New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-16
HALET PACHA'S FORTUNES.

A STORY OF TURKISH SUPERSTITION.
HALEr PACHA BEsoLvKs TO GAIN FAVOR AT COURT
-HE FINDS sHEIKH WHO ADVANCES HIS ~
TEREsTs AT THE SAME TINE AS HIS OwN-AN
oPPoRTUNE DREAM-sUCCEss FOLLOWED by
DISASTER.
IRON 4 REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or TIE TRTBUSE.l
CoNsTANTNoPLE. June 23.-In forecasting the
course Of events in Turkish politics, allowance has
TO be made for unkno factors Of any given prob
lem. The personal jealousIes Of the Pachas form
one Of these unknown factors. They interfere with
results at the most unexpected moments. A nego-
tiation which is all hut completed one day. is mys-
teriously blocked the next. because some one In
power at the Porte has attempted 10 il for per
soual ends. A more powerful factor in Eastern af
fairs Is the respect for the supernatural possessed
Ivy all Turks. Even the highest men OF the Empire
trembe little before the declarations of a clair
vOyant. The Sultan has ms Chief AstrOlOger, and
consults him too. The responsibility of the man is
beyond doubt, since he presldes over the Council
of Public Instruction, and has very great influence
over Munif Efftudi, the Minister OF Public lnstruc-
tion who is a writer OF no mean pretenslons and OF
European culture. All Pachas have IN their suite
men reputed to be especially holy, whose prayers
are eficaclous, and whose advice is sanctlfed by
mysterious vlgs devoted to the contemplation of
the character IF Tod. The Sultan himself depends
much upon such holy men for aid and instruction.
The holy Sheikls whom be maintains IN his palace
constitute a little known but important branch
Of the establishment. The Sultan Is the Shadow
of God. in Turkish phraseology-the Callph
Of Islam the leader of the prayers OF the faithful
But 10 MAINTAIN his spiritual emInenoe he Is
Obliged to seek the voice of God from these same
Dervish Shpikhs. He tells them ms dreams, he I'M
folds his doubts AMI his fears to them he conhdes
TO them his purposes. Such Is the influence of
Il 81. ,rf. FL, ti..r. .v,s. qr4lr
ceive from him the highest tokens OF respect pos
s.bIe 10 an Oriental lie kisses the hand Of his
spiritual adviser as he would kiss the hand Of his
father. OF course these gentlemen of sanctty re-
ceive certain substantial emOluments for their ser
vices. They pray for the glory Of the Sultan, and
and him in reading the Divine mysteries and the
sultan places them N such conditions OF tenn
poral prosperity that Their minds may be free from
auxetIes Of a worldly and pecuuiary character In
decd the the Civil List of the Sultan pro-
duced by such faith III the value of prayer Is not
limited to the largess bestowed on Sheikhs who re-
side in the Palace. So completely does he Sultan
feel bis needs as a subject for prayer that in every
city of the Empire there are subsidized praying
bands. These receive a regular salary and ratons
from the privy purse, and their duty IS 70 pray
for the Sultan. A characteristic study of Turkish
systems might be based on an examination OF the
qualifications and manner of appointment OF these
Darig0us or professional interceders Suffice it 20
say that almost every man with long hair and
beard and with al asceic aspect may get salary Of
$40 or $50 per month by coming to Constantnople
and inducing some Pacha to present his declaration
of purpose devote his days to praying for Sultan
Abdul HamId.
Pachas depend on favor for position, and they are
shrewd in utilizing every means Of maintaining
their hold upon the favor Of the Sultan. The needs
/ .,,f+ 70, afford cupl
means Every Pacha who can secure an appoint
mert in the Palace for j Shekh Is always sure Of
direct access 10 the Imperial ear Naturally he
owns tae man whose fortune he has made. The
superstitious fears Of royalty do the rest The
Shekh can turn the Sultan as he viii il lie but
makes a lucky bit il his devotional offices. For the
moment, If need requires, the favorite Shekh con-
trolls the policy of the Empire. Appointments
shower 90 his friends and men court his smile.
Hence, happy the PaCha who can own shelkh III
the Palace.
An example Of The power Of these men and of the
rnconsequential influences which may determine
Turkish policy has lately come to light on the death
Of Halet Pacua-a Turk of the old school lie was
avery deyout man. He used TO SIT crOss-legged by
the hour holding bis breath, after the manner OF
the Nakhshibendi deryIshes ID order to make his
heart say the name OF God. And when the strain
of repression of the breath made his heart-beats
audible to his ear, his delight was unbOunded. In
the regular pulsatlOns he recognized the words
Allah, Allah" spoken by voice in bis very
heart. Thus he won't to fulfil the command OF
the Koran, which says Let your hearts say
AllahD Halet Pacha was man OF such
sanctity that he carefully avoided pollution by
contact with anything belonging to an iuidel. II
Won called on him he would receive you with cOur-
tesv and would shake hands IN European fashion.
Ruf Immediately after sha King hands wi Ia you he
would call for a basin and before your eyes would
wash away the stain Of your touch. Mosem tahors
and shoemakers do not make clothes or shoes OF
the semi-European STYLE worn by officials Hence
iufdels, alas have TO be utilized. Halet Pacha en-
ployed u1idels for such purposes, but he was al
WAYS In hot-water with his tailor and his shoe
maker about the fit of his garments. because he
would wash them before wearing them. The finest
broadclorh uniform, tine most brilliant patent
leather shoes were alike submitted to the purify
inQ influence of the wash-tub, as lDfde prOduc'
tons before this old saint could make use OF them
But be was IN high position. Under Sultan Abdul
Az he was sometimes GOvernor-Genera Of pro-
vince, sometimes a member Of the Cabinet.
With the deposition Of Abdul Aziz Halet Pacha
began to find his star upon the wane. He was soon
nut upon the shelf. All the Office he could get from
the new Ministry was a petty appointment
IN connection with the family Of Abdul
Aziz This was very trying TO the sanity
man. and he cast about him for a remedy. Access TO
the sultan was what he needed for Advancement.
and he decided to get Sheikh of his own into the
Palace. He found his man, a peuniless adventurer
from Aeppo, who inspector OF pedlgrees TO the
earers Of the green turban IN his city but was
satisfied with this lucrative position, and had come
60 Constantinople place-huntng. Haet Pacha
asked some of the Ministers 10 get TINS man APP
! Al IN he as "A