The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-03-13

4u:s'ioH - passing through period Of |
quiescence, lull having followed tho
reply OF Greece to the powers. and
everybody seems to be WONDERING
where and when the storm will breaE
out afrcsh. In spite of the reneated
assertions made in the different capitals
Of Europe. that the powers are acting
i'll concert towards Greece. it is re-.
marked here that if this was the case
the threatened coercion would have
been an accomplished fact long before
this.
There seems to be but three wavs ont
OF the present difficulty. One is that
the powers must accept the offers of
Greece to withdraw her feet from
Cretan waters and allow her army of
occupation to remain nominally under
the control of q foreign officer outrank.
ing Colonel Nassos. to be used for the
paciiication Of the island, and when
that is accomplished. n plebescite shall
decide whether the Cretans prefer an.
nexation to autonomy.
Would Bc u ficult and Dangerous.
The second suggested solution is the
coercion, real or seeming Of Greece by
the blockade OF the Greek coasts. as
well rs the island Of Crete This would
be dangerous and difficult task. In
the first place it would require an i'm.
mcnsc fleet Of vessels, owing to the
almost innumerable islands composing
the Grecian archipelago, to make such
blockade effective. Besides, Greecc's
reply TO this proposition would prob.
ably be the lighting Of the fires OF war
III Macedonia, the beginning Of con.
6agration which might spread all over
Europe. The most dangerous spot on
the map Of Europe at present is the
frontier OF Thessaly. II Greece Is
foerced or if she does not obtain the
substance of her demands, she is liable
10 force the hands Of the powers. and
this might be done in more way, than
cne. n. by crossing the border. trying
70 raise the Balkans. and possibly
bringing about the long contemplated
ACKNOWLEDGMENT o! the Turkish empire.
Abdication the Third solution.
The third solution Of this dangerous
and difficult problem Is contained III
the renewed rumors that King George
q Greece may abdicaie IN favor OF his
eldest son. Crown Prince Constantine,
duke Of Sparta. whose wife !, the
Princess Sophia Of Piussia. sister OF
Emperor William Of Germany. There
aIe many people who believe that the
kings aldicatlon would be the best
means Of clearing np the situation
While the stand taken by King George
in the present crisis has undoubtedly
improved his position among the
Greeks. his .bdlcatlon would be "A pop
ular step. as tie populace have never
quite forgiven the king for being Tor.
c.cner. while his sons. who were torn
III Greece, are regarded n beng one
with themselves The crown princess
is known to tc triiic jealous Of Prince
George. the sailor prince and second
son of the king. whom Prince Con-
stantinc always allows TO be
bracketed n equal with HIM.
self. The princess. II should
be added. is said To be furious at Em'
! peror William for havsig sided with
the Turks against her adopted people
Her husband is much admired and re-
! srected. but he Is a man oi silent. re-
tring disposition, and Is disposed 10
ignore the shouts of the populace.
Prince George, who IL Of different
temperament, is the popular idoi. ana
many would prefer HIM TO his eidei
brother as king Of Greece. In any case
the war fever is apparently subsialng,
due. no doub, to the popular belieI
that an agreement may Toe reached De-
tween the Greek and Turkish govern
meuts directly for the settlement OF the
Cretan question without the interven'
ton Of the powers.
belief Prob ,biy Erroneous.
This belief, however. does not pre-
vail. IN diplomatic circles. where II Is
s.,d that tha settlement can be arrived
at only through the powers lhere Is
M doubt that the decrease III excite
ment here tends to present matters III
a brighter light. for popular c!amo'
had n deal to do with the defiant posi-
ton assumed by the Greek govern
ment. ,u;.,r,
Rut there - no cessation OF h'lt"rs
.c,;vitx here or ut Salonika. On ooti
fro,,icrs troops have occupied strategic
os,,;ons and -enforccmcnts ar'
he,ng pushed forward night ana o"s
1bo armed peasants OIL both SIDES art
thc most dangerous factors on the front
;ers A conflict there may occur al any
..a,,or, and then it may bc bcyone
onv human power to stem tho tiae o
@ '.ar wh;ch has been sullenly rising io'
"a W.. .;.., nost The firing upon the
""s nv rho foreign warships anc