The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-03-26
The Political Situation in Turkey.

The Political Situation in Turkey.
1t is the curse OF autocratic governments
that vigilance and industry on the part Of
conscientious but narrow-minded rulers
seem to be quite as detrimental to the gen.
eral welfare as the habits Of Incidence and
sensuality which abandon the control OF
| public Affairs to Ministers. This truth has
never been more signally demonstrated than
| in Turkey since the accession Of the reigning
Sultan. How peremptorily the old methods
and instruments Of government have been
| discarded, and how completely all admins
tratve functions are now concentrated in the
hands of ABDUL-HAMID himself, we learn
from striking and interesting article by NJ.
| GABRIEL CHARMEs, in late number of the
! Rerue des De,Lr Mondes.
We are told that the first thing which i'm
presses the observer Of the present state of
things in Constantinople is the virtual abo-
lition of the Sublime Porte and the disap-
pearance Of the phrase from the current vo-
cabulary. For centuries the authority of
this great council has been practically
omnipotent, and its name has been in every
bodys mouth. Now. on the contrary you
hear in Stamboul or at Pera that the Sultan
| is examining question, the Sultan is con-
sidering an appointment, the Sultan DEGREES
this or forbids that. OF course the power OF
the Ottoman ruler was always absolute in
theory, but in practice it has been exercised
hitherto by Minister'S possessing deiluite
and active share in the management of inter-
nal and Of foreign affairs. To-day tho
Ministers are but simple clerks, whose
business it is to carry out without dis
cussion their masters orders indeed. they
have no monopoly even OF clerical privileges,
| for they are often brushed aside, while the
Sultan's will is executed through irregular
channels Thus, although the Office OF
Vizier still exists in name, the Arabic
meaning Of the word" burden bearer has
| quite lost its application, the whole burden
of government having been transferred to
the shoulders Of the indefatiGablc sovereign.
| The ViZierate has been occupied by long
| series OF officials more or less competent,
| whose prompt deposition has resulted from
! their reluctance to act as wax under the
| nervous, busy fingers of ABDUL-HAMID.
| NJ CHARMES tells us that the present Grand
! ViZer, SAID Pasha, has an acute and en-
| lightcned mind, and what is rare among
/ Turkish politicians, is an honest man;
/
diut of the most supple self-efraccment and
the most dexterous pliancy to the caprices
and vagaries Of his master. His personal
Judgment and prediction for that mat
ter, the unanimous convictions and desires
OF the whole council Of Ministers, the once
mighty Sublime Porte-count for absolutely
nothing in the foreign policy or interior ad-
mnistration Of the empire. OF the Pan
1samic propaganda, Of the new scheme Of
! provincial government, OF the manGuvres
| by which Turkey has sought TO evade the
obligations prescribed by the treaty Of Ber-
lin, OF the delay in executing the cessions to
| Montenegro and Greece, Of the pronounced
alienation from England and the recent diplo-
matte coquetting with BIsMARCK-of all
these measures, external and internal, ABB
DULHAMID is the sole author.
NJ. CHARMEs goes on to show us how what
might be n virtue in an ordinary statesman
intrusted with restricted department Of
the public service-au inilexiblc resolve to
see everything and do everything for HIM
self-becomes grave fault when practiscd
by the ruler OF great empire. No doubt the
Ottoman monarchy has suffered grievously
from the vices Of rulers like ABDUL-AZIZ, alb
sorbcd in their appctites and pleasures, and
stopping at no dilapdatiou Of the national
resources and public credit in order to graf
ify their whims. With such dchauChod and
reckless sovereigns, ABDUL-HAsnD, we are
told, has actually nothing in common, unless
the presence of II certain llxiuy and trouble in
his look betrays germ Of the mental de-
rangcment which is the tragic heritage Of
all members of the house of OTIIMAN. His
| nnrnl,pnl DnrVarsitu IL ma I'm tul bn
form Of an exaggerated devotion TO duty; he
exhibits none of the wild passions or mad
follies Of his predecessors; he is extremely
thrifty in his personal expenditure, and his
private life is most discrcetly regulated; his
sole excess Is an excessive application to
public business. Haunted by the dread of
assassination, he has abandoned his palaces
and shut himself up in kiosque Of moderate
size and modest appointments, but which
has Ion him the attraction of almost absolute
security. Here, instead OF plunging, like
other Oriental rulers, in inces5aut and en-
ervating dobauchery, he employs himself in
the wcll-mcaut but wholly impractlcable task
of watching with his own eyes the acts, and
shaping with his own hands the dcstinies of
twenty million subjects. Doubtless such au
exceptional disposition for affairs might
have salutary results if the present Sultan,
having definite views, and firm dctcrmina-
ton to enforce them, had reserved to him
aeH the supreme control Of the Otto
man policy, and confined himself TO Civ
ing general directions, which his Ministers
on their part should embody in the practical
administration. Far from limiting himself,
however, to such general supervision, he in
sists on regulating the minutest details; he
determines by his personal elaboration and
decision not only what provinces shall be