New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-07
TUE WOES OF THE CRETANS.
.,,oruER PLAGUE-sPOT OF MAHOMETAN
OPPRESSION.

.,sures bv their perversity, was moved to
o" -. .be remark that all Cretans were liars,
h ,hahitants Of the Island of Gambia have
-" "a themselves to the utmost to live up to
CIV .xceedngly evil reputation which they. at
''N .,ue possessed. and for the matter Of that
' .soss TO this very day. Passionate, un-
~ Lie revengeful and bloodthirsty they have
.ho nupnacity and love of "shindy" which
a..;reuish the Irish, but are utterly wanting IN
odaeming warm heartedness and mpulsve
Va s,ess of the sons of Erin. The consequence
Not Crete has ever been regarded as the
- sor-box OF Europe, ready to burst forth into
nd dame on the slightest pTovocation. Mat
~. ors aggravated by the fact that. whereas
- CHARTERS of the inhabitants belong to the
-hodox faith and regard themselves as Greeks.
", rsmaining quarter consists Of Mahometans
Constitute the aristocracy and territorial
otos Of the island, considering themselves
,or1s Of the soil and the representatives or
~. dominant race. They alone are permitted
A,or arms and to use them, too. when they
~ Il necessary, whereas. the Christian Is
~ct,v forbidden to carry weapons OF self-de-
go Yet they are not Turks by lineage: only
,-.cendants Of Christian renegades identical In
with their non-Moslem fellow-islanders
,som they Cypress.
uben Crete was wrested from the Venetians
:. ,,a latter half Of the seventeenth century 1t
~,arvent a social transformation similar to
49,, which had at an earlier date taken place
" posnia after the Ottoman conquest. GER
80, nroportion Of tte landed aristocracy alb
"a the Christian faith, in the hope that the
sscated property of their more steadfast
,..brsn might be turned over 20 them and
.no. me administration of the country might
.a-,ualv fall into their hands. Such results
s,a actually follow apostasy In Crete as well as
- p,snia and 1t was observed that under his
,rrncoat masters in those provinces the lot
- tho ravah or Christian subject. was peculiarly
lord With such ingredients for disturbance on
ora side and the other. ii is not altogether sur
r~,e,ng that civil war and downright anarchy
should be the rule rather than the exception
While there is no doubt that the Turkish
,rosters Of the island have been guilty of con-
siderable amount of cruelty and tyranny, ana
that there IS some basis of truth In the stories
60 diligently circulated by the Greek press TO
the effect that the persecution Of the Candiotes
l., an mar with that of the Armenians In ASIA
,u,or VET il must be confessed that In Crete.
=. an. rate the Turks have acted under con-
s,asrah1a amount of provocation. Indeed II IS
mainly, owing 70 the conduct OF the Cretans
themselves that the Sultan has been so chary
shout granting any sort Of autonomy 10 'he
christian provinces Of his Empire. In spite or
tho many attempts made by the Cretans 10 over
,brow Turkish rule the first being made IN ISL
,ba second in 1873 the third In lSbO ana the
fourth in 1877. the instructions being fomented
nv the leaders OF the Pan-Helenist movement III
craece and bv the foreign cOnsuls on the island
fine Porte in January. 1863. conceded to Candia
q fuu-fedged constitution with extensive rish's
of self government, which were increased from
time 10 time IN the following twenty years the
constitution being revised in a liberal sense IN
1878. as the result Of the treaty Of Berlin. Uni
vArsal suffrage was actually conceded, ana with
few, executions all the officers in the island, par
ticularly those Of magistrate and judge were
rendered elective. In fact, there mas never
been dependency of any State, civilized or un-
civilized that has received TO such degree the
right Of home rule.
The present Sultan. being a man Of far
greater cleverness than he is credited with. ap-
pointed as first Governor OF the island under ne
new and revised constitution. Pacha OF
Hellenic birth Of the name Of Photiades on the
principle probably. that the only person who is
capable Of dealing WITH Greek is another
Greek Photiades Pacha fulfilled the spirit OF
his masters Instructions by at once setting 10
work 10 cause the Cretans 10 quarrel among
themselves. which, in view Of their naturally
ntgious and disputatious character. was not
difficult. He soon had the Diet split up into
number Of different factions and all the native
officials ~ the island at daggers drawn with
their colleagues. Feuds and fights developed
rapidly. and each party in turn appealed to the
Governor General and intrigued for his favor
with the object OF conquering its rival.
The spoils of Office were. of course. the chief
object OF every factional fight, while. Owing 10
the lawIessness. the bloodshed and the multlpnc-
iy Of the crimes Of violence. immunity from pun
Shnent was another aim which every Candlote
had in view Finally, the conflict resolved IT,
SELF into pitched battle between those IN Office
ard those out Of II. and nasmuch as the FORMER
80 to speak, held the fort. the outsiders that -
70 say, the large majority, came 10 the 0o'i-
custom that the condition Of affairs was ihtol-
cradle, and for once IN way united lot the
purpose Of passing a legislative vote demahoi'is
the annexation of the island to Greece. Ihis' Oh
course, was more than the Sultan cou'd stanu'
especially as the Pan-Heen.st element IN 'teoce
(which. owing 70 its size and passion is aIiiios'
beyond the control Of the Athens GoVernfnehV
was only too ready to take advantage OF the 'oto
IN question 10 pour men and arms INTO the i9ia''
Accordingly. orders were sent without deiay
from Constantinople 70 suspend the constitution
and temporarily. at any rate, 10 rescind the popu
lar rights and constitutional privileges or 'he
Csndotes
This. then. is the source OF the disturbances
'hat are now in progress in Crete. disturbances
winch Offer little danger. at the present Juhctu'e'
10 the peace OF Europe, owing to the TACT tha'
tae Pan-Hellenist movement in Greece Is just
now In rather subdued and quiescent condltioh-
Inc suNerings Of the Cretans excite little SYM
patny among the Western powers, which reserve
Their pity for the Armenians, the Syrians ana
Inc Christian population Of the Balkan prov
'nces OF the Ottoman Empire. Indeed the only
people who profess the slightest interest for the
candiotes are the Greeks, and that solely because
hey expect to secure possession OF the Island