The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-27
THE PERMANENT PEACE NEGOTIA-
TIONS EXPECTED TO LAST
SOME TIME.
The GREEKS WILL PLEAD POVERTY
To Avoid Paying Indemnity-The
Scheme for Irish Relief Com
mented UpOn-It Will Save
To Ireland S2,OOO,OOO Yearly.

by the Associated PreSS.) -Ine GraecO-
Turkish trouble is now fairly entered
upon its diplomatic bargaining stage and
negotiations are expected to last some
time. Many important differences have
to be settled and the sultan of Turkey
may be counted upon to drag the affair
along as much as possible with the view
of bringing out the latent jealousies of
the powers. His prompt compliance with
the cars request to arrange for an ar
mistice is not attributed entirely to his
desire to please the car, but it is looked
upon as a stroke of diplomacy intended
to excite the resentment of some other
powers and thus weaken the concert.
Thus far everything tends to show the
| powers remain in entire agreement on
the question. A European conference is
discussed, but it is not thought likely to
take place until the preliminaries of peace
| are arranged. Then the ambassadors at
ConstantinOple. with the delegates of
Turkey and Greece. may meet to settle
upon the treaty of peace. There is a
| strong feeling in favor OF international
| control of the Greek finances without the
payment of the indemnity to Turkey, and
| the interest on the Greek debt is declared
| to be impossible. The Greeks insist that
if an indemnity is imposed upon them
there will be a general collapse and Sc
rious international troubles will occur.
They estimate the damage done to Thes-
sally at 25,000,000 drachmas. and they
| say another 100000 drachmas will be
needed to supply the peasants with food
and tools. Moreover, they add that the
revenue will be greatly reduced owing to
the immense damage to cultivation
throughout the country, due to
the absence of thousands of workers.
This years budget will probably leave a
deficit of 100000 drachmas. The
Greek statements, however, are now re-
ceived with a certain skepticism. 1t is
pointed out that by the admissions of TIE
Greeks themselves, 20 per cent of the in
terest of the debt which they have not
paid had been set aside in order to have
money for the war, and that consequent
ly Greece is certainly in a position to
continue paying 80 per cent and probably
considerably more if her finances are
placed under international control.
Advlces from the scenes of the recent
fighting mention the possibility of Sc
rious epidemic of disease when the heat
increases, owing to the purifying corpses
and horses left rotting in every ditch.
The popular feeling at Athens against
the royal family of Greece does not dimin-
ish. The stories of the Excessive provi-
dence" of Grown Prince Constantine at
the frontier has done much to weaken the
dynasty
The correspondent of the Eclair of
Paris at Athens says:
The people are intensely violent. utter
ances are heard against the royalties and
groups loudly discuss them in the streets |
Upon the boat from ST. AIDA to Athens !
L heard popular poet eXclaim insulting
verses against the king and not one of |
the 600 passengers, including officers, lift |
ed voice in defense of him."
The correspondent of Eclair adds that |
an eX-minister said to him: 1--WE are re-
publicans, but we have not the men to |
found republic and the dynasty is profit |
ing by the quarrels of the parties, which |
are, struggling against each other. not |
on the programs, but on questions of per-
sonality. The king, queen and princesses !
are passing bad time When visiting |
the hospitals the princesses have been re- |
quested not to enter some of the wards I
owing to the intense excitement of some |
of the wounded, and in other wards the |
king was greeted with murmurs and |
often with insult and sarcastic retorts to |
his questions. The crown prince is the |
most eXecrated. Even his friends say he |
dare not enter Athens for many months" |
The scheme of the government of the re- |
lief of Ireland as outlined in the house of |
commons yesterday by the first lord of the |
treasury, Mr.. Balfour, was sprung as
a surprise on most of the members, and is |
the leading topic for discussion in the DO |
litica world today
Both parties attributed it to the influ- |
ence of Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain, the sec
rotary OF state for the colonies, and it is |
admitted by all that it will do much to |
popularize the government in Ireland and |
also among its progressst supporters in
England. On the other hand, many liberals |
believe 1t will help them rather than the |
unionists, for if it is a success it will dis
arm the opposition to home rule
Under the scheme the landlords will re-
ceive about 1,25O,OOO yearly and the ten
ants will be relieved of about 100000 |
of yearly taxation. 1t is understood the |
project was approved at Thursdays cabi-
net council, and that before it is submit /
ted to parliament its salient features will |
be communicated in confidence to the |
leading Irish landlords.
Mr.. Timothy l.. Healy and a couple of |
other Irish members of parliament, in one
of the liberal newspapers today, describes
the scheme as a minor revolution. largely |
democratic and beneficent in giving local |
government to ireland.
Among the Irish comments this morn
ing the Independent says:
IF the promise is kept in the spirit and |
letter it will be concession of popular
rights to Ireland which, in addition to 9TH
er advantages, will have an important
advantage"
The Irish liberal organ heartily congrat-
ulates the government.
The Dillonites' organ, the Freeman's
Journal, remarks:
1--WE are afraid to be too sanguine of
TIE fulfllment of Mr.. Balfour's pledges,
but we can not withhold approval and en-
of the governments new de-
parture."
The conservative Daily Express regards
the scheme as "dexterous maneuver,
holding out promises in order to escape
prompt payment of debt under the inan-
cial relations full report"
The losses of husbandry in France by
the recent frost shows the damage done
to the crops to be tantamount to disas-
ter in fourteen departments. The gov
eminent is asking for a first grant of
100000 francs to aid the farmers and
fruit growers.
Sir Robert Peet is to be married to
daughter of Baron Graffenried of Switzer-
land on June s.
The Star, which published a statement |
that Mr.. Richard Croker of New York |
had recently been in bad health, which |
Mr.. Croker denied promptly in dispatch !
to the Associated Press, comments upon
the vast sums which Mr.. Croker is said TO