Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-13


peoples OF Eastern Europe gives rise is
whether the same VIII result in the long
promised and much prayed for over
throw Of the Moslem power in
Europe. II may, however, be only
another step toward that perhaps not
far distant consummation, But for so
many years mas the Sublime Porte per-
sistently humbugged outraged, swindled
and defied Christendom, that Mr.. Glad.
stones bag and baggage" policy--that
OF driving the Turk and all his belongings
once again into the Businesses Of Central
Asia-may be executed At any moment.
And the patience Of Europe 10 exhausted.
Then who viii the great powers OF Europe
elect as his successor IN Stamboul? The
question is one that interests the entire
Christian world.
But TO those who arc familiar with
Eastern matters, there would seem to be
but one answer to this question, perp!ex-
ing as il may be to others. Greece only can
I'll the bill. Though unhappily it Is still
fashionable TO say hard things Of the
modern Greeks, they are, beyond question,
the most enlightened, progressive and'hu-
manitarian of Eastern people, although
they nave had bur few years in which to
show the world who and what they are .
When, in 1890, Greece reganed her indie
pendence, after centuries of enforced era
ven servitude alike to Venetian and Turk,
she was compelled much against her will,
to accept a Bavarian prince as
her chief. The cries of her
people for a republic, with a Mavrocor-
dato, Coumoundouros, Delyannis, or
Trlcoupis, at its head were ignored, and
the schemes for a system Of national edu-
cation and other humanitarian inf fences,
formulated by the Greek patriots under the
orange groves Of the Epidaurus, when al
most the entire country was smouldering
from the havoc wrought by the Turkish
firebrauds, were ignored. Ohio Of Bava-
ria was forced upon her, and Ohio Of Ba-
Yaria did as much TO bring her to grief as
did either Venetian or turk. 1t is only
from 1868, when that tyrant gave place 10
the present King OF the Hellenes-George,
son Of the King OF Denmark and brother
Of the Princess Of Weles--that the real
In those few years what have the
Greeks done? They have proved them
selves worthy of their illustrious ances-
try by~putting in force perhaps the most
perfect system of education that to-day
exists anywhere. The widest of the lit
tie Vlachopoimenes-m shepherd
bOys-leayes his focks to care for them
selves upon the hills, while he seeks an
education at the many free schools
in which every village abounds, and IN
which the Greek of st. J John is taught in
stead of the barbarous Romaic OF half a
century ago. The "token flowers" of
Byron are done away with, for no longer
is it considered a crime for Greek ladies
to read and write. Greek merchants
command the trade of the Mediterranean,
besides playing a very important part in
the cotton trade between this country and
the Old World. And all this in at most
fifty years.
But unhappily stir goes forth the old,
old cry: "7imGO DdaoS, etc." The Turk
will tell you it takes six Turks
to swindle a Jew, and six Jews to
swindle a Greek. This unseemly reputa-
ton is due to a foolish step on the part Of
the Greeks. Instead of waiting for re-
cognition of their superior ability by
Christendom, it was unhappily with them
the case OF 'the beggar on horseback"
Herein laid their error. No sooner free,
than they proclaimed themselves the first
commercial nation in the far East. A
Greek may love close bargain-who does
not? But il little sharp practice is per-
missible on the exchanges of New
O9leans, New York, Liverpool
and London, a tortiori is it
not also permissible on the exchanges of
Marseilles-the ancient Massilia, whose
commerce is again in Greek hands
Alexandria, SYRIA. smyrna and C0nstan-
tinople itself? 1t is not that the Greeks
cheat more than other people. The an
tipathy to them arises from the fact that
they make more money on the same
amount of cheating.
IL the Greeks are not worthy to regain
Constantinople, what people is? To main
tain the political equilibrium in Europe.
Great Britain and Russia ask for an en-
lightened and progressive successor 10
the over-fed Sutans. Neither the Alba
nians-discarded by the Greeks on ac-
count OF their instability--nor the Bulga-
rians-originally cast out from Russia for
a similar oharacteristic-can with safety
and propriety supplant Islam. Roumelia.
Servia, Roumania, Bosnia and the Herzes
govina-the two last now practically
Austrian--have populations too heteroge-
neous TO be trusted. All this strengthens
the cause of Greece. AS, two centuries
ago was ohanted throughout the Greek
peninsula, the doggerel-
"Oude en- TO Morea
Me meme no Turkos"-
so now sgain goes forth from the classic
lands of the East, dear 70 all civilization.
the same dlstich, slightly altered, with
STEAMBOAT" supplying the place Of "Mo-
rea," making IL read: "Nor in Stamboul
shall the Turk remain" That Turkey
must go" is the decree OF Christendom,
and Christendom will also decree that the
Greek shall once more occupy Byzantium
and take his long lost place with that
civilization for which the world is In
debtcd to his illustrious ancestors.
There has been no cholera in this coun-
try this year hut five OF the crew Of kha