Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-07-10

INDIANAPOLIS. July s.-The rumofs cur
l rens in London Of The a61ication Of King
George Of Greece were interestingly dis
cussed today By Demarchus c. Brown, pro
fessoR Of Greek in Butler university, who
has just returned from Greece, where hs
spent year.
Prof. Brown stases that. IL King Georsv
has resigned his sceptre, he believes The
cause 10 the financial condition Of the coun.
try. Because Of the ambition Of the Greeks
to see the Turks driven from Europe and
Constantinople once more made the capital
and centre Of the Greek kingdom, the peo-
pie were willing to submit 10 heavy taxa
ton for the strengthening Of the army and
navy.
The scale upon which the reorganization
Of the army and the building Of the navy
was begun involved the creation Of an enor-
nous debt. When il became necessary 10
refund the debt, France and England were
asked for loan. but il Was refused. A year
which failed to secure loan from the pow
ers, and Tricoupis, the most trusted states
man that Greece has produced in 20 yeArs,
was placed at the head Of the cabinet.
In the meantime the financial affairs of
Greece had become more hopelessly in
volved and Tncoupis was unable to bring
Greece out of her financial tangie.
| Prof. Brown said that the cutting OF Of
the expenses Of the royal family and the
pruning of the official list in the army and
navy would tend to to alleviate the flnan-
cial condition Of Greece and gradually re-
store her credit. The King draws salary
Of l 800, ,0O0f. year in gold. The crown
prince is young man of elegant tastes. At
the present time marble palace is being
built for him which is to cost several mil
lion francs.
| In the army and navy there are about
twice ~ many officers In proportion tc' the
rank and. file ss there are in the German
army. These officers, being members Of
the better families, are too proud TO engage
in business. and demand maintenance on
the official rolls at public expense ~ their
right.
While King George is a popular mon
arch. Prof. Brown thought his sbdication
would be hailed with pleasure by the peo-
pie, because Of promise it gave Of q partial
| relief from the onerous burdens Of taxation
| to which they had been subjected.
Prof. Brown stated that another source
from which the credit of Greece might be
improved was the rich Greeks, among whom
it was custom to give their possessions to
the country.
Being asked if the change Of the king
dom to a republic would be acceptable to
the powers, Brown said IL think not, es-
pecially not to Russia and Germany, for
the Queen belongs to the Russian royal
family, the King himself is brother Of the
Carina, and the crown prince is married to
the sister of Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany.
at will be to their interest to secure the
succession of the Crown Prince. Queen
Olga, particularly, has ambitious designs
for her own son, the Crown Prince. She
10 warm and even bigoted advocate of the
Greek church. Therefore, she and the
Russian royal family may have fears that
republic would not be so exacting in its
religious requirements"
"How will abdicatiOn affect Englandr"
II think that England will seriously OBJ
ject to the establishment Of a republic.
King George of Greece 10 brother of the
Princess of Wales"
"Who would probably be the head of a
new republic?'
THAT would be purely conjecture, but
Tricoupis is the man for the place. lie has
made Greece what it is today. Under his
ministry railroads have been built, com
plete system of education, primary and al
vanced, has been established, brigandsge
has been completely subdued, and many
modern improvements have been intro
duced. He has been also largely responsi-
BILE for the revival and the use Of the Greek
tongue instead of the French. He is . man
of broad and liberal education and public
orator of considerable power"