New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-18
THE EASTERN CRISIS.
HOW CRETE AND ITS WOES BROUGHT
IT ABOUT.
PACT OF HALEPA AND ITS ABRoGATIoN
LAST YEARS BARGAIN.

THE ISLAND ALWAYS STORM CESTRE-THE
PACT OF HALEPA AND ITS ABRoGATIoN
LAST YEARS BARGAIN
Reprinted from The Tribune OF March ~
year or two ago Armenia the cause OF
what seemed to be the impending dissolution OF
the Ottoman Empire. That storm passed however.
to the lasting shame Of Europe 1t has been fol-
lowed closely by outbreak In that chronic storm
centre, Crete, which, though vastly less In magni-
tude than the Armenian disturbances, bids fair to
have much more serious effect upon the fortunes
OF the empire. The general story of Crete. In
cient and modern times, has recently been told
In these columns that its present rehearsal Is not
called for Some account must be given. however,
Of the immediate causes OF the present disturb
ances.
Crete was the last of the Turkish conquests In
Europe. having been captured from the Venetians
after desperate struggle. at a time when the
Ottoman Empire had already entered upon the
period OF decadence. Like Ireland Crete i'm
perfectly conquered at the beginning and the fame
of dscord has been kept alive in the island owing
to the existence of large minority differing in
creed from the bulk Of the population and long
maintained In a privileged position by the ruling
Power disturbing influence Is also exercised
from without. for the Greeks of the mainland. like
the American Irish, have always fostered the revo-
lutionary element among their brethren. Shortly
after the Turkish conquest number OF the Greek
neutrality-suspicious. third Of the aggregate
through compulson. through fear, from motives
Of sef-interest, embraced the creed OF Islam; and,
as usually happens in such cases. the change Of
belief effectuay dissolved all the ties OF blood,
language and tradition. Like the spahis OF Bosnia
and the Bulgarian Pomaks In Rhodope. the newly
converted Moslems and their descendants displayed
all the zeal and fanatcism Of proselytes; they
hated their Christian fellow countrymen with
perfect hatred, and were abhorred by them In
turn as apostates and renegades from the national
cause. To-day the Mussulman Greek Of Crete is
all ntents and purposes Turk. and Is so re-
garded by his Christian kinsmen.
EUROPEAN MEDDLING.
Crete and the smaller island Of samos both
played an important part In the Greek war OF
independence and should have been made part
of the new Hellenic Kingdom. They would have
been had the European Powers kept their hands
off. But the Powers were marpots. They insist
ed on forcing both Crete and Samos back under
Turkish rule or encouraging Turkey to retake
them the reconquest Of Crete being effected by
Egyptian troops under Mahomet All. samos
presently made autonomous, and has for half
century been peaceful. prosperous and contented
under a Christian Prince of Its own. But although
the Powers promised to do something like that for
Crete actually nothing done until 1868, when,
after an Instruction which lasted three years
and cost the Turkish and Egyptian treasures some
f6 900 600 Turkish the scheme Of reforms known
as the Organic Statute was drawn up. This meas
ure which, In appearance at least, conceded large
amount OF self government to the island, eventu-
ally obtained a somewhat wider Importance, being
proposed by Article XIII of the Berlin Treaty as
a basis for the reforms to be introduced into other
portions of the Empire.
This statute gave the island legislative assem-
bly, and judicial system OF its own. But the latter
soon became mockery, while the former
duced to impotence by being forbidden to dis
cuss any matter which had not previously received
the sanction Of the Governor In BRIEF the Organic
Statute proved failure, and the island became
disconnected ever. Another bloody instruction
occurred in 1875 and in the fall Of that year.
through the mediation of England the so-called
Pact Of Halepa was drawn up in the village Of that
name and was approved by tho Porte.
THE PACT OF HALEPA
This instrument retained the general system Of
the Organic Statute. but provided for its more
practical application. 1t gave the local assembly
real legislative authority and required the appoint
ment OF a Christian Civil Governor for a term OF
five years. though the Military Governor was still
to be a Mahometan. The trouble that now arose
factional one The Cretans divided into two
parties, and the one which was the weaker invari-
ably intrigued against the Civil Governor.
joining forces with the Turks to harass him. The
Military Governor also intrigued against the Civil
Governor. and the result has been that from 1875
down to the present time only man has had the
resolution to hold the latter Office for a full term
All the others were driven to resign It.
In such a state Of confusion the judicial system
soon broke down. the native gendarmery proved
a failure, and little could be done to develop the
resources Of the island. A crisis came In 1889 The
Governor deemed 1t TO be his constitutional duty to
bestow a certain number OF appointments the
Liberals" and the conservatives" replied by
taking up arms and withdrs wing to the mountains
Many of the Mahometan beys supported the Con
servatives" even after their depa from Canea
but once the flame OF instruction was set alight
the half-dormant fanaticism Of both creeds became
aroused the horrors of 1867 and 1878 re-enact-
ed, and the island was again plunged In civil war.
In the space OF a few months about hundred
Christians and Mussumans murdered 1856
dwelling houses. 1872 schools, 81 mosques and "A
churches were burned. and many thousand pounds
worth of property was destroyed.
ABROGATIoN OF THE PACT.
The insurgent Christians got the worst Of II ia
this rebellion. The Porte. for once acted with
prompttude and. TO say the least. with consider
able astuteness. NJ Tricoups this time in
Office and the Turkish Government. aware that the
Cretans invariably seek counsel from Athens. in
gents not to resist the occupation OF the more i'm
portant stra.egical posts in the island by the i'm
perial troops Once master Of the situation. the
Porte showed It's hand. Shakir Pacha Mussul-
man and a soldier. appointed Vail and in
vested with military authority, martial law was
unclaimed Albanian sendarmes were quartered In