The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-08-05
FROM THE FAR EAST.
Origin of the Defenders of
the Faithful.
rHE OTTOMAN GOVERNMENT
The Sultan's Power Postal Service
An annual Custom.

CoSsTANTIYoPLE, July 12.-[Special to
The HERALD Who doesn't know that
Turks came from Central Asia? All
writers treating the Turkish question
tell US as much and more too, for many
say that they ought to be back there
now. Yes, Turks started from parts
beyond Lake Aral, where history first
loca'es them by their having sent, in
the sixth century, an embassy far
enough west to reach the Emperor
Justinian; then we don't hear any
thing more abb ut Turks until they max 9
q start to conquer the world, andar g
themselves conquered by Islam. after
which they become the defenders of the
faithful.
In these early times they had several
Emirs rule them, not having gotten so
far along as to merit Saltan, and
among others of odd-sounding names,
we learn OF one Osmsn who gave this
title to his dynasty. From Osman we
have Ottoman, whIle a Turk Of to-day
proudly designases himself az an
Osmanli, when speaking of his govern
mental relations; Musselman when
speaking enthusiastically, and We say a
Turk of Chinese extraction when be is
to be considered ethnologicslly.
THE osMANLIs
have now had many Sultans rule them,
and occasionally one to be ruled by
them. They have Sultan at present,
however, to whom neither OF these two
rules will apply, as foreign ambassadors
stir the political pot whenever it boils
up too high. Abdul Hsmed II. is Sui
tan all the same.
tits really singular how that natural
ruler, as the Turk is conceded to be.
could have gotten the Ottoman govern
ment into such q sad mess as it at pres
ent appears itcannot well be fathomed
by what is seen on the surface of their
political workings, as ytu may be as
sured that but few straws appear to
Indicate which way the wind blows,
politically speaking. Secrecy is the
corner stone of Osmann politics, and
we find it developed 10 a wonderful de-
gree even in the early life of the En-
pire. The great and bold conqueror,
Mahomet II, he who took the proud
CITY of the Bosphorus from the effemi-
nate Greeks and subdued the dreaded
Bulgarians, the subtle Servians and
Warlike AIbanians, gave to the Turks
A POLITICAL MAXIM
when he sharply answered one OF his
generals who made bold to ask him at
the beginning of campaign what we Q
the main objects Of his operations,
wherein he said: of hair of nv
beard knew them, [ would pluck it out
and cast it into the fire." The same
nature is found in the leaders of the
Turks to day; none but they of the
Osmanlis know the business before the
government, and it has been said that
they do not always know, but this as
sertion will hardly stand fire. One
thing is certain, the leaders take time
enough for consideration Of business
before them, so they should know. It
Is strikingly noticeable that the COM
mon class of Osmsnlis never discuss
politics, nor does the fault lie in not
having printed information, as for
nearly hundred years the Turks have
enjoyed newspapers; but it rather
seems to be q Turks Incidence that is
the cause of his trusting all TO the
PadiShah and hi helpers: Allah gives
US all We need" he says, I'VE need but
trust in Him"
Other governments have forced re-
form on the Turks, not alone in the
army and navy-of which any country
might be proud as they TO-DAY are
found in bankrupt Turkey-but also in
mat .ers of government. We now find
the Turks the possessors OF
A MINISTRY AFTER MODERN PATTERN
whose meeting together in a legislative
sense form the Sublime Porte, an as
sembly which transacts all business in
their power pertaining to the govern
ment of the Sultan. More might be
their prerogative were it not ruled
against by the representatives of other
powers. The Sublime Porte enacts
such few laws as the Empire has aside
from the Koran, all. of course, requir-
ing His Imperial sanction before they
become law; the Sultan's power being
absolute.
The fact that the greater part of
Turkish laws are precepts from the
Koran, makes it no easy matter 30 Judge
how that the Osmanli governs his vast
comprising different nations
with many shades of religion: one
would think laws an absolute necessity.
The peculiar question is partly solved
by knowing that each people rule them.
selves to q great extent, through their
vested church rights. A church in the
SultRn's domain is more than q church
after our notion of the ecclesiastical;
it dabbles with secular matters to the
giving of passports, marrying and I'M
marrying, settling of estates, and
and one other things that
would
MAKE ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT BLUSH
were it to experience suoh. Poor Os-
manlis! they must suffer these indigni-
ties: should they attempt reform, it
would be hooted In ali Christian lands
what shameful things we're being en-
acted By the Mohammedans. With
such powers as here are found vested
in the church, it becomes important |
that each individual belongs to some |
zaCt having Rheao wasted riphta. other