New-York tribune., 1909-07-29
CRETANS HERE JOYFUL
DENY TURKISH CLAIM.
Prepared Way for Present S't"0T'on
by Raising $50, 900 Furld.

The evacuation Of Crete by the troops OF Ensiano
z7rsnoe Rpss,a and Italy and the raising OF the
Greek flag over the fortress OF Canea- he cdtl'a
OF the island has created SITUATION III
sretans and Greeks in this city are Inoch me, iiI.e
-es+ea In fact they regard the present Poliucsl
,.+ior as extremely critical because OF the prop
ahl,v that Turkey will assert her nominal soVer-
eighty over Crete which cause a CONNECT WIN
the islands inhabitants. who show decided pref
erence for Greece. Dernctrius n Botassi' Greeh
Consul General. said yesterday;
.cre-e IS lost forever 10 Turkish Empire, and
al the right time it will form integral part OF the
Grecian Kingdom
: ,r have rhe Cretans in this city and throughout
she United States indifferent 10 the interests OF
their native island or unprepared for the present
teveiopments From of their number 1t was
learned Yesterday that they anticipated just what
has happened. and TO prepare their compatriots
for any emergency organized secret committees IN
Kew York and other cities. which have collected a
fund of $1,000 which was forwarded recently to
Canea.
I'VE didn't buy any arms in this country, he
said: there plenty to be had in Crete We just
furnished the emergency fund. There are not many
-Cretans in this city; not more than two hundred
And in the entire United States there are perhaps
thousand Our people do not emigrate very
drauch. They stay al home And large part of my
-soountryn1en here laborers miners But they
patriotic and have given most freely from their
srnesgre earnings the patriotic fund If neces-
4sary 1 dare say obtain as much more 1t
has not taken US long TO get the $4,000 which we
laope our brothers home will use to the best ad-
vantage
The Cretans have been restless since 1907. They
wanted union with Greece About that time
Prince George. second Of King George OF
Greece who had governed Crete as High Commits
sioner under the appointment of the four European
fpogers that took Crete from Turkey in 1895. was
,irecaIed TO Greece. His administration OF affairs
xvss regarded successful
Consul General Botassi said yesterday that the
Reclamation by the Bulgarians of their independence
snd the coup d'eat of Austria IL Bosnia and Herze-
1Ror1na Influenced the Cretans largely in doing
~sou,ethfng for themselves. Taking up the story of
1.-THE situation Crete after the Sailor Prince LETT
Lshere. Mr. Botassi said
The powers conferred and decided 10 leave 10
EJzing George the choice Of Prince Georges success
sor as High Commissioner OF Crete. He ap-
pointed Alexander Zainis. formerly Prime Minister
iot Greece. He Of great talents and po-
isftcal capacity Under Zanis the island progressed
wonderfully Then last october the Bulgarians de-
.cided on their independence, and made Prince
Ferdinand Car of Bulgaria Austria effected her
-scoup detat in Bosnia and Herzegovina. two essen
sfsslly Turkish provinces but which by the treaty
f Berlin Of 1878 were placed under the government
zsf Austria This movement upset Turkey and made
"a complete change in the two provinces
The Cretans seeing good opportunity for declaI-
ting their independence from Turkey voted in favor
cot annexation to Greece They at formed
Errovisional government under the presidency OF A
313enizelos. an eminent Cretan statesman, who be-
gan governing the island in the name Of the King
of Greece All official documents read In the
name of George I. King OF Helenes' The four
protective powers tacitly acknowledged the new
state OF things They conferred. and in view OF the
great capacity for self-government shown by the
Cretans their ability maintain order and their
success in conciliating the native Mussulman ee-
r7aent they announced that July q 1903. they
would completely evacuate Crete and withdraw
their troops.
This promise has been faithfully executed TO
the letter It remains TO he seen how the powers
evil take the raising of the Greek flag all over
Crete But SO the Cretans are concerned
they are perfectly satisfied things stand to-day
The reason is obvious There no Turkish troops
IN the island; the police is composed of native
Cretans. commissioned ny officers Of the Greek
army: the courts of justice working smoothly,
the native MussuImans seem 10 be satisfied and we
are satisfied and not disposed to push things any
further the present L is true that the Young
Turks in Conxtantnople still assert shadowy
claim Crete, and make all sorts Of threats in
case the island Is formally annexed 10 Greece
But don't notice that clamor feeling positive
that Crete is lost forever 10 the Turkish Empire
end that at the right time Crete will form an in
-egraI part OF the Grecian kingdom"