The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-02

bombardment, is a contest In which the
moral force does not prevail, for, apparently,
the public opinion of Europe Is willing to
condone any act Of the Governments, no
matter how Infamous. From Admiral Gu
NEvARo, commanding the fleet, to the good
sense, Christianity, and humanity of Europe,
as Col. vAssos puts It, is a far cry. AS a
Bulgarian, when counselled by n missionary
during the reign Of terror in his country to
put his trust In Providence, said: "GoD is
far away and the Turk is very near"
For whatever difficulties they now find
In their way, however, assuming them to be
animated by the best intentions, the powers
have only themselves to thank. At inter
walls during q period Of thirty years they
have collectively given pledges and assur-
ances to the Cretan people that they would
secure better government for them. Each
time the Cretans a in good faith &C.
cepted these assurances, n as often they
have been deceived. And not only that,
but on the very morrow of each settlement,
the agents of some Of the power have de-
liberately set to work to undo the arrange
ments Of the previous day. 1t is slight
wonder then II these acts, which are in the
knowledge of every living Cretan, render
them mistrustful of the present overtures
and promises Of the powers. The Cretans
are shrewd enough to understand the
meaning Of the nomination Of the italian
Admiral to control the federated European
%squadrons, and they are we'll versed in the
history of their own island under the Vene-
tian domination, even II they had not the
dungeons of the old Venetian prisons In
every town on the coast to remind them Of
the intolerable oppression that at last
drove their ancestors to invite the Turk to
como over from Asia as a deliverer.
Against the prospect Of another italian
occupation they revolt, and continue in
arms as they did against the Turk. For
their success we may hope, though the odds
against them are heavy. They are fighting
calamity, as they always have fought, and
not without skill, as displayed in the last
attack on Fort Izzedin, the principal de-
fence at the entrance of Suda Bay, which is
coveted by more than one Of the powers.
But the most important and remarkable
feature of the situation is the complete fail
ure of the agents of the powers to divide the
Cretans or SOW discord among them. With
the concentrated distrust born of centuries
of betrayal, they one and all reject the
offers of autonomy coming from hands that
have always deceived, and they understand
thoroughly that their only hope Of success
is in standing together. So long as this de-
termination lasts and their material re.
sources hold out, the powers are, to a great
extent, checkmated, for they cannot pro-
coed to more serious action against the in
surgents than they are taking, up to now,
without some of them disclosing their true
aim in joining the concert, and then the
trouble will begin.
The Cretans are quite alive to the fact
that they are bought and sold within the
arrangements for compensation that ave
been going on among the powers, and as
they have not taken up arms for a change
of masters, but for freedom inc union with
their Greek kinsmen, they are resolved to
fight the struggle out to the bitter end.