Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-02-25

by Turkish tyranny. The most re-
markable feature OF all these rrvolu-
tons is that in no instance have ise
Cretans been forced by dsfest To lay.
down their arms. Their dissrmng Z
has been due always to the interven-
tion Of some "friendly power" whicl
wished to give an opportunity TO III
Turkish government TO Introduce re
forms. Whoever has lived In Turkey
has his opinion as to the good faith in
Turkey in promising reforms, especi.
ally when they are exactly by the
threat OF the demolition OF the Otto.
man dynasty in Europe. But for the
friendly" foreign Intervention Crete
would have secured her independence
long ago. Russian diplomacy has
frustrated the hopes and aspirations
.of the Cretans in last years revolution,
and, despite the role she is now play
ing with the other European power,
as if to force the sultan to carry out
the long promised reforms among the
Christians in his dominitions, she is
the one country directing the sultan's
policy in the East. There is not a
Cretan of any pronounce on the
island who has the les st faith in the
professions Of the Porte as to carry
ing out any reforms.
At present there Is no man more
trusted by the Cretans than
THE GRAND OLD MAN OF CRETE,
old Costa Veloudakes, the permanent
president of the. Revolutionary As
sembly, and scion OF one of the old
est families of the island. He has
just celebrated his ninety-fifth birth
day. He has taken part in every
revolution on the island during his
time. In the eight-year revolution of
1921 he was at the head of a strong
Cretan force, having distinguished
himself by liberaLing sixty-eight Gre
tan women held IN bondage in a
Turkish fortress. He is man of
few words, but whenever he speaks
his utterances carry great weight.
His courage is proverbial. At the
battle of the Fountains in 1866 he
was fighting beside his two sons when
a bullet killed one OF them. With
out flincting he gave orders to carry
the dead from the battle field; he con-
tinued fighting until the enemy were
repulsed. In 1878 he was proclaim
ed commander-in chief Of ali the rev.
outionary forces on the island, and
was subsequently selected with two
other Cretans to proceed to the Ger
man capital, during the drawing Of
the Berlin treaty, to lay before the
representatives Of the powers the
claims of the Cretans.
To give evidence Of the low esteem
in which Turkish promises are held
by the Cretans it is necessary only to
quote the remarks recently made by
one of the most conservative members
of the Cretan Revolutionary COM
mlttee.
Turkish firmans," he said, "grant-
ing reforms remind me of the story
OF the schoolboy caught in mischief
by his teacher, and then resorting to
all sorts of excuses and promises of
better conduct so as to escape punish.
ment. So it is with the sultan and
his frGans granting privileges to TIE
Christians OF Crete; you may always
look for them whenever some high
handed rascality has been committed
by his people and the foreign govern :
ments look sternly at him. Ii is need
less to say that the excitement once
over you need not look for the fulfill
ment of his promises
Public opinion among the Cretsns
is adverse to the acceptance of any
reforms. The prevailing opinion at
the meetings of the Cretans is that
they should fight until the union Of
Crete with Greece is accomplished.