Smyrna times., 1890-07-02
The Sultan's Dilemma.

Great alarm has reigned during the
last week at COnstantinople, where a
crisis ofunusual Importance appears to
be imminent. 1t is stated that for ten
days the gates of the Imperial palace
have been kept closely guarded. and all
lngress and egress prohibited. These
precautions have been adopted in con-
sequence of the threatening attitude of
the leading Ulema, who decline anv
longer to cOuntenance or tolerate the
innovations and reforms which the
sultan is striving to inaugurate. Four
teen years ago they depOsed his elder
brother, Murad, on the pretext that he
was mentally afflicted, solely because
ne had manifested his intention of
transplanting Western institutions to
the soil of the Ottoman Empire and of
cutting himself free from the fetters
TO which the rulers of Turkey are con-
demned by their fanatical priesthood
For although nOminally the power of
the Padishah is autocratic and his will
supreme, yet his edlcts are required to
be IN strict accordance with the nra-
cepts OF the Koran as interpreted bv
the Ulema,whO unite in their persons
ecclesiastical and legal attributes.
According to the terms of the treaty.
OF Berlin of 1878-an international
compact which alone prevented the
absorption of vanquished Turkey bv
victorious Russia-the Sultan bound
hlmself to execute a number of re-.
forms in connection with the internal
administration of his Empire. Indeed
1t was solely on this condition that
western Europe undertook to inter
tere in behalf of his Monarchy. Since
then repeated remoustrances have
been addressed to him by the signato-
ry Powers of the treaty on his failure
TO carry out his promises. Their am
bassadors harass him almost daily
about the matter, and while several of
the foreign nations declare that thew
are about to withdraw from their
guarantee of the integrity of the Otto
man nation, others, such as Russia
SerVla and Greece threaten to invade
his dominions for the purpose ofput-
ting an end to the maladministratior
that prevails in Armenia. Macedonia
and Crete.
Anxious as Abdul Hamid unboubt.
ably is to keep faith with those who
championed his cause in 1873. and to
avoid any pretext for Muscovite ag-
gresslon, he naturally finds it diff
cult in the short space of twelve wears
to achieve the transformation of an
Asiatlc society into one Of European
character. Moreover he sees his eff
orts obstructed at every point bv the
Ulema who realize that the adoption of
Western innovations and culture will /
necessarily diminish their power and
luhuence. They have issued therefore
a protest against his entertainments
and hospitalities to foreign monarcbs
visiting ConstantinOple, and have de-
nounced as contrary to the precepts of
the Koran many of his recent acts
notably his founding of an imperial
school of sculpture and painting.
They declare that restoration of
the old regime" can alone conduce to
the greatness and prosperity of the
empire. The Sultan is therefore be-
tween two fires. If he fails to hasten
The promised reforms, he is in danger
of seeing his empire absorbed by Rus
'ia and her cOnfederates; while if he
attempt to carry them out, he incurs
'he peril of deposition by the Ulema-
and deposition in the Orient means
ieath.-N. 7. Tribune