The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-06-24
THE GREEK AS HE Is.
Not n Westerner, But an Oriental i0
MnnN of His Traits.

Not n Nesterner, But an Oriental io
Many of his Traits.
The modern Greek is a puzzle to most
! of his fellow mortals in Europe and
America. The Philhellenes have been
ready to ascribe to him the heroic traits
of the men of Marathon and Thermop-
ylae, only to be surprised and dis
gusted by some seemingly unaccount-
able act of cowardice or some gross
| falsehood on his part. On the other
hand, the prO-Turlish party in Eng
land and on the continent has painted
the average subject of King George in
| far too dark colors. The truth seems
to be that the successive invasiOns o.
Greece by different races have resulted
in the production of a people whose
| fundamental qualities are strangely
mixed and mingled, and whom it is
difficult for the rest of the world to
judge fairly. \ writer points out that
in many rCspects-espccially in his con
ception of truth and justice-the Greek
Is essentially an oriental. The exact
correspondence of his statements with
the accidental and material facts OF
the ease is not a thing about which
he troubles himself. He would think II
but poor compliment to his ability and
| Ingenuity if his friends maintained that
he never INDUCED in fiction. What
liar you are!" is anything but an in
suit in modern Greek.
Yet with all this lack of regard for
truth, the Greek is blissfully and in
tenselv patriotic. Foolish and tickle
sometimes false-he may be. but he is
very much more than the mere rascal
which some of the sympathizers with
| Turkey would make him out. Thus
ii was the great Philhellenic idea which
was undoubtedly the handspring of the
action of Greece in the present crisis.
| The notion of a community of race or
nationality between all those whose
native tongue is modern Greek will not
bear moments investigation; it would
be absurd to claim any historical jus
t;tication for their political unity. Yet
the cry of the Cypriotes to be given
back to their mother country is con
stantly being revived, and is Just as
prevalent under English rule as under
Turkish; it is no use arguing with the
Greeks about the matter. The Greek
papers periodically publish horrible
stories of the tyranny of English Off
c!alS, 10 E-h@II9hileh jheSe stores are
SIMPLY Iuulcfous' Dut they are Just as
important an element in the political
situation in the east as if they We're
literally true, or, even, like similar
stories Oh urklSh o1flcIalS' IN accord
'lhce with general pronaollItleS'
Inc "reekS have neither talents nor
Inclination Tor sitting the truth of
stories Ike tins, which crafty their
national vanity, Tor they still cherish
the classical tradition OF the superior
NY OF "reek over Daraanan, however
strangely 1t may contrast with their
respect tor every person or thing that
Is foreign or "European.' After the in
t'r'ehtlon OF the powers II years ago
IN order TO save Greece from the sui
'IdaI folIy OF an attack upon Turkey
'ilc WRITER happened 10 be travelling III
'i'0 ei"Poii'cSSe' ana talked over the
S''u"'ioh win an ola shepherd, who
vas 'HPI'dI NlIlaSe poHtclan. HIS
picturesque expression England has
'"'el' US up AieIueI 10 no array or 1actS
VI ''S ''!he"'S 'l'at couId be Drought
'S,''''Sl ~ ana why should ne believe
loIeiS 'leI I"'ilef 'hah the papers ne
"H" MS IFIehuN Sa" every day repeat
IiiS llIe same S'alehehtS' 1t IS true
|Ii"' tlle intervention OF the powers
was 'ilen Su'ceHSluI' out TINS was be-
cause IL brought about resignation OF
'ile ''reek government ana restora-
'Ioi T." power Oh rlcoupi, me one "reeh
poili'clah OF recognized ability and
CT that occasion Mr.. Gladstone himself
expressed publicly his approval of the