New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-12
"THE ENGLISHMAN."
AN INDUSTRIOUS ECONOMIST AT THE HEAD
OF GREEK AFFAIRS.

TO describe or to imagine. The elections are over
and NJ Tricoupis has won The majority in
Boule is so large that the opposition is scarcely
worth taking into account 1t is in q sense the
Kings victory. King George not long ago COM
mitted the extraordinary but entirely constitu-
tional act Of dismissing his then Prime Minister,
NJ. Delyannis He first requested him to resign.
which the Minister refused to do; whereupon tho
King peremptorily dismissed him. NJ. Delyannis
did not take this well. lie very angry.
lie rayed. against the King, and tried to get up .
revolution that should drive - the foreigner ~
he called him. from the throne. The elections.
therefore, decided whether not the King was
right in dismissing NJ Dclyanns and they de-
cided most emphatcally that he was right. But
even more than that they. were victory for NJ
Tricoupis For when King George dismissed n
Dclyannis it was because his policy had proven
ruinous to the country, and the King thought il
would be better to have the policy of NJ. Tri-
cOupis substituted for it. The country has ap-
proved the change.
So 1.-The Englishman' becomes Prime Minister
for the sixth time. He is commonly called the
Englishman" because much Of his early life was
spent in England where he learned the English
language very perfectly and acquired much of the
disposition and manner Of the people Of that coun-
try. The Greeks are nervous and eXcitable But
was for many years member of the Greek Lega-
ton in London, and indeed it he who con-
Quoted for Greece the negotiations with England
which resulted in the cession of the Ionan Islands
TO their ancient owner He is In fact, Of course,
q true Greek, having been born IN 1892 az
Nauplia, and being the son of Splrdon lricoupis,
the famous Greek historian. And in patriotic
spirit he is a very Greek of the Greeks, despite
the wild charges Of lack Of patriotism made against
him by NJ. Delyannis and his party.
In fact NJ. 1ricoupis is bitterly opposed by the
so-called PATRIOTIC party in Greece And so 10
comes that the people are in such curious franc
of mind over his return to power PATRIOTISM
in the sense commonly known here means lingo
ism It means intriguing for the possession OF
Crete and of Macedonia, and Of every country in
which many Greeks are to be found. 1t means op-
posing the sending of Bulgarian bishops into
Macedonia 1t means, in brief Pan-Hellen-
ism. That is doubtless laudablc senti-
ment But it is one that Greece is scarcely able TO
maintain. Even if it does not bring on iOreisn
war, which would surely be disastrous to Greece
il has fatal effect upon commerce and upon the
domestic interests of the Nation. Against TINS
Pan-IIellenic Jingoism NJ. Tricoups has always
set his face Al heart he is as earnest ran
IIcllenist as NJ Delyannis himself. But ne real
lies that the time is not opportune for such
movement, and that it will be far better to cutl'
vatc the welfare Of the present country strong
and prosperous Little Greece he thinks, Is better
than weak and bankrupt Big Greece.
Now Pan-IIeenism is very dear to the Creek
heart. No people in Europe are so eager as they
10 have all their kindred united with them under
one flag At the same time the commercial spirit
is strong too. They greatly desire prosperity.
Under VI. Tricoups the finances OF the Nation have
been safeguarded, but the Pan-deenic movement
has languished. Under NJ Delyannis Pan-llelen-
ism has been rampant, but finances, public and
private, have gone to the dogs. 30 the people do
not know whether 10 rejoice or TO mourn over the
return OF NJ Tricoupis; whether to rejoice in pros
perty or 10 mourn loss Of socalled patriotism
As for NJ. Tricoupis, he must now take up most
difficult and distasteful task-a dual task. lie
must recognize the fiscal system which
NJ Deyannis has wrecked. That is dif
6cult And he must repress and restrain
the patriotic ardor Of tire Nation.
That is distasteful. Yet he has done both, several
times before, and does not shrink from the duty
now. In 1881 he had similar task, when
Turkey did not carry out the Berlin treaty with
regard TO the frontier, and all Greece clamOred
for war. He kept the peace, but was forced u
resign But the country needed him, and in
few months ne in office once more. Again
in ss5 he resigned his office TO the hands of NJ
Delyannis. The latter began most aggressive
career Of Jingoism, with the result that the
Great Powers of Europe soon had to suppress
him. They blockaded the ports Of Greece and
brought unspeakable humiliation upon it. SO
the Nation was glad to get rid Of NJ. Delyannis
and recall NJ Trcoupis ONE more.
II was terrible task that then confronted
the Minister. Not only the country hum
bled, but it was almost bankrupt. To keep the
Nofio Trpasu frOm IL
nccessary at once greatly to increase taxation.
That is usually a most unpopular thing TO do
But he did it boldly. AT one stroke ne increased
taxation more than so per cent, from 62,00O,OOO
| TO $4,000, 600 drachmas. Strange to say, no one
| complained, and even under this heavy burden
| prosperity was greatly increased. But after .
| few years the inpatient Greeks grew tired OF
prosperity and began to clamor for patriotism
| The Greeks in Crete were oppressed; the GieeS
| language was banished from the schools ana
| courts of Epirus, and Bulgarian bishops were
I allowed TO enter Macedonia. So in came NJ.
! Delyanns, with fresh Pan-lIeenic crusade
| It the old story over again. NJ Delyanns
| did not succeed in doing the least real good 10
| the Greeks abroad, and he did bring bad times
70 the Greeks at home. 80 the King wisely pun
him out Of Office, and the people have wisely put
| VI. Tricoupis in.
The Englishman" is really statesman OF eN-
traordinary ability. lie is also perhaps the most
| industrious Minister in Europe. He has never
married because lie has been too busy. Wife ana
| children would too much distract his attention
| from his work. so his accomplished sister man
| ages his household for him, and makes 1t NOS
| only an important political centre but the resort
| OF all who are best in the literary and artistic
| worlds. NJ 1ricoups begins work at his desk az
| daybrelk and continues at it until midnight lie
leaves it only for very brief aud hasty meals aha
| for the hours sleep at noon which seems to ~
| necessary in the southern countries OF Europe.
| He spends little time with visitors. Wien he