Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-24
POOR TURKEY.

If, as now seems probable, the European powers see fit to divide Turkey among them selves, the inhabitants of that hapless country will have reason to bear their fate with equa- nimity, for they cannot be worse governed than they are, and they will, moreover, be likely to profit by the change. Turkey is absolutely bankrupt. Some of the banking houses of Constantinople have sent their funds to Paris and London, for their invest ments in Turkish securities are at an end, and the bankers who remain declare the financial condition of the country a hopeless one. We select few of the many facts which forcibly illustrate the injustice, the ineficiency and financial rottenness of the government.
 Over the lower of the two finished bridges across the Golden Horn, there are said to pass, every five minutes, 1000 persons Each foot passenger pays fee of one-half of a cent. More is demanded from riders or driv- CTS of horses. The revenue to the govern ment from this bridge is at least $75o per day, and if the other bridge is included the receipts equal $35O,000 per annum. This revenue has been hypothecated and rehy- pothecated, and, indeed, there is a third series of claimants thereupon for security for money loaned. Thus does the government get a little money and tax those who want to go from one part of the city to the other
 The army has remained unpaid for several months, and thousands of soldiers are sent into the country districts to live upon the impov- erished people. 30,OOO or 40,o ,oOO Circassian soldiers were sent to one district in Asia Minor to live there without any provision for them whatever. These soldiers are wild and uncivilized They have preyed upon the poor people, taking their food, their cattle and horses, and destroyed many lives, while others are made to live in constant fear. Not withstanding this the government has not abated it's efforts to collect the annual taxes, and it is known that food which has been sent to relieve the starving, the gift of char ity, has been seized by the government for taxes, and appropriated to it's own use.
 Bands of robbers add to the miseries of the people. Not long ago one of these bands entered village and required all the men to come together into open place, and to lie upon the ground A pistol was placed to each mans mouth, and he was forced by fear of death to give to these men the sums of money which they demanded. Beyond this they required them to say after them these words: q give you this money willingly, with all my heart, and am thankful for the opportunity to give it to you" When a complaint was made to the authorities, and bers appeared in full force, and in answer to the complaint asked the parties if they did not give them the money, and say they were glad to give it to them. There could be but one answer, and the just judge drove them out of the room. Such instances are ire quent. Multitudes of men publicly proclaim that they are robbers, and that they mean to be robbers, for they have no other way to support themselves.
 One of the most grievous and oppressive acts of the government is the recent reduction of the value of coins in circulation manufac- tured and issued by the government. TAe poor people had few of them, it is true that is, no one had any large quantity, but the number in circulation throughout European Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt, was really a large sum in the aggregate The original government value, and that at which they had been received by the people, ex- ceeded slightly one dollar of our money. It was reduced to fifty cents, or less than one half, and this was the more severe when the crops had naturally failed from want of rain and much that was growing was destroyed by rufian government soldiers, and the cost of living made unusual.
 Tha Su1taD's tshouseho1d;, consists of about :, 1000 dependents. Of this large num- Der in his family there are believed to be 1,500 women, consisting of the members of the harem and their servants and the harems and the servants of his officers, all of whom are dependent upon ''the palace" Besides the natural wants of this large number, some of them, at least, demand large gifts of money, so that vast sum goes annually for this purpose, and the public knows not whether more goes to the support of the Sultan than is nominally appropriated in the budget or not. It has become a well known and well authenticated fact in some circles, that if the Sultan learns of sums of money in the possession of the departments, for each one has treasury of it's own, he often sends for it, and the official dare not refuse. This he appropriates to his own personal use, according to his pleasure. Whatever hap pens he does not intend to be caught without money, and it is known that he has sent out of the country, to be placed to his own cred it. as much as $1O0, 900 at a time.
 Other illustrations of the melancholy state of affairs in Turkey might be given, but these will suffice. How such government has managed to exist so long is mystery. It is disgrace to Europe, and it's end, which now seems to be near, will be welcomed by every lover of mankind.
 EDITORIAL NOTES.