The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-06
Written for The Tribune.


The first introduction one has to the
customs of a country Is at the custom
house itself. The heart OF the most
ardent PrOtectionist fails him during
such an ordeal. and woe to any one
who has contraband articles. The late
income tax was scarcely as inquisttorial
as that law which gives license to the
overturning OF carefully packed
trunk. locked with difficulty by the
combined efforts OF the luggage man.
the bell-boy and the owner.
Every country has its own tariff list,
but Turkey can boast of the longest.
Preyed upon by all the powers Of Eur
Ope for the interest on an enormous
debt: with an income far below her liza
bilities, Turkey taxes the stranger
| she IL very careful and exacting, for
to France she must pay the duty on
every piece of silk. on every gramme OF
tobacco that comes ! or goes out; to
England she must yield enough of
custom-gleaned wool-tax to go toward
the balance of the interest debt; to
Austria this; to Germany that. Beside
all this she has granted the stationing
| of postal centers for each Of these gov
| ernments in ConstantinOple; the char
ter to the Imperial Ottoman bank; the
| Regle, and the steamboat Monopoly.
What wonder Is 1t, then, that her
officials search with closest scrutiny or
since they know OF the widespread
accounts of their rigor-will at times
accept a votive offering to be careful
and not disturb Effendi's clothes.
Rigid Censorship of Books.
One thing is, however, never over
looked. That Is book. Every book
is scrutinized as to title, binding, pic
lures and II 1t contains SO much as one
word, one deep-seated and covert refer
encc detrimental to his imperial majes-
ty's kingdom. or the religion, that book
| is seized or the word, idea, sentence,
page or chapter Is at once and forever
obliterated. This Is true not only
coming into the country. but also going
out.
| Aliases and maps are especially ex-
amined. I had two aliases. and seven
maps In one trunk; these and two In
the other will forever beat the trace
of the Turkish censor. The maps
mutilated were those Of Asia Minor.
| Strange, is 1t not, that CHM &,
Co. and Mr. Gardner did not
know that there was, is and never
shall be any Armenia? They could
learn from those of their aliases which
have been through the censors hand
here that such is the case. For wher-
ever the above word occurs the knife
has either furrowed the country or
changed the Typography by making
numerous square or oblong basins in
the endeavor to obliterate any trace OF
such a people.
An Inspired Inspection.
illustrations Of the profound insight,
the wonderful power of analysis which
really reaches divination Of these CEN
sors are numberless. On one occasion
a publishing house sent copies Of one OF
the best works on chemistry for distrib-
ution and sale. In due time they ar
rived at the customs. The censor,
falcon.eyed, turned the pages. Sud
denly his eye was attracted by the
formula H o. He paused he stopped
smoking and no doubt he trembled as
the awful truth began to dawn upon
him.
| what treason Is this? Has Moham-
med made me the guardian of the lit
erature of his realm for nought? May
| the shadow of God on earth-the usual
mode of address to the Sultan-never
grow less! My keen eye, my massive
brain have not been trained in vain.
| -he Gaiours should come to me to
learn stealth and craftiness." And
| thereupon he analyzes the formula in
the following manner:
| He means his imperial majesty Abdul
Hamid II. o means, he is nought. In
other words the pearl Of the east. the
dewdrop of the morning, the guardian
Of the faithful. is nought.
No doubt he draws his breath with
difficulty as he thinks of the terrible
consequences Of letting such a truth
through.
Immediately the executor Is brought
| in and the book no longer shows a trace
OF such a horrible suggestion, but a
blank appears to blot out each and
every similar statement.
SO the books arrive at their destina-
tion Weighing much below normal be-
cause after few copies had been care
fully expurgated It used up the time
and his friendship could not work. and
smoke, and drink coffee at the same
| time. 1t was quicker to tear a whole
page out. 1t was a wise thought. 1t
was done.
Oh for such keen insight! Zeus, nay,
even prying Juno could not detect and
interpret such occult signs. But the
censors at the customs are far sur
passed by their brothers. the censors
Of the press.
Muzzlins the Press.
Every printed paper or slip must have
had permission to appear from one of
this bureau or the editor Is severely
punished. The office there of these men
is to read the proof of every column of
every newspaper or circular printed in
Constantinople and to cut out any and
every word or sentence which they
think too suggestive. and they do most
effectually tamper with editorials, ar
ticles and kilograms.
| The editor of paper in Constanti-
nople has hard time to get success
full issue of his paper out. All the
editorials, articles and kilograms must
be ready, set up and a proof taken
when the censor calls at the office. and
a large assortment of harmless articles
must be on hand to fill all spaces left
after the terrible butchery of the CEN
sor. His friendship arrives and takes
the proof sheet and reads each article.
Every thing which is forbidden or
| which ne may interpret as some I'm
safe word or clause is crossed out In
blue pencil. If an article Is satisfac-
tory the censor signs 1t and the correc-
tions are made and spaces filled up.
If, however, anything In q paper