The record-union., 1897-02-27
THE SHAME OF ENGLAND-STORY
OF CRETE.

England, through Its CABINET chlef,
has notified it's representatives abroad
that the autonomy of Crete will be Sc
cured, but the island must remain un-
der Turkish control, and that if Greece
resists force Will be used by the Powers
to compel compliance.
This declaration is in direct conflict
with the sentiment of the English peo-
pie, and flies in the face of human SYM
pathy the world over-excepting in
Turkey.
This action, so far as England is
concerned. is solely to check any ad-
vance of Russia southwark by keeping
Turkey in occupancy and control of the
territory in Europe and in Asia
which she now holds, and thus to con-
tinue it as a buffer between Russian
and Anglo-Indian possessions.
Whatever may be the purpose Of
Russia, in her declaration against
Greece, there can be no doubt about
the motive that actuates the English
Cabinet. It has permitted it's dread Of
Russian advance to make sacrifice of
Crete. 1t is an Infamous proposition
and must bring upon the English ma
tion the reproaches of all civilized peo-
pies, who believe that states capable of
self government nave the natural and
indefeasible right to choose their own
Governors.
In the consideration of this matter
with righteous Indignation moving
mand that a small and help
less. population shall be turned over
body and soul to the rapaclty. incom-
Potency and barbarity of the I'm
speakable Turl'-for the thin disguise
of "Cretan autonomy avails nothing
1t becomes of interest to sketch rap
Idly the salient points in Cretan his
tory, a more stormy and heroic history,
by the way, is not of European record.
The revolt of the Cretans is an old
story of never ending and dramatic in
terest. In antiquity Crete or Gambia
was the isle of One Hundred Cities, -
and boasted of a line of illustrious
Kings, of whom were Rhadamanthus,
Minos and Idomeneus. the last being no.
table in tradition for the part he played
In the seige of Troy.
After centuries of which there is but
faint record, we come to the period
when the hordes of Persia descended
upon fair Greece. Then Crete, rich,
populous, brilliant. prosperous. was a
territory divided into independent re-
publics.
These kept out of foreign wars but
sent military aid to such friends as
pleased and hired them Modern ma
tions of loftier claim have not been
guiltless Of like performance. The
Cretans were men of great prowess and
their sarchers were alike feared and ad-
mired. Their courage, their devotion ia
their land and their intelligence kept
them free until nearly down to the
opening OF the Christian era, when
Rome swept abroad in her march Ia
conquer the world. But even then
Crete remained untouched. Some sev-
enty years before the Christian era,
intestine quarrels, however, laid the
Cretans open 10 assault from without,
and their island was invaded by Rome.
1t took army after army, however, To
accomplish the work, for the Cretans
annihilated the flower of Rome's forces
before they We're conquered, and Is
+, c. the island became a Roman pro-
vince. Ever since that day the unhap-
py people have been subjects of for
eign power, never achieving their in
dependence, though always hoping fo1
it.
After Rome the Byzantine Empire
held Crete. In S23 the Arabs under
Michael the Stutterer conquered the
island, but did not attempt for a lone
time to colonize it. However, his people
preached the faith of the Moslem sc
diligently that many of the Greek in
habitants of Crete were converted, and
to this day 10000 of them are of the