Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-18

gods. philosophers and poets Of the
golden age. The Boulevard OF the
University and the Boulevard of the
Academy are the broadest and the mn
est avenues in the residence portion or
the city, while the principal business
street is named in honor of Mercury.
Other streets are called after Scion,
Aesculapius, Hippocrates. Aristotle,
Thucydides, Pericles, Sophocles, Mean-
der, Aphrodite, Pan. Hebe, Apollo,
Jupiter, Theseus, Philip. Constantine
and most Of the holy apostles. One OF
the principal hotels is the Minerva, and
1T is the fashion to christen shops in
honor of the great men of the past.
Classic names are also retained in
baptising children. You frequently
hear OF Hermes, Alcibiades and Homer,
and If you will look into the directory.
you will be reminded of the muster roll
of the army of Agamemnon, which you
viii find in the early part of Homer.
Achilles. Ajax, Menelaus, Miltiades,
Leonidas, Themistocles and other names
familiar to students of Greek, are in
daily use among the people.
Greece is a true democracy. No other
country in Europe, not even Norway, is
so subject to the will of the people, and
the democratic spirit is often shown in
ways that are disagreeable. The feel
ing OF equality is general, and there is
an undisguised jealousy against one
man rising above another. That is one
of the great obstacles to progress,
sort of dead line which no man can
without hot do ha nf
every selfish and dissatisfied citizen
who CONSTITUTES his superiority as per-
sonal grievance and an offense against
the individual and the state. The king
is foreigner. Were he not foreigner
he might not be king. Those who
know the Greek character best de-
clare that it would be difficult, if not
impossible, for the Greeks to permit
one of their own citizens to rule over
them. The king is democratic enough
to suit their tastes. He mingles freely
with the people, and while he main
tains beyond criticism the dignity that
becomes his position, he is nevertheless
simple in his habits, unoStentatiouS in
his exercise of power and loves nothing
so well as to be considered one of the
Greeks. There have been no scandals
or intrigues at his court. The scepter
has not been welded to the injury of
anyone. He treats everybody alike and
perhaps goes little too far that way,
because the exercise of more severe dis
cipline might do something to suppress
crime.
The kings example is followed by his
sons, his ministers and the attaches of
the court. and naturally initiated by
the people. The children have inherited
the spirit. The common schools of
Athens are attended by boys and girls
of all grades of society; the children Of
laborers sitting beside those of the
ministers of state reading from the
same books and engaged in the same
games.
complain that the democratic spirit is
so apparent as to be offensive, that the
common people" sometimes are too
aggressive and Independent and crowd
in upon their betters. For example,
the other night in the smoking room at
the hotel I heard an English gentle
man relate his experience, which was
evidence. that the peasants thought
they were quite as good as he, and he
declared that such things could never
have occurred in England, or in the
United States, for that matter. A gen.
tleman who has lived many years in
Greece explained to him that the peas
ants did not intend to be impertinent,
but were simply exercising what they
considered their rights, and demon
strating that practical democracy
down here was in working order.
There is no lack of discipline among
the servant class, but they assert their
rights like the servant girls of New
England.
Athenian society is divided into sets,
as it is everywhere; first the court set,
made up of the higher officials, the
members of the diplomatic corps, off,
GERS of the army and navy, rich resi-
dents, both foreign and native, who en-
terrain extensively, and others who are
honOred with a personal acquaintance
with the royal family. This set is more
or less exclusive, and includes only a
small fraction of those who are entitled
to invitations to court functions. The
kings balls and receptions are very
much like those at the White House in
Washington, and people with shabby
clothes and muddy boots are often
present, because, their political influ-
ence if not their social position entities
them to invitations.
There are no orders of nobility in
Greece. There is only one order of
knighthood, the Order of the Savior,
which is conferred by the king for dis
tinguished services of any character.
About one-half of the honors go to the
army and navy; the next in number
are those who have distinguished
themselves in the service of the state,
either as executives, legislators or
members of the diplomatic corps, and
after that come the scientists, who es-
TEEN the ribbon very highly.
Some of the descendants of the old
nobility try to retain their titles, but
are laughed at. Men whose ancestors
played a conspicuous part in patriotic
movements are much more admired and
envied, but even they have to give way
to learning. for scholars stand higher
in Greece today than any other class
of the community. and learning is con-
sidered of more value than great rich
es.
The education of women is gradually
reaching a level with that Of men.
There are still certain social restraints.
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