The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-08-23
The Harem the Root of All Evil in the
Ottoman Empire.

Through the courtesy of General
Mott, writes j. A. Cockerill, to the Gin
cinnati Enquirer, l was introduced,
few days since, to one of the most inn
portant men in the Ottoman Empire. L
allude to Youssouf Zia Ell Khalidee, the
Member of the Ottoman Parliament
from Jerusalem. His name may not be
so familiar on our side of the water as
that of the Sultan or Edhem Pasha, but
as the representative of the progressive,
intellectual and reform element in Tur-
key he is entitled to more consideration
than any man | know of in this section.
1.-The impression prevails" | said,
" that Turkey is incapable of advance
ment or reform for the reason that all
progress must. infringe the Koran-in
other words, that the religion is an in
separable barrier to reform. You have"
| continued, here in Constantinople
some evidence of progress. You have
street railways, steamers on the Bos-
phorus, telegraph lines and various evil
dences of modern advancement. The
question arises, will this sort of progress
continue, and will it have the effect of
Europeanizing the Turk and changing
his nature in any respect?'
1--WE have made some material prog
ress, it is true," said Youssouf Zia. alt
is very superficial, though. Contact
with the Europeans in the metropolis
has brought about some innovations,
but I can not see that the Turk has been
visibly improved. To reform him in
this fashion would be a slow process. [
am able to demonstrate that our coun-
try can be reformed inside the Church,
and it is only by respecting the religion
that reforms can be wrought. 1t is
good religion for this people. There is
nothing better to take the place of it.
Our people can not be controlled with
out religion, and there is none so good
as that which we have. 1t teaches
cleanliness and contentment, and a code
of morals us good as could be desired.
| am learned in the Koran, and am
prepared to show that it is the abuse of
religion that has brought all our evils
upon us. The polygamous clause is the
cause of our woes mainly-in other
words the harem. Mohammed set the
example, but the Koran only admits of
more than one wife where the man is
physically and financially capable of
caring for more than one. know of
no man who is properly able to provide
for one. The Koran throughout
inveighs against family extrava-
gance. Our system of abuse of the
religion has for years given unbounded
license. Our officials have built up
great harems, and have been driven to
corruption to maintain them. What is
to be expected of a Government under
which the Minister of Interior has
eighty wives or women; another sixty,
and SO on? Can we have purity and
honesty under such a system? The
present Sultan has 600 women, and the
list is increasing Some of them are
actual inmates of the harem, and others
are women who are no longer attractive
and who are now carried on pension
rolls. 1t is said that $3.50 mouths are
daily fed from his table. 1t is impossi-
BILE to have honest government under
such system. | am constantly preach
ing against the harem and against
polygamy. l had intended bringing a
measure before the Chamber to restrict
or prohibit this crime against society,
but l am not determined now as to my
course. | have made myself very I'M
popular with the ruling classes Some
reform might be brought about by legis-
lation in five or ten years, but what we
need is bloodshed and revolution. No
great advance was ever made without it..
France had fallen as low under the Bour-
bons as Turkey is to-day. Her rulers
were equally corrupt. A revolution gave
her new life. Cromwell regenerated
England with the sword. Austria, Italy
and your own country have all been ben
Gifted by civil war. Deep-seated wrongs
must be cured by violence. l expect to
preach my doctrine until l am killed.
Out of some such event may come the
revolution which will bring to the sur
face men capable of giving the people
good government. The Sultan must be
deprived of every vestige of autocratic
power. | am willing that we should
have Sultan as a mere figure-head-a
embodiment OF government such as the
Queen of England. A man who is raised
by eunuchs in the midst of women can
not he fit for Emperor. He is but an
animal in instincts and a child in intel
lect. Let him busy himself with church,
and let the people, through their repre-
sentatives and the Ministry, rule. | am
radical in my notions, as you will per-
ceive, and I expect one of these days to
pay the penalty, but the blood of the
martyrs gave Christianity strength, and
I am willing for any thing that will
quicken the people and hasten the revo-
luton which alone can give life to
Turkey"
---.----
Experiences of Michigan LOg.Rollers,