The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-13

r'aryuEht. 1877, pS the Assoclateu FI''N'J
ATHENS, March 1.-THE Crctan
cpestIon is passlng through period Of
sulcssencs. a luu having followed the
r,ply OF Greece to the powers, and eN-
,ryboly seems 10 he wondering where
and when the storm will break out
alrrsh.
There seems to be but three ways out
Of the present difficulty. The most pc
rullar is that the powers must accept the
r,rsrs OF Greece to withdraw her Nest
nom CrctHn waters and nlloW her army
rg occupntIOn tO remain aominally under
,be control OF a foreign officer outrank-
ing Colonel Vlss0s, TO be used FOR the
pac.fication OF the island, and when thai
i accomplished. plcbiScite shall decide
whether the Cretans prefer annexation
10 autonomy.
The second solution is the coercion
real or seeming. OF Greece by the block
t,Ie OF the French coasts az Well as the
island OF Crete. This would be dan
gsrous and difficult task. In tho nrSt
place Il would require an immense fleet
1f vessels, owing TO the almost innu-
Inerable Islands composing the Grectan
nrchipel1go, TO make such blockade
Elective. Besides. Greece's reply to this
proposition would probably be the light
inf az the ires OF war IN Macedonia, the
beginning OF n conhaGrRtion which
might spread all over Europe
The most dangerous spot on the map
0g Europe at present iA the frontier OF
ThcsSaly. II Greece Is coeRced or II she
does not obtain the substance OF her de-
mAnds, she IN liable 10 force the hands
-. nj NhIq wight he nnnN
IN more ways than one, as by crossing
the border. trying to raise the Balkans.
and possibly bringing about the long
contemplated dismemherment OF the
Turkish empire.
King George Nay AhtlIcAts.
The third solution of this dangerous
and difficult problem is contained in the
renewed rumOrs that King George may
abdicate IN favor OF his eldest son. the
crown prince Constantine nj Sparta,
whosa wife Is the Princess Sophia. Sis
Ter Of Emperor William Of Germany.
There are many people who believe that
the kings abdicatiOn would be the best
means OF clearing up the situation.
While the stand taken by King George
IN the present crisis has undoubtedly
Inpr0yed his position among the Greeks,
mis- abdIcation would be popular step,
as the populace has neverqulte forgiven
the king for being foreigner, while his
sons. who were born IN Greece, are re-
carded as being one with themselves.
The crown princess L. known to bo
triHc Jealous OF Prince George, the sail
or prince, second son OF the king, whom
Prince Constantine alwnys allows To be
hracketed as equal with himself. The
princess, Il should be added. Is furious
NJ Emperor William for having sided
with the Turks against her adopted peo--
ple. Her husband Is much admired and
respected. but he II a man OF silent. re-
tirIng disposition, and Il disposed to ig-
more the shouts Of the populace. Prince
George. who Is OF n different tempera-
ment. is the popular idol. and many
would prefer him 10 his elder brother
AZ king OF Greece.
In any case the war fever II apparent
~ subgidiug. due no doubt TO the popu-
lar belief that an agreement may be
reached between the Greek and Turkish
governments directly for the settlement
II the Crctan question without the In
tervention OF the powers.
This belief. however, does not prevail
IN diplomatic circles. where It IL said
that tho settlement can be arrived at
only through the powers There Is no
doubt that the decrease in excitement
here tends to present matters IN n
brighter light, for popular clamOr had
deal 10 do with the defiant position as
sumed by the Greek government.
MIIItary Preparations.
hut there Is no cessation OF military
activity here or at salonika. On both
frontiers troops have occupied strate-
rlr posItIons. and relnforcementa are
being pushed forward night and day.
The armed peasants on both sides are
the most dangerous factors on the from
t1rs 4 conflict there may occur at any
moment, and then II may be beyond
human power to stem the tide Of war
which has been sullenly rising for long
time mrs