New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-15
GEORGE Z1RIFI BINKER IND PHIL1N-
TIROPIST

ConstdnhaopIe Cor-espondeBcr n ne london Gloir.
ConstantinOpe is renowned for n. hccgars and its
backRnar,ls. shall never forget the sight saw q
few days ago. when passing one OF the principal
cnmmervial khans i'm Gaata. | could scarcely make
way through a crowd If at least five OF six hundred
people. assembled before the gateway Of this khan
thought some accident had occurred, 50 ! qurs-
ianed one of the Europeans near 10 the reason
for this curious crowd lie smiled. and said II rs
Saturday, and these bcggar are waiting for Oeorgc
Xarif.' IiQucd by curiosity, clhoWcd my WaY
through the crowd and got close 20 the office door #
Zarif * Co.. and around II ! counted ~ bcggar~-
male female and chiidrti-hlind. lame and sicky-
Turks. Jews Armenians Italians. Greeks etc. was
curious 10 see this George EARN, and what would
be the the end of this extraordinary gathering ibid
not wait long hciofr P,rGrNrd quo c"hi.iiiea-
looking uuassumiug mlidlc-szc man OF about six
years Of age, and looking very much Ike any other
man, elbow his way gently through the crowd, ana
enter the Office door opposite to me. y ic" "i me
hahitues had taken off their head covering q few had
otherwise saluted, mutteriug some unlntcllgihlc
words. In q few minutes ait"rward clerk came
ont Of the Office door with brown bag. and then
there was "a general stir among the heggaTs, who
began To file off before the clerk and each received
a" bcshlk about shilling ana went on hls, or
her way happy and contentcd-OOklng. remarked
to a man standing next to mo: - dare say that
more than one blackguard has got. an undeseryed
"beshik =" His reply was: " Mr.. /aTih SAYS u X
better 10 give unwittngly. 10 a dozen blackgnards
than 10 deprive deserving bcggar Of his piece oi
breadw IL appears that almost the same kind OF
thing occurs when Mr.. Iarl1 leaves his office, when
many of those disappointed bcggars who could not
arrive in time wait for him on his exit; and ne has
literally to pay his way, about nifty yards, between
his office door aud his carriage. His Saturday
to his Office must cost him about 80 OF go IN this
way
Twas anxious to learn more about this Constan-
tnOple Peabody so | inquired night and left lac
present ZariIi-the hero of this paragraphs the
son Of a highly respectable, aud generally esteemcd,
Greek merchant Of Galata. His SONS continued
their fathers business and are now reported the
most wealthy and most respectable merchants IN
the Levant. Mr. George Zariil happened 20 have
been the banker friend and advisor of the rcgning
Sultan from his youth; and when he had not the
sightest idea that he would WELD the sceptro
of the Oslnanlis. Mr.. Zarif befricndcd him at the
time when he had little or poor security To offer:
and from the time when Sultan Abdul Hanid III.
mounted the throne Mr. Zariii has been continually
and more intimately his welcome guost and counsel
lOr The Sultan often calls him Papa II IL only
natural that the Sultan aud his Government should
have favored Mr.. Zarih, aud thus 1t Is that he
manipuatcs some of the most important operations
i'm the Empire; but he has never been known u OK
xcesive conditions nor to take any mean advan-
tage of the Sultan's favor. Ills employees can be
counted by the hundred put ma no one VINO se'hH
disparagingly either of the COMMERCIAL eIterpl~eS
or of the moral character Of the LariiS ~ Is said
that they have never had a lawsuit. pro on con- ana
that is saving great deal, when one cnnslueIs lhe
nature Of the country and the enormous wealth and
transact ions Of Zarf-wealthr eputcd az 4,OOOOO:
On striking their last balance sheet the division OF
two wears profits was THUS per cent OF net prOhts
10 chief clerk, which gave him $4,000 D per cent,
or equal amount, To chief cashier per cent, OF
equal amount, 20 general manager 8 per cent OF
$4,000 divided amongst tho STAN OF clerks; per
cent or az, 500 fUr different charities ana 80 per
cent or $4,000 between the two brothers. and
thus the gross profit Of LaT1h d 20. for Two years
was f640OO0.
Mr.. George Zarifl is no mscr, therewithal lie en-
tertains Hospitality. but unOstentatiOusly, and he
spends annually in Constantltinope ~ least
$40, 900, large amount of which goes 10 the num-
erous charities without distinction.
II is said that the Sultan, who reveres his
white-headed friend has needed much "a the coun-
sells Of Mr. Zarif not only in matters Of finance md
reform but likewise on the Greek question, and tho
peace Of Europe may be doubtless much indebted ~
George Zari6