New-York tribune., 1896-05-27
TIE TROUBLES IN CRETE.


for the troubles in Crete is in measure truc'
There is no s,icl cause as in Armenia OF years
oco in Bulgaria. or still further back In Crete
itself The Turkish Government has not Of
dercd massacre. and could scarcely commit
one II it should Tho Turkish and native MUS
srman residents and the Turkish troops, all
nut together, form too insignificant minority
for any such work There has been no oppres-
siye taxation, or other serious misgoverilineh''
by the Porte for as Il matter of fact the Porte
docs not govern Crete The island has lis own
Ieg,slaturc. with an overwhelming majority of
notive Christians. It's Governor has generally
been a Christian: and the present Governor,
though Mahomctan is m enlightened and hui
name man 1t Is practically autonomous, the
only sign of Turkish authority being small
garrison. scarcely large enough to defend itself,
Mt n pinch. against the unfrendly Greek popula-
ton. In such circumstances there seems no
cause for insurrcction. People who govern
themselves have no need 10 rebel. Onc-fourtE
of the population could scarcely oppress three
fourths
Neither Is the cause to be found In aquarium
distress or other social hardshipa II is quite
true that the island has dense population
There nre few countries more crowded. And
proportion of lis area can prontably be cultlva'-
ed Yet so fertile is the soil and so genial the
climate that there is plcntcous prosperity for all
If the population were double what il Is. the
smiling hillsides and valleys around the foot of
Mount Ida would still yield ample stores of corn
and oil. and ample draughts of Malvosie. 10
supply them all Surely. If any people on the
face of the earth should be happy, contcntcd
1, u. A -,,-l,o oniny IL
tons of life
The real causes of the trouble will doubtless
be found to be twofold. There il, in the first
place, the disposition of the people themselves.
There Is nowhere n more sad relic Of departed
worth" than the Greek race as found In Crete
to-day. It seems to have inherited all the fol-
blcs and vices and none OF the virtues Of tho
Greeks of old The Candiote reputation for
mendacty and turbulence is worldwide and. II
is TO he feared. only too we'll deserved Per
haps II was well to free the island from the bar
barous Turkish rule of a generation ago. Ger
talnly the people have, in these twenty-five
wears. shown themselves sadly incapable of
self-govcrnmcnt. The other cause Is Panilcl-
lenism. such as is busy in Macedonia and else
where Since the death Of NJ Tricoupis the
| tIngoism Of the hrebrand W. Delyannis has re-
asserted Itself Win renewed IoI'' II hIHIS 'i'
| the conquest OF Macedonia and Albania. OF
Crete and the other islands, and even OF the old
Greek provinces Of Asia Minor. and the re-estab-
lishment Of some such an empire as Athens hah
! In the days of Perlclcs. Greek agents have been
| busy In Crete, stirring mp dsaffcction against
| the slight remnant Of Turkish authority which
| still exists II is not improbable too that Rus
| sia has been lending hand In this work. Now
II S..n m ink IL.
| and the Bosphorus and DardanclcS "A EusSian
| canal she would not object To 20 step fur-
| ther One OF the fine hnrbors Of Crete would
| make a splendid Mediterranean naval station.
| and the island Itself in Russian hands would
| make fine Roland for England's Maltese
| Oliver.
There is however. little danger that these riot
| ings in Crete will leopard the general peace ~
| Europe There may be gathering OF the fleets
| and n lot Of solemn underwriting There have
| been such before without the firing OF gun
save In peaceful salute. Nobody Is likely 10 In
terferc TO aid Christian Greeks against Mus
sulman Greeks and sprlnkllng Of Turks
, when the former outnumbcr both the latter
| by three or four 10 one There Is no good
| reason why there should be any such inierfer-
| ence unless II were to put the island under the
| control Of foreign commission which would
| give II the rational government which II needs,
| and which It's own inhabitants seem utterly un-
| able to give It, But the Great Powers nrc not
likely to unite upon such n course OF action; not.
| st any rate before the Greek Kncnds.