Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-05-17
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The Turk.

All the matter with the Turks is
they have not kept up with other ma
tons, and now they are required to
get out of the worlds way. The
Christian nations connot assimilate
the Turk, they cannot digest him he
is too nauseous to be swallowed.
Europe must spew him cut into Asia.
Well what is the crime or mstor-
tune of the Turk? Before history be-
gan her record he was wandering
Tartar, roaming at large over the
northeastern prairies of Asia, oc-
casionally breaking into China, and
filling that quiet empire of Rip Van
Wrinkles, with terror and consterna-
ton; then mounting by myriads upon
long-tailed horses, they galloped west
ward. The borders of the Caspian
Sea still retain the name of Turkistan.
Their great misfortune was, they reach
ed western Asia and northern Africa
sometime in the eleventh century. They
conquered the Saracens, but woe TO
the Turk! At the same time he cap.
tured Mahomet and his coffin, and the
sacred Stone at Mecca, and his harem,
his polygamy, his sensual paradise
and his koran, and his fanaticism, and
that fascinating religion that unites
zeal for the glory of God with the
love Of conquest and victory. In short
the Turks in conquering the Saracens,
the original Meslems, became the
champions of the religious system of
the false prophet.
1t is pretty hard for the stream TO
rise higher than its fountain. Ma
homet himself was The model after
which the higest type of Moslem
character was shapen. The Heaven
that he offered his followers was to be
the scene of eternal debauchery and
lust, and every good Mussulman who
died on the field CT battle was to en-
Joy tho society of Hours in the next
world. 1t is hardly possible to con
ceive how hopelessly corrupt ma
ton will become when its great re-
ligious founder teaches doctrines that
subyert the very foundations of all
private or public virtues and purity.
One consequence is easily foreseen.
The Turk can have no Retormers ex-
sept those who will only demoralize
him and make him worse by pointing
him to the example of the founder of
his religion. There can be no sturdy
purifying public opinion in Turkey;
for who dares assail immoralities and
crimes of which Mahemet himself
was guilty? We have, it is true, the
Mormon in Utah, but we also have a
public opinion, national moral sense
that condemns the practice of the
Latter Day Saints; and finally we will
root out this twin relic of barbarism.
But nobody can reform Turkey,
unless their entire system, their ira.
dilional, their national belief on which
their practice is based is utterly over
thrown. What they need is an awak-
ened conscience, a sound morality
guarded by an active public opinion.
But reform in resuscita.ing the
early Moslem fanaticism would only
make the Turk more anbearable to
Christian nations.
What the Turk has gained in
Europe he has won by the sword 1t
was in 1850, or about that year, that
he completed the subiugation of the
Greek Empire by the capture of Con-
stantnople. Before that time be had
over-run Greece and taken possession
OF the countries traversed by the Dan
ube and threatened Italy. His con-
quests in Europe were over Christian
communities. These conquered peo-
pie never assinilated with their Turk
ish masters. The Turk called them
''dogs" and treated them worse, and
the Servian and Bulgarian longed for
vengeance.
1t can be of no advantage to Turkey
to attempt longer to govern those re-
bellious communities. The peace of
the world requires their independence
and freedom from Turkish sway.
Crete or Gambia should also be free
from the Turk. He is only wasting
his own resources, only frustrating re-
forms he is now attempting by levy.
ing war against people wholly alien
to his idea of government or religion
If the Turk wishes longer to hold
possession of his fertile and rich ter
ritories in Asia he must go to work
aud cultivate them. If he will make
himself useful to the world, he will be
tolerated. But he need not try longer
in Europe to play the master over
people whom be must ever hate, as
well as be hated by them.
The School Book Question