American institutions meet the ideal of these peoples. At the same time these peoples find it hard to emancipate themselves from certain conventional views in political matters. They look upon diplo- macy as above and beyond the consular func tions MT. Randall's bill is likely to be of fensive, therefore, in that it creates consul at Athens with semi-diplomatic powers. The bill says plainly to Greece: ''You are only snip of a country, and aren't worth political notice." When the suspicious prospects of Greece are seriously considered, and the warm admiration in which the people hold our gov it would appear to be sheerest folly to thus snub the country. Doubtless the fal- Iacious "economy' of the bill has been re- buked by the Senate ere this.
 We had scarcely found our way to one of the hotels on the imposing Quay when two American flags saluted our eyes from the top of tall masts. We wended our way thither, only to find that the largest indicated where our consulate had been the week before A Greek escorted us to the new quarters, and we found Consul Stevens sitting alone in the twilight The apartment was suitably draped with American flags. Consul Stevens rose, lighted the gas, and gave us hearty welcome to his quarters, all too modest, by the way, for such a promising commercial port as Smyrna He said that the handful of Americans here, mainly missionaries, had nearly all been around to call during the day, and he was just waiting for any late strag gler Calling and decorating little with bunting are of course the only ways of cele- brating the Fourth of July abroad. Even the Greeks, recognizing the import of the day, had many of them been around to tender the anniversary congratulations. We had jolly chat of an hour or so, and then returned to the hotel in time for an $50 o'clock dinner.
 Averse to retiring immediately after heavy meal, I then took stroll along the Quay The Quay is the fashionable evening prone made of Smyrna. I almost fancied was al 6u in FI1ro I tho 1iCht .fa t1Tpd men and women walking back and forth, or riding in their private carriages. Street cars rumbled by, each provided with long lines of lighted candles along the roof outside. Tho cafes were equal to those of Cairo or Alexandria. Some had not simply scores, but hundreds of chairs invitingly ar ranged around tables at the waters very edge, or under trees on the side of the street which is occupied by buildings. There were he Alcazar, the Concordia, the Fl Dorado, he Aurora, the Comette, the Bellevue, the Ararat and dozen others. Here was very arge cafe attached to the Hotel de Ia Vile, where complete Italian orchestra was dis ,ensing first-class music There was an es- equipped with a full female the members all attired in silks and atins Even the humblest place managed to lave something in the way of musical attrac ions.
 The public buildings, hotels, cafes, casinos,
 
 Il large and attractive, so that the street is eally pleasant place for evening resort. 7here were Smyrna dudes out airing them elves with that same faultlessly stylish and the same insufferable affecta- ions that characterize less effete parts of the world. I witnessed several Smyrna mashes. ;myrna looms up especially well from the ca, and never better than in the evening, when the gas lamps are lighted. Being built, ike Hong Kong, Kobe, and other cities, on he slope of hill, every light, in town is visi- 'le, and the effect is like glimpse of fairy 1 and.
 By some strange coincidence, festival was | ,eing celebrated here on this particular night )ur Fourth of July was accordingly not with | ut fireworks, and the numerous narrow | treets were dangerously full of rousing bon tres. could not understand how such sport | vas tolerated, as the flames would often leap 1 ID as high as the houses, and the sparks flew 
 After walking about for time discovered l ome boys at work in the street piling up Jocks of stone that had been dumped at a ertain point I watched them for time, nd discovered the idea very soon. When | hey had constructed quite pyramid, they | to the top of it, and began gazing yer the top of high adjustable fence. Just f that moment the oDeninp strains of La |