The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-30
EndeavOring to Make 1t Appear that
the whole of Islam Is Opposed TO
Abandonment of ThessaIy.
SHREWD POLITICAL MOVE
THAT MAY HAVE THE BACKING OF
OFFICE AND MILLS FOR LADoGA.
Rumor that the Royal Family OF
Greece Is Making Preparations
to Escape from Athens,
Copyright, 1897, by the Associated press.)

Copyright, 1897, by the Associated Press)
LONDON, May 29.-The negotiations at
Constantinople have entered on the anxious
stage owing to the doubts as to the real
intentions of the Sultan, whether he means
to resume the war or not A spirit of
conciliation is shown at the Yildiz Kiosk
towards the ambassadors. but the Turkish
government is playing a double game and
is melting public opinion secretly to op-
pose the abandonment of Thessaly. The
Sultan affects to be greatly afraid of the
Islamic party, and the attitude of the
Grand Vizier, as shown by the report which
he presented to the Sultan on Saturday
last urging that the whole of Islam was
fully determined to retain Thessaly and
rendering his resignation in case Abdul
Hamid differed with these views, has
strengthened the suspicion that the Sultan
is prepared to plead that Islamic pressure
is the reason for not yielding to the pow
ers. Advices from Thessaly show that
agents Of the Turkish government have
been calling on the Thessalian Mussul-
mans and Spanish Hebrews to protest
against the evacuation of Thessaly, and
that the few Greeks who have not fled dare
not refuse to join in the movement. The
Turkish newspaper Sabahuy, which only
publishes what is indorsed by the Turkish
government, congra tulates the inhabitants
of ThessalX on their alleged decision in
favor of Turkish rule and points out the
blessings of the Ottoman regime to the
Christians, who. it is claimed, will benefit
by lower taxes and exemption from mill
tary service.
The Sultan's show of resistance to the
powers is generally attributed to German
backing but it is also rumored that nego-
tiations between Turkey and Russia have
been proceeding this month relative to the
eventual administration by Russia of a
portion of Asia Minor, including Rizeh, in
the southeast corner of the Black sea, and
the territory up the Joruk river.
Germanys attitude throughout the crisis
has brought forth another denunciation
from Mr.. Gladstone, who, writing TO Mr.
Poultney Bigelow with reference to the lat
ter's history of the German struggle for
liberty, says: 'The union and consolidation
of Germany Avss 2 GREAT work, favorable,
we all hope, to the peace of Europe. There
remains, however, something more to be
desired, namely, that the government may
cease to misrepresent the nation by basIng
it's foreign policy on support of tyranny
and contempt of humanity and justice
No confirmation has yet been received Of
the contained IN a dispatch from Ooil~
stantinople to the Morning Post of this
city saying the embassies there have re-
ceived word from their respective ministers
at Athens that the position of the Greek
royal family is so critical that the King is
practically barricaded in his palace, and is
making preparations to leave Athens IN or
der to escape the fury of the populace.
Advices received from Athens say, how
ever, that elaborate measures have been
taken to preserve order. Beside the regu-
lar police and gendarmes a civil guard has
been recruited from the most trusted cid-
zens. Consequently, with the presence or
the foreign war ships at Phalerum, it is
not thought that any revolutionary move
ment in Athens could succeed.
In the provinces, however, very bad
condition of affairs exists. The criminals
who were released from the Thessalian
prisons, on the eve of the Turkish occu-
patton, have formed themselves into bands
and are plllaging right and left. The efforts
made to cope with them have so far proven