Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-12
War News in Constantinople.

|. A. Cockerlll from Constantinople to
The CSacinadti Enquirer:
Constantinople can hardly be said to
be thrilling place for news at present.
One might as we'll be on the Island of
Patmos as in the capital of the Ottoman
empire, SO far as knowledge of the war
and its progress is concerned. Last week
Redif Pasha, minister of war, who man
ages to hold his place despite the opposi-
ton everywhere manifested toward him,
issued an order absolutely prohibiting
the newspapers of Constahtinople from
publishing any intelligence concerning
war, save that furnished by himself to
the Dejridci Askcrie, the official bulletin
OF the war office. This prohibition APP
piled to the mention Of the movement of
troops, munitions Of war; the arrival and
departure of vessels, comments on the
war, and publication of rumors. The pa
pers published little enough news before
the arbitrary decree, but since that time
we have had absolutely nothing. The
Leoant Herald, small journal printed in
English and French, was sort of assist
ance to foreigners who cared to keep the
"run of things" but now it is as dull as a
four year-old almanac. The paper had
gone to the expense of sending special
correspondent to Erzeroum to report the
advance of the Russians into Asia. and,
since the cruel order of the seraskier, it
contents itself with displaying its enter
prise in this form:
THE WAR IN ASIA.
From Our Special Correspondent.
ERzERoUM, May "a.
We have received another long and
interesting letter from our special cores
pondent at Erzeroum. We are unable 10
publish it, in consequence OF the express
prohibition, under which the newspapers
of Constantinople now labor, against the
publication of anything whatever relating
to the war, which is not strictly official
news emanating from the Turkish war of
fice.-ED L. II.
Mr.. Whitaker, the editor of the Leva,st
Herald, tells some amusing stories touch
ing the difficulties attending the pub!ica-
ton of newspaper in Constantinople
For the past three months he has been
under the daily domination of the press
censor, and no piece of news unfavorablc
to the Turkish cause has been admitted to
his columns. A half dozen times of late
has the order for the suspension of his
paper been given, but in each instance,
through the intercession of friends, has
he secured the revocation of the edict.
Not content with debating the style of
the news to be published, the war minis
ter now declares no news shall be pub
lished at all. The Turkish papers are
treated no better than others. Of course
the stuff furnished by the minister to his
official gazette is unworthy the name o
news. He has sent out few bulletin
relative to the great Turkish successes in
Montenegro, where the Modoc war has
been renewed, and hopes are entertained
that the perpetually hungry place, Mix
sizes, will be victualed and kept victualed
until the end of time. AS already men
toned, the business of the Turkish official
is to deal in lies. He misrepresents
everything, and the consequence is that
the foreign public here smiles in a sickly
manner at Redik's bulletins, and goes on
picking up rumors of the war as best it
can. Sensible Turks admit that the de-
feat of the Turkish arms is inevitable,
and upon the ground that the Turkish
people are very easily depressed by bad
news they justify the virtual suppression
of the press of the capital. The wretched
government dares not let the truth be
known.