The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-02-07
SUICIDAL TURKEY.


A Country Which weuid Ne Prosperous
+ Under . wiss Policy.
There used to be large commerce
in mohair, which industry was Of
great value to the people of Asia
Minor, and il could have controlled
the worlds market. But Turkish
political economy is of that kind that
as soon as il perceives any industry to
be in flourishing condition il begins
to levy unbearabIe taxes upon it, and
thus the production of this beautiful
wool was practically stifled In adj
dition to the usual four-fifths there
was placed an export tax Of 8 per cent
upon it, besides the profit Of the mid
dlemen. The peculiar system of tax
alton made the goats taxable as live
stock and their milk as food product
Their hair. was taxed when clipped.
and again when shipped abroad. Thus
the whole production Of this beautiful
textile died out and other countries
are beginning to furnish the Angora
wool.
The culture of the silkworm and the
manufacture Of those unique and al
most everlasting silks from Broussa
might DO made source of much rev
Icnue to Turkey, were it not for the
policy which taxes every mulberry
tree, every ounce of raw silk and
every yard Of goods manufactured,
until It is matter OF surprise how the
poor wretches who produce them can
live. Every fruit bearing tree is taxed,
as are also animals, fowls and worms,
and, lastly, labor itself is taxed, and
the wage worker has to surrender all
that the tax gatherers can squeeze out
Of him without actually starving him
to death. The laborers in the interior
Of Turkey and her dependencies are
so thin that they look like moving
mummies. and they all have the ex-
preston of utter dependency and
hopelessness on their wizened features
The collection of taxes in all the in
terror of Turkey and her dependencies
upon farm produce, made by revenue
officers belonging to each particular
pachalik is made In kind when there
is no ready money. When the crops
fail the amount which each one
usually pays must be given in money,
otherwise the soldiers, or revenue Oil
GERS. seize the animals, implements,
copper cooking utensils, and, in fact,
everything of sufficient value to carry
lof, and these are turned into moneg,
leaving whole families utterly desli-
tute. If they make an outcry they
receive the bastinado or are thrust into
prison.
Those farmers or peasants who live
within distance of fifty miles from
Constantinople bring their scanty
stock of salable articles, such as small
vegetables, fruit, poultry. ETC., and all
these roads converge in two, which
have stations for the revenue officers
at Mashiak, which is near tho forest L.
Belgrade, and another on the Iaxiu,e
near the Grand Champs cemetery
Here the trains of poor peasants paSs
with their donlseys, with their bags
upon their shoulders or with baskets
containing little salad or few eg.c,,s
| or chickens-in short anything they
have to sell. They nfe stopped al d
their produce appraised. and the po..s-
ant muat render up part Of his scaniy
storcs .>ttiIg the officials take out what
they wish as tax. Then nc receives a
bit Of red paper which permits him
L, 30 on selling the diminished stock
Money, howesef, is always preferred
when the peasant has il, ut'whcn he
has no money the officials help fhcil-
/ selves always to the best of the stock
Ii he complains, WHICH ho seldca.
does. he receives the bastinado. No
other people in these days could be 80
submissive under such 0bject slavery
All the drinking water is brought
from long distances in barrels and
bags on The backs of men. and this
water is also laxed, with The exception
Of that which is brought for The SUI
tan's household
The resources Of Turkey proper ale
various end would enrich any other
courtry in the world, and when VIC
also take into aecnunt all the tributary
nations ard dependencies, we woadei
at ;he universal poverty. The coun.
try is large end reaches into several
climates There is scarcely anything
', that could not be produced if the ia
dustries were not subject 10 such u;l
Just and outrageous taxation. Wheat
coffee, grapes, raisins, figs, prune5
wool Of several qualities, tobacco q
the finest possible kind, heals. lneaiicl
nal and aromatic, such as make ti:e
Serkys tea; rhubarb, rnastic, honey
corn, fish of all kinds, medicinal gums
] dates, opian, silk, cotton, fax, petro
lcum, cattle, sheep. rugs and carpets
, altar of rose the beautiful Brousss
: silks and cmbroideries, the exqnisii.
/ gold iiiigree work, which cannot /,
j equaled outside of Turkey, and man,
. other things.
1 The Turkish dyestuffs were Away
/ valuable and in large deHand, but til!
!. government effectually killed tho IN
1 dustry by handicapping it with take
) and axport duties, until now the trad
4 is nominal. Indeed. the whole polio,
; of Turkey has been TO kill the goes
{ that lays the golden egg.
: There arc valuable coal mines il
+ many parts Of Turkey -one With;
!, ifo,ty miles Of ConstantinopIe- IAN.
0 they are not utilized. though the nee
;. for fuel in that city Is great Th
q present supply for heating shouse
ii through their very rigorous winters
/ charcoal and wood, brought from Ion;
distances on camels and horses IN in
Gni!esimally small quantities, and sol
hy The chcsEee OF ar1nful. Cor NeS
D York Herald,