The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-18
THE CRETAN RISING.
Events That Have Led TO the
Revolt Against the Turk.
LONG FIGHT AGAINST TYRANNY.
Sretans Know What They Want, and
They Have shown Great
Bravery I'm War.

1919 NscNS yesterday. bringing news u
victories wcn by thu Christ Iaas and IN
spirva vita great nope al ire fnal ssss-
cess Of the rebellion Knowing thai one
vas most Likely 10 and these refugees
az tie rooms OF the Central Committee
OF Crssanss whose function Ii Is 20 send
al Eiunltioa ana supplies 10 the sasszr-
gents. your correspondent FASTENED there
The place vas crowded with the new
eSf1SrS At nFst they were inclined -
ieoA On sAesr visitors with suspicion. bns
as sSon as they found cut that ne was an
american. they crowded aroug4a htfn.
wishing ie shake hands. ami. although ne
did not understand them, ne felt that
they wished % express their frtendly
feeling toward any one coming from the
great Republic" w2cse citizens had given
40 much hep 10 the Cretsns daFiag theiT
great struggle for Independence ia the
year IS61
After passing through two or three
crowded antefoomS, the visitor wss a3~
nittea TO the committee Foom Itself he
entered with the feelings OF an arch-con-
spsrasor. There sat Ia cnnciave Assem-.
bled six white-halred. venerable and Se4f-
eSE t3lhed men. not at al ones idea Of
what eo1lspirators and rovosationistS
oesht 10 he. There was none or tie Wild
enthusiasm OF youth Ia this committee,
but the careful calculation 81 mature age
Evidently this Cretan rebellion is not the
reckless outbreak OF a few wild fellows
Marco ReBieri. the president of tae com
miftee. after receiving the American most
cordially. introduced him TO the rest OF
the committee in these words.
This is the fourth time that my coll
leagues and / have engaged in attempts
10 free Crete from the hated rule Of The
Turks. All OF Us were participants in
the rebeiiions OF lsse-s. OF 1873 and OF iSSl-
and we have Joined In this one. which
"a . Nj he n - VI
have, as she has Tor 10 years struggled
to have. a Christian government.
We do not fear the Turks. so long as
have arms with which to defend our
selves and TO fight as you Americans Old
SO successfully for liberty. The great diff
hcuities we have 10 contend with are the
complications in European politics and
the diplomatic jealcuSies OF the different
powers. However, We hope by persistent
effort and success In arms 10 prove 10 the
great humanitarian world that this IS not
the uprising OF a few desperate and dis
eontented men, such as there are the world
over, but the struggle OF Christian peo-
pie Tor the right, long since recognized
by the civilized nations, 70 free. Chris
tian. and representative government. We
appeal TO the whole Christian world for
moral support in this. our war OF inde-
pendencc.
ITO you Americans the Cretans will
ship. We shall never forget your kind
ness to us IN the rebellion OF ls6e. Thea
we wore American clothes, we shot with
American guns, We ate American bread.
II every Christian nation had treated Us
as YOU have. We would today be A free
people,"
Your correspondent left the committee
room greatly impressed with the quiet
earnestness and strength Of purpose OF
these veterans, aud then he learned the
news brought by the refugees OF two VIC
tories by the Insurgents over the TURKS
The imperial forces have been trying 10
relieve the Turkish troops. about 100 In
number, who are shut I'd by the ehIss-
tians la the province OF seliuo. But tae
Mohammedans have twice been defeated
--once on June Is when they lest lsv Kill
Ell. and again on July s.
To understand the Cretan question, IL
Is necessary 20 go back to the great up
rising OF 1866. Indeed. during the Grecian
struggle for independence. in is20, Crete
PLAYED an important part, and cretan
patriots fought with a perseverance, ana
ya,or worthy OF a better result. Since
then. at regular intervals. Crete has
risen In arms in desperation AZ Turkish
misruie and tyranny. The sublime Porte,
with its usual diplomatic cunning. has
ssrnpiy made concessions and promises a.
critical times which, with great regu-
failed 10 keep.
The political history proper Of the pres
snt crisis. however, begins with the re-
helllon of 1855. This war lasted three
years. At the end OF that period the pow
ers inierfered TO put an end to the rebel
lion. This success of Turkey, IL success
Il NAV be called, was not obtained rs
force OF arms, for ia nearly every IN
stance tho Cretans were victorious. The
Porte. as usual made concessions, gave
promises. Finally. In isGS. the now famous
charter OF Halrpa was signed, ana II was
afterward ratlncd by the powers IN the
treaty OF Berlin.
T-hIs charter stipulated that either the
governor or vice governor of crete should
h, a Christian. Il granted 10 the STefans
a general assembly OF forty ~uinc Chris
tians and thirty-one Mohammedans, "a
fairly representative propoTtionl. when
regulated the internal government OF the
island. The veto power however was
left TO the sultan. and not 10 the cover
nor This was the weak point or the
charter. for II gave the upper hand 70
the Mohammedan minority In the general
assembly.
There followed a series OF difficulties,
which eliminated in 1879 When The
rrowr nrfnce Of Greece married me
Aangnfsr ~ the German emperor, Il was
rausored that TO emperor intended 80
huv Crete from Turkey ana present y
island 70 Greece as tho fnarf.age PEI -lsn
az his daughter 11ss r'in5r afussfd
great excitement In Crste. and, rs re
rurnor proved unfoundea. inc reaN.ioia
from the Joy Of sewing tneiT iohs 80 ..s..
IS hone ffreeaon from Turkey ara untiy
u-g4h greeceJ aboat e be realised pfofto
- sr.fas that .ffs.sfff sa~s. arose aN over
re island. Th, Sublime Porte took = -
,o-,-,,rt,,nftv . auaul tire charter OF Bal~
epa. 80
.fr,-Sa saxafioa s.tthout represertslif u.
-. ,r,tryfsh taxa CT at that MohsHs-
,,,sssa- governors have ra1 riot IN the IT,
"a and every descT pttcB 81 an'ssoFsf -
-rav.f has been vGEue. Nome OF 'Se
,~c.ex, raised by taxatfon IA crete Las
t.sen spent on me Island not even tae o.
a-islx have been paid out or y. ior fhs
whole SUM has ossH sfsineesAsga s', 49, -
tn f,anstanssnupe where II aas oissF-
- rnst IN the nav 81 that hybrid Great
,,~s railad the Turkish treasury
a. .Er r,-asxut tiTns. 50 great has been
- .v.5s.ns r,sgsr7genf or dishonesty that IL
80 matter % salaries % Cfetaa olsisiais
alone TIE government r. la@si TURKISH
-,s.,,ss an arrears Two years back pay
a. sha notice department Ia Crete.
Sc s.~eee~vaf5pu helnx the first law Of
,,osu~a II has become the fashion for Gre
- rsvegags vito are nearly al Turks 70
ss1r, themselves For some sears thtNs
.ts~a have been no greater robbsrE On saf
island than tire poitee.
the cretans are brave, waFlzs' ana M
s.s.s~Asrt hat w4fhai rude ard anelvil-
90 ,vsossrsafneers All tssss noisruge has
-. srrra more fierce sn1 tsnnsAnass-
80 IKE all frceGnsn-l0ving people. taef
-. esranr desire for susisess and since
-. IS not 10 ~ obtained from Turk
- 4,saras or authorities, fnsr took mat
tiers into their owu hanak. - svi's
ct Nf-.H -
l,-st,s As long existed IN Crete This
,-e..4sSsa hss o. late years besen sss0ua-