Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-04-08
Turkey.

: 1t is somewhat nItficult for stranger
to understand the condition OF the
Turkish empire. Il is "a dual thing
because it is both political and re.
ligious affair. 1t is, however, not
united politically, while it is united re.
li&isusly. Politically it is as many
ancient works it possesses. and rs some
which it produccs-a mosaic. Here is
provlEce protected by the Sultan.
and submissively paying taxes There
next is one that is not protecte,: by the
Sultan's reign, and not payiug any
taxes to support the empire. This is
true OF provinces near the capital az
we'll assistant. Those not subject TO the
Sultan, consider him as an usurper on
the throne; they consider his house is
not the one that should reign, because
they have surplanted another and
older house more highly esteemed
This is great weakness in this great
kingdom, and makes trouble, and bur.
deHs and fears throughout the realm:
and we'll it may. When We say the
empire is united religiously. we mean,
of course, only the Mohammedap part
OF it.
Here at Constantinople only half the
population are Mohammedaos, one.
fourth Greeks; one-third of quarter
Armcnians and the Frank and the Jew.
And they are the more vigorous half of
the capital population. Of course, in
case Of q religious war, you can see how
within cities one half would DO urrayed
against the other half, beside all the
opponents in Europe outside.
The empire is thus fraguentary in
its aspects both civilly and religiously.
The inhabitants everywhere are fear.
fully tired of exorbitant taxation.
There is no instinct Of conservation in
the Turk. This appears in the gates of
his house, in the tower of his mosque,
in all particulars of his management OF
municipalities, in the financial and
other aspects of his general govern.
ment. Without the Instinct of conser.
walton so prominent in our own Yankee
kingdom, everything must be broken,
left unrepaircd, and is actually swiftly
going to decay. The doom Of this
empire in Europe is so discerncd by
the old Moh1mmcdan himself, that, if
he dies in CDnstaNtinople, his request
is to be buried at Scutarl. on the Asatic
side of the sea OF Marmora.
/ 1t is pleasant sail from Pyrrheus to
Constautinoplc You pass islands
whose lands are high and mountainous,
as you bid farewell to the Athenian
ranges. Nifty lenc, where Sappho was
born ana lived, in sight of isles cele-
bra:ed in Homeric lines, is full of SCR
rated pictures of hills, with wales of
length and fertility. The plains of
Troy are looked upon with steady gaze
and long, aud the mount pointing to
where the recovered relics were found
of Priam's palace, which arc low in the
South KeLsnSton Museum, London.
Mount Ida towers in the distance; the
entry 70 the Dardnnelles soon follows,
and then tho Helespont. with ancient
and modern associations.
Here begin the strongest Notifications
Turkey can bui.d; but in vain. as Sc.
bastopol assures; and they might be
taken in the rear also. Soldiers line
the shores in barracks and tehts. In
! fact, With trouble on her western Dor
der, and suspicious of Russia and
Greece actively preparing for conflict,
! Turkeys best show of soldiers IS not
in city barracks, but on all her borders
her troops are resting. Are they paid?
1t is rumored that the police force OF
this city has not been paid for two
years, and thai they are partly in col.
fusion with thieves to get their pay.
Robberies are successful here in very
public way, for some cause unexplained.
Letter from Constantinople.