New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-23
THE ORIENTAL QUESTION.
4 CONTRAST BETWEEN THE GREEKS
AND THE TURKS POSITIONS.
a a. ". BENJAMIN PROTESTS AGAINST UNJUST
FAVOR TO THE GREEKs-THE sITuA-

q g. W. BENJAMIN PROTESTS AGAINST UNJUST
FAVOR TO THE GREEKs-THE sITuA-
TON IN CRETE.
Lord Salisbury on the 18th inst administered
Yebuke TO the one hundred members Of the House
OF Commons who sent an encouraging address 10
Greece This timely admonition shines like CLEAN
Of common-sense through the clouds of ndiscrimi-
nate denuncation and reckless sympathy that nave
for years obfuscated the people and the lawgivers
OF Christendom. He says of the Commoners: 'ihey
are guilty OF the blood which has been shed In
consequence of the false calculations generated IN
the minds OF those they affected to support SYM
patty is noble quality when 1t is bestowed on
the deserving Is free OF prejudice Is pased on JUS
tice docs not infringe existing rights ana princi-
pies and Is uncontaminated with Interior motives
Of self-nterest and gain. How far does the recent
sympathy exhibited toward the Cubans the Ar
,nen,ans and the Greeks possess this pure and ex-
allied character Leaving for others to analyze the
merits OF the first. am prepared TO assert mat IN
the two latter cases the sympathy OF the Chrlstian
peoples has been sincere, but bllnd, through lgno-
rance Of the facts and because grossly prejudiced
by the misapplication Of the fetch words chris
tan" and "Iiberty" But, the other hand the
rulers and lawgivers of Europe and America cam
not be wholly acquitted OF being actuated by many
other motives besides an unprecedented and CHRIST
like love for the suffering or for the spread OF
for their course there Is no doubt that they are
often led TO indscreet action by the fear of or
pressure by their constituencies or lack Of wisdom
or OF a knowledge of facts such as should be justly
expected of those who have superior means or
knowing and greater responsibility for whatever
public action they initiate.
Take the case Of Crete. II Is popularity assumed
that. until the Turks appeared the island II
was peaceful and free What are the facts! Dur
ing their early Independence the Cretans 'he",
selves preferred to be divided into many s"'"n
communities, almost constantly at war Win e''"
other Then the Romans seized Crete TWO 'nou
sand years ego and from that day to TINS II mas
been subject TO one power or another Inc Nehe-
.,ans were for four hundred years terrible OPP
pressors Of Crete, although CHRISTIANS II WAS nv
until 1853 that Turkey drove out the Neneuahs' anu
their sway was a decided improvement on 'hd' %
Christian Venice. From motives OF seh-ihteieS'
rather than persecution nearly half the population
embraced Islamism. AS a result. the relations OF
+he Turks and tho Mahometan and the Christian
cretans have been 40 intimate that 1t was jokingly
said the Cretan Mahometans swore CHRISTIAN oa'hs
whence the local proverb: " Are you TURK
MustaphaT Yes swear by the Holy virgin that
] Turk"
THE TURKS LARGELY OUTNUMbERED.
AT present the Christians outnumber the TURKS
and Cretan Mahometans probably SIX 10 one Inc
Turks have never seriously oppressed the pros
Governor Of Greek origin and faith
During the Greek war tor independence the Gre
fans naturally shared in the contest. man! heioi'
deeds were shown on both sides In one case at
least the Turks exhibited a masnanimiv surpris
ing 10 some who are prejudiced against them MUS
.afa pacha after terrific battle outside OF the
walls drove the Greeks into Frankie CASTILLO and
forced them 10 capituate. He not only agreed that
they should go off under parole. but restored 10
them their arms and even their prisoners. oroereu
his men TO assist the wounded TO the boats ana
provided them with abundant provisions for their
.o,.ogo m Loutro To cap the climax. number
~ his army placed themselves in the hands OF
+he Greeks hostages for the fuhimeh' Oh '"e
farms of the surrender.
The Cretans at one time during that war hao
IT in their power to secure then inuepen NV
ence; they entrapped and surrounded the
turkish army In mountain valley with
out water and provisions The Turkish COM
-nander we'll aware Of the CretaA chs<cter ue-
y,sed & plan Of escape worthy OF the sscat fai"i.
bal the shrewdest of generals. Calhng . cou"ci VI
war the Turk told his captains they must e''"ei
surrender or abandon their baggage 70 Greek Gu
.,a,,,, Tbev decided on the latter Dazzled by the
enoiI living loose before their eyes. the CREAMS
quietly allowed the enemy TO escape. for ie"
n,isera BILE dollars apiece they sold the Independents
that was in their grasp. Such opportunities rareH
hammer twice in the lives of men or the history o'
nations After the Greek revolution the Cretahs
,or,ad IN no and more treacherous and preda-
tory II took the genius OF Pompey TO exterInina'e
-he Cretan pirates of old and 1t took cornpiheo
European feet to put down these modern pirates
OF Crete c..
since that event the turbulence Of the Cretans
49,. raw stimulated by emissaries and arms from
Greece The pretext Of the latter has been SYM
nathv with their oppressed CHRISTIAN pre'hren
in Crete The real reason was the desire OF
the Greeks 10 hasten the union OF 'ne va
iind N
rious branches OF the Greek race ulue, one
pan-HelIenic Government with Constantinop'e
nerhans for lis ultimate capital. Such a union
never existed in ancient times. nor Is there
any pressing necessity for 1t now IN 'i'e
gradual ethnic evolution Of the ages such union
e not unlikely 10 come, but during this evolution
neither the Greeks nor Christians at large are
Justified in singing out the Turks Tor inuisciii-
mate abuse The Turks not the only power
10 whom the Greeks have been subject. ana tney
are far from being the worst
This Pan-Helenic movement IL interes'lns' 'heIe
fore from a philosophic point Of view, but the de-
mand on the sympathy Of Christendom IN cohnec-
ton with it has been oyerdone. There Is no es-
pecial call for the Cabinets, the Legislatures or
the press Of Europe and America to go into MS
over the matter. TO pass hysterical or incendiary
resolutions, place In jeopardy the 1ar more
important peace Of world that IL too often and
needessly agitated. The temporary solution OF the
question by granting the autonomy OF Crete will
be a grievous disappointment TO the Greeks. What
they are really seeking is the enlargement of the
boundaries OF the Greek Kingdom. The ruling pas
sion OF the Greeks is patriotism that with too
many Is mere national vanity combined with
fanatic love for their creed. The two are prac-
tically synonymous in the Modern Greek mind
This Identification Of Church and State is an an
achronism in the most advanced civilization
AN UNPREJUDICED OBSERVER.
As the son OF an American missionary and born
IN Creece and twenty-five years a resident Of
various parts OF Greece, Turkey and Persia, at
different intervals studying alternately with Greek
and Turkish masters the writer has no prejudice
against any Of these people lie is equally ready