New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-11
THE TROUBLES IN CRETE.
HADJI-MIKALpS ADVICE.
CHEESE AN INsURREcTIoNARY SYMBOLIC
THE CRETAN PARII AMENT AND
TILE" UNEpEAKARI.E TURK


[FRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or rHR TRIBrvls
Athens. July 90
No not buy any cheese a, present! These tho
mercanelookng but highly politically imporsn.
words which the famous Hail Milall the leader Of all
preceding Crctan revolts teenaphed hence 10 tho
CIctans. In 1886 when they wanted 10 rise up against
the Turks, they are wont to do every ten years-re
member the great rebeons OF 1866 and 1873. Well
those restless natives of the island formerly nut
the country OF Mlnos. Rhafamane and Eachus. tho
three Wise Men Of Greece were anxious 10 have
their decennlal ussle with their Moslem friends and
they asked the advice of their former chicain Just "A
the Magyars Intercepted Kossuth recently about the
opportunity Of cutting themselves OF from the In
natural bounds Of imperial dualism. The venerable
and veneraed Hadji Mlka advised HE Cretan friends
that the time had not cOme-18S6-" 10 buy cheegas
which means for the initiated, to revolt. The adapts
ton of such a mild produce as cheese 10 bloody revo-
lutionary deeds VIII not seem a very surprising
symbol to those who know that goats goat milk and
consequently goat cheese have always been great
feature In the island ever since Idameneus relgnea
over there the nymphs danced the slopes Of Mount
Ida, and the MinOtaur yearly waited for the convoy Of
Aihenian maideps.
The Cretan leaders followed, then, in 1886, the
advice of the old cheftan and did not buy any
cheese" II is not known whether they asked for his
counsel again this year, but II they did they havs
not followed the certainly peaceful advice Of HadI
Mkali The old patriot has retired entirely from Tho
cheese' business, not without having secured from
it a revenue which comes to him under the form Of
double pension, paid by two governments, Greece and
Turkey and the Turkish side Of that pension would
be- endangered through any advocacy OF rebellion
in Crete. Moreover. HadjLMlkali IS old enough to
be entitled to let his gun hang peacefully behind the
door of his residence at Athens Whether opportunity
or otherwise, however, 1t seems certain that tho
Cretan leaders have "bought cheese. and begun
another decennial instruction. II Is impossible yet
to say whether not 1t will spread all through tho
island. though this IS probable whether Il will
involve this very country of Greece and perhaps
some other I'm Western Europe The Cretan question
Is of those Eastern questions. about which
diplomat said "This IS powder barrel. which mar
blow up Europe at any time'-' and whose fuse Is
liable TO be lighted in Western Europe herseis
might have added another diplomat Well. the bea
has been set rolling In MnOs Island Europe may
prevent It from going further than the beach, and
Greece herself who Is charged with entertaining selfish
views relative to Crete, does not seem prepared
to face the music Just now. Two or
three days ago Ministerial paper the Bphemerisa
said: The flag OF instruction has been urfHried
IN the island. We have recommended TO the CretaHs
tranquility and reserve. We repeat to-day: do roo
hurry-any premature action may iniure your si,i
uation; and injme also the country toward which
you turn your eyes, toward the beaming h,af
of liberty' Athens papers sufficiently clever
TO understand that Crete might be another Cyprus.
and that the Archipelago does not absolutely need
the presence of a larger number Of British officials
and British tradesmen
The most suitable solution 10 the question wodld
be to convince Turkey to consent TO the abandonment
Of her purely nominal sovereignty island
which does not bring her any revenue, and whose
inhabitants she does not pretend to govern In Any
way. Some of the Turkish officials are Cretans~
who formerly led Instructions GOgOni, one OF tho
sub projects in the district OF Caua was at the head
Of the local insurgents at Suda, in 1866 and 1875
and fred in the latter period, shot at sawas Pscha,
which killed orthodox priest by his side Whom
peace was re-established, Gogoni was appointed
Turkish subprefect, aud he presented sawas, whe
had become Governor General, with the very gun no
had used against him. The STEAMBOAT GoVefnmeho
has given up sending into exile the . danger2gss,s
Creans; it gives them decorations ana oHces' sun,
1t cannot be said that this succeeds always, ana
BESIDES it is newly tried experiment. very oitea
the leaders, after the crushing Of the periodical
revolts solicit and obtain small pension from Greece,
and they become members OF the Parliament at
Canea being thus insured against any annoyance iron
the Turkish authorities small offices are usually
given to the dissatisfied or restless Cretans -,
This has been the case, especially, for tho con,
stabulary or SOuvaris mounted policemen. All
travellers in Crete were duly warned to look oar
Something like the Fra Diavolos OF the Neapolitan
and Calabran mountains OF course; these men
much preferred TO levy tribute upon the Musumaa
beys and efendis rather than return empty handed
from their pillaging excursions they dd not STEP
at ransomng the Christians. Now the traveller
through the mountain passes and valleys In Cfete
does not meet any more Kephtes but numerous
souvaris, or mounted constabulary, whose creation
was decided on In 1878 by sawas Pacha and in whose
souadrons the Klephtes were nviied 10 enter, WIN
good pay and easy service. .u
The fact that In Crete the Mussulman c0nqieEars
have been absorbed by the vanquished populaTon.
turkish words in their prayers they do not understand
their meaning. The island is evidently mere
nominal dependence of Turkey: The C etah , rSs
lament including eighty members, couaea iSf1 Ky
nine Christians and thirty Moslems. IN 1855 ana me
majority of the latter vote usually win me Cnrsan
side OF the House. II IS. however, by this qteston
of elections which are held in May, that insurgeMt
nblusbine pressure exerted by the native officials,
and the present insurrecuonary movement Is no
exception TO the rule.