The record-union., 1897-05-23
Impossible.

Impossible.
LONDON, May % copyrighted, 1897,
by the Associated PreSs) THE Graeco-
Turkish trouble is now fairly entered
upon it's diplomatic bargaining stage,
and the negotiations are expected to
last for 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 jealouses of the Powers His
prompt compliance with the Cars re-
quest to arrange for an armistice is not
attributed entirely to his desire to
please the Gar, but it is looked upon
as a stroke of diplomacy intended to
excite the resentment of some other
Power, and thus weaken the concert.
Thus far everything tends to show
that the Powers remain in entire agree
ment 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 Constanti-
nople, 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 con-
troll of the Greek finances, without
which the payment of indemnity to
Turkey and the interest on the Greek
debt is declared to be impossible.
The Greeks insist that if indemnity
be imposed upon them there will be
general collapse and serious trouble
will occur. They estimate the damage
done to Thessaly at 25.0O0,000 drach-
mas, and they say another 1O,000,0 900
drachmas will be needed to supply the
peasants with food and tools. More
over, they add, the revenue will be
greatly reduced owing to the immense
damage to cultivation throughout the
country due to the absence of thou
sands of workers. This years budget
will probably leave deficit of 60,0O0,-
coo drachmas.
The Greek statements. however, are
now received with a certain skepticism.
1t is pointed out that by the admis-
sionS of the Greeks themselves 40 per
cent of the interest of the debt, which
they have not paid, has been set aside
in order to have money for the war,
and that consequently Greece is GER
tainly in position to continue paying
80 per cent interest, and probably
considerably more, if her finances are
placed under international control.
Advices from the scene of the recent
fighting mention the possibility of a
serious 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 diminish. The stories of the ex-
cessive prudence of Crown Prince Con-
stantine at the front have done much
to weaken the dynasty.
The correspondent of the ''Eclaire" of
Paris at Athens says:
The people are intensely violent. Ut
terances are heard against the royal
ties, and groups loudly discuss them in
the streets. Upon the boat from ST.
Aida to Athens | heard a popular poet
declaim in insulting voice against the
King, and not one of the 800 Dassen-
gers, including officers, lifted voice
in defense of him"
The correspondent of the "Eclaire"
adds that an Minister said to him:
I'VE are all Republicans, but we have
not the men to found a republic, and
the dynasty is profiting by the quar-
rels of the parties which are struggling
against each other not on the pro-
grammes, but on questions of personal
ity. The King, Queen and Princesses
are passing a bad time. When visiting
the hospitals the Princesses have been
requested not to enter some of the
wards owing to the intense excitement
of the wounded, and in other wards the
King was greeted with murmurs and
often with insulting and sarcastic re-
torts to his questions. The Crown
Prince is the most execrated. Even his
friends admit that he dare not enter
Athens for many months
The scheme of the Government for
the relief Of Ireland, as outlined in the
House of Commons yesterday by the
First Lord OF the Treasury, A. J. Bal
four, was sprung as surprise upon
most Of the members, and is the leading
topic of discussion in the political
world to-day. Both parties attribute
it to the influence of Joseph Chamber
lain, the Secretary of State for the Col
onies. and it is admitted by all that it
will help to popularize the Government
in Ireland, and among it's progressist
supporters in England. On the other
hand, many Liberals believe it will
help them rather than the Unionists,
for if it is a success it will disarm the
opposition to home rule Under the
scheme the landlords will receive about
1850, 900 yearly, and the tenants will
be relieved of about 100000 of yearly
taxes 1t is understood that the pro-
! ject was approved at Thursdays Cab
met council, and before it is submitted
| to Parliament its salient features will
| be communicated in confidence to the
| Irish leaders. Timothy Healy and a
couple of other Irish members of Par
lament, in one of the Liberal newspa-
pers to-day, describe the scheme as a
| minor revolution, largely democratic
and benefcent, in giving local govern
| ment to Ireland.
| The losses of husbandry in France
| from the frost shows the damage to
crops to be tantamount to a disaster in
| fourteen departments. The Govern
ment is asking for first grant of
| 100000 francs to aid the farmers and
| fruit growers.
SULTAN OF TURKEY.