The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-12-16

Italy IN lS9S mas been terminated.
The Island of Crete is an important
addition to the territory OF Greece. ~
is 1856 miles long, is from TO 80
miles wide. aud has an area of 1880
square miles. High mountains, covered
with forests. run through the whole
length of the island in several ranges.
Numerous springs give fertility TO most
of the valleys, in which there is a
luxurious vegetation. The sides of the
mountains are also covered with succu.
lent grasses. Grain, vine, oil. wood,
fax. silk, cotton. fish honey, game, cat
tie, fruits, and metal arc produced in
abundance, but manufactures, trade
and navigation are insignificant
In referring 10 Crete the mind re-
verts at once TO the fables Of Greek
mythology. in which Saturn, Heus and
Minos are spoken of as among its kings.
At one time it was a republic; then it
was conquered by the Cicilian pirates;
the Romans came next, aud then, IN
S23, il passed into the hands of the
Sarscens. the Greeks coming once more
into possession in the year 962. In
1904 the Byzantine sovereign sold it
to the Venetians, who held it until the
second half OF the seventeenth century,
when we read of it being conquered by
the Turks after desperate struggle,
the siege of the capital lasting no less
than twenty years.
Instructions against Turkish rule
have been numerous; a formidable up
rising. fomented by the Greeks, oc-
Cured in 1868, but the Turks were
victorious after a long fight. Discomfort
with the rule Of the Sultan led 80 al
most continual revolt IN 1895 the
powers above mentioned assumed q
protectorate and King George of
Greece was made high commissioner
In ancient times the population of
this island in the Mediterranean was
estimated at 100000 souls. at the
time of its purchase by the Ncuetiaus
the inhabitants numbered about 900,-
000 Today there are probably less
than 100000 people, a great majority
of them being Christians and of Greek
descent
The recent war with the Turks, fol-
lowed by the desperate and bloody con-
flict between the allies, has added
greatly to the power as well as the
territory of Greece. 1t is even pre-
dicted that the country, now that it
has emerged from centuries of bondage
and oppression, Will take its place
among the truly great nations Of the
earth.
The advance so far made encourages
one to speculate as to the future. VIII
the descendants of the heroes of Mara
thon, Salamis, Artemesium, Plataea,
and hundred other conflicts be able
TO write their names in large letters on
the deathless page Of history Another
Alexander of Macedon is of course an
impossIbility, but there arc Spartans,
Plataeans, Boeotians, Atheniaus, and
natives Of the other states which
figured so largely in the affairs of men
at the time and for hundreds of years
after the first history was written who
are just now filed with the lofticst
aspirations. Whether they will be able
to place their country in commanding
position is a question for the future,
but a moderate amount of success is
seemingly assured
To the late King George, the present
King Constantine, and to Premier
Venizelas must be ascribed the credit
for planning the recent achievements
but the Greek soldier, animated by
love of country and fred with ambition
for her future welfare, right nobiy bore
his part in battle with the Turk and
made realization of the dream OF cen.
Another war and the Sultan may be
forced to cross into Asia Minor and a
Greek ruler reign in Constantinople in
his stead, the cross displacing the
crescent on ST. Sophia s spire. 1t was
under Constantine that the empire OF
the east went down; under a Constan
tine it may rise again.