Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-03-25


ed herself in the various phases through
which the affairs of Turkey have PASSED
since the beginning of the century that
the world at large has come to believe
that Prince Bismarck's saying, that 3ul-
garia was not worth the bones If a
Pomeranian grenadier, was really meant
seriously. OF course, so long rs other
powers were spending their money and
shedding the blood of their people, and
by obsequious submission to German
dictation were generally advancing Ger
man aims in the east, there was no Dar-
ticular motive for Germany's going out
of her way. Now, however, that the
fruit appears ripe enough to be plucl1ed,
other countries are pushed aside, and
Germany is standing ready to reap the
advantages for which they have la
bored.
German influence at Constantinople
is just now stronger than that eXerted hy
any other country since the Crmean
war, and for reasons which are not, per
haps, quite understood in England and
in France. yet are comprehensive
enough TO those occupying places in the
confidence of the sultan. OF all the IEu-
ropean states, Germany is the one that
has come least into antagonism with the
BllIldll, It's Jllt ilCdtl Ol Tie AOIldlliIUGQull
faith. All the others Russia, Austria,
France and England-have been actively
aggressive, and have been concerned in
the killing of thousands of Mussulmans.
and have invaded or seized Turkish ter
ritory Bosnia, Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt
and the territory lost in the different
wars with Russia are examples. Italy is
well known to be coveting TTipoli. and
comes under the same classification as
the others. Alone, as yet, Germany has
a clear record at COnstantinOple, though
the recent affairs on the Zanzibar coast
and the hanging of Bushiri have created
some i'll feeling,
1T is for this reason. and because the
German influence is exercised so unob-
trusively, that for the moment it is all
powerful at Constantinople. Neverthe-
less it is in the end the most dangerous
to the sultan and to the existence of
Turkey as an Independent state. Quietly
and undStentatiously Germans have
found their way into all the depart
ments of Turkish administration; and,
with the method and assiduity charac-
teristic of the Germans, they have made
themselves almost indispensable to their
Turkish superiors, whilst at the same
time they have made themselves thor
oughly acquainted with the details of
their departments This is notably SO in
military and financial matters. The re-
cent changes in the personnel of the adj
ministratiOn have nothing to do with the
public debt, and tobacco Tegie and other
financial concerns have placed the direc-
ton of them in the hands of Germans;
and though no effective control of the
army has been given to Won der Goltz
no hos n nj
influence over the younger generation of
officers, The old school of Turks, such
rs Osman Ghazi. Dervish Mukhtar and
others, regard him with suspicion and
dislike, and last year there was every
prospect that his connection with the
Turkish army was about to terminate.
prince Bismarck, however, signified
his pleasure that Won der Gotz should
remain. 1t is, of course, for a purpose
that Won der Gultz, Kamphovener,
Hobbe and a number of others have
been imposed on the porte, and that
they are kept at Constantinople against
the protest of the fanatical Turkish
party. Ii is well known at the chan
celery at Berlin that the power of the
sultan hangs now by a very slender
thread. A financial crisis, an insurrec-
ton of the Christian races backed by
some power, or serious political
emeute at Constantinople would. in the
present state of Turkey, bring about the
immediate Intervention of some one of
the greater powers. and Turkey would
probably pass under the control of a
commission. with one power administer
ing its affairs. | have heard the subject
carefully discussed of late by men who,
i'm the event Of such condition of things
as | have sketched arising, would be
called Oh 10 take part in reorganizing
the administration and the army. and |
NAV say that they are of opinion that
the crisis is within measurable distance.
The position of the sultan would be-
come something like that of the lhedive
in Egypt at the present moment, and
there is believed to be no doubt that the
mass of the Turkish functiouary and
the administration and the whole Of the
army. in consideration Of The assurance
that their pay and positions would re-
main undisturbed, would willingly ac-
ouiesce in the change. In other words,
the Turkish empire would be placed un-
der a tutor. Tho idea prevails at Yildiz
that such a solution of the eastern ques-
ton is impending, and there is very con