Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-05-08

I uihlSOU WHICH tHoN NJ many pbbnt
buildings and benevolent INSTITUTIONS
founded by private Individuals. Most
of the fortunes have boon made
abroad Greece n not 4 money max
ing country The opportunities for
gaining wealth are limited. As was
explained in recent letter agrieni.
ture is still In primative condition;
there Is comparatively little mann
featuring: the mining resources are
insignificant and the commerce and
mercantile trade can never amount
ie,ion Therefore Greeks who are
ambitious for wealth 20 elsewhere.
They are migrating race. There are
Greek communities In every great
city. and they use the same methods.
practice tho same economy and show
the same skill in trade as the Jews.
II II Droverb that one Greek lis as
good as two Jews In bargain.
They often begin In a small way. ped
{ ding fruit knick-knacks and other
/ trlnes. but gradually extend their
commercial horizons until many Of
them become mercantile princes.
( You fnd them IN London, Paris. st.
I Petersburg Vienna and especially In
I Constantlnople. whore nearly one-third
1 of the population are Greeks and the
4 richest men belong TO that race.
I Throughout Syria. Egypt and along
.hs coast Of Africa the larger share
/ of the mercantile business Is In the
/ hands Of Greeks In the Black Sea
country they control the grain trade
ard throughout the east from Italy to
/ Egypt and as far north as Budapest
and Odessa they pariicaliy control
trade
MANY Greeks arc found In South
America also. and In the Transvaal
aud other parts or South Africa Dur
I ing the Hoer war several Greeks have
/ Ind important contracts for furnish.
l INK supplies 10 the British govern
meni and have made moro money dur
I ing the troubles than they did while
the country was at peace. In tho
Argentine Republic are several i'm
poriant Greek families. In fact,
( wherever they 20 they make money,
aud It tx the ambition OF every Greek
10 return 10 Athens and live among
his own people. The long streets Of
fine mansions and other evidences OF
wealth and luxury demonstrate that
many have been able TO do so.
There are many reasons for the
working classes as well ms the trades
men TO omigrnte Wages arc low,
although laborers are scrace. and par
ticularly mechanics The earnings
of those who remain In the country
have not improved since the war with
Turkey. but are lower than before
because workmen are paid in a depre-
ciateh Bapcr currency worth not more
than go per cent of Its former value
Tho wages OF ordinary laborers run
from 20 to 80 cents day and those
Of skilled mechanics from 30 to so
cents day.
The law which requires military
service Of every citizen drives good
many rouug men from the country.
for II compela them 10 waste the best
years OF their life. There ls no ren-
son why Greece should have an army.
/ II she had none she would be much
better on The military history OF
Greece IN not nattering and during
the late war with Turkey IL was clear
/ ly demonstrated that the people had
neither military skill nor courage.
/ II the parliament would abolish the
army and navy. leaving Just enough
goldiors 20 preserve the peace and
| rest entirely upon the protection OF
the great powers Of Europe II would
be a blessing 10 tho people ana ro
licvo them from an enormous burden
Of taxation Many thousand able
bodied young men would be released
from a military servitude which not
Only kcops them from the fields and
factories. sut uunts them for labor
after their term OF duty has expired
II would also remove from the sons
uf the upper classes temptation
which is fatal to success In life. Op
porlunltles are so few In Greece that
educated young mon must seek en-
ployment under the government OF
obtain commissions In the army I'm
der the present system Of politics the
former can only look forward to an
uncertain and an Improbable career
while there ls even less to encourage
the ambitious In the army
The number OF officers Is so much
In excess Of the requirements that
there is nothing FOR them TO do but
to spend their time in the coffee
houses and In worse forms OF dissi.
patton The streets OF Athens and
other cities Of Greece are crowded
with men In uniform. and " YOU will
enter any cafe or stop Mt one OF the
many groups Of idleCs In public places
Won may notice that at least one-third
and sometimes more than half OF all
those present wear the uniform of otii'
GERS OF high rank. I have been told
that there is an officer for every three
/ priyHtes In the Greek army and Ger.
thinly that proportion exists In Ath-
ems although it may not be so large
In other parts Of the country
Greece has no naturalization treat.
I les. Like Russia the government
never releases its subjects from their
obligations once a Greek always a
1 Greek ANY naturaliged citizenof
! the United States who returns to his
native country may be impressed into
I the army without ceremony II he did
not serve his term before he left the