The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-17

u y
until now disruption is threatened from
within the porte's own domain. instead OF
from the misunderstanding powers.
The sultan PowerIe-s.
= has been contended that the sultan 5
powerless 70 bring about the reforms De
n1anted Of him. HIS domin.ons are mace
I'd Of different races. widely opposite II
character and religion There are Monanl-
rnedans. Christians ard snf1els. each Win
subdivisions. and governed as they ara
by the corrupt and despotic bureaucracy
they are a. eternal feud with each otheT.
and piunder as they are plunderea me
ArDeniaus are next % the Turks II num-
bers. win the Kur6s. their .ncessant Toes,
third LsmaTt!ne called the Armenlafs
"the Swiss OF the East" They are mus
trfolfs and peaceabIe. and their present up
rising Is due simply 10 the insupportaoaiEy
% the cruelty 20 which they have so long
been subjected. Commerce IS their god. al
most. and they are as hard in driving bar
gains as the Jews. Their practice OF usury
drew upon them the raids OF the kurds,
whose cupidity and love OF plumber and
rapine could not Withstand the temptations
offered by the supposed wealth OF the men
and the beauty Ct the women.
One Of the demands made by the Euro
pean powers time and again was that the
taxes should not be farmed out Yet that
Is the source OF revenue in Turkey today,
and * forms one OF the potent factors in
the present revolution. The subject has 70
pay twice. as = were. in order that the
man who bought the privilege Of collecting
the taxes shall reap his fun share OF ex-
orbitant profit. Offices are auctioned of.
and the cadis. or judges, who have TO pay
for their positions, are compelled 10 recoup
themselves by bribery. Justice In the
courts Is an unknown quantity, where
money may be made available. Robbers
purchase immunity. and the cadis are in
variably 50 uneducated and ignorant that
written Law is 4 dead letter.
PTeying upon the people as these officials
do under the beneficent suzeTainty Of the
sultan, it is but natural that they should
shield and protect him as much as lies in
their power, ard through them informa-
ton 10 the outside world perColates as
water does through a stone. Fanatic TO
the deepest Intensity IN their faith, and be-
lieving in the Caliphate OF the sultan-that
IS, that he is the representative and sue
cessor OF the PrOphet-it is not idle TO sup
pose that should The worst come 10 the
worst, the sultan. by inaam;ng the religi-
Gus fanaticism Of his M0slem subjects,
could array them against the world and
bring on the bloodest war in the annals Of
time. Beyond his hold on their religion.
Abdul Hamld is practically powerless-
The Sick Man" in every essential, so far
as ability 10 preserve the autonomy of
Turkey IS concerned.
Abdul Hamid III.
With his once supreme authority only a
sham and hauble and the disintegra ton
OF his dominions direly threatened the
ruler OF Turkey is now more than ever the
most conspicuous as well as the most uni
que figure in the worlds eye Abdul Hamli
fG III nd se 49,o
arch Of the Ottoman dynasty. He is de-
scribed as a man OF weak character, will
ing enough to do the right thing but pow
erless in the hands Of his advisers. Afraid
10 personally acquaint himself with the
affairs OF his domain, he has 10 accept the
reports Of the horde Of pap-sucking Great
ures about him
While he has lust dismissed his grand
vizier and formed a new cabinet. because
OF the Armenian massacres, Il Is univer-
sally believed that ne instigated the
slaughter In pursuance of a determination
TO get rid of the cause Of his troubles The
very name Armenia" is forbidden, as de-
script;ve of the territory his hated sub
jects occupy. and officially the province is
known as Kurdistan.
Ever since he succeeded his brother who
is now said TO be a drunken sot. and par
tally insane. Abdul Hamid has been Jug
Cling with Europe. shifting responsibility
ana making compromises on the strength
Of Specious excuses.
The sultan is abstem,nous, but he man
ages 70 spend more money than any other
sovereign on earth. and is always in debt.
notwithstanding his income Of 0G00 coo a
year lie gives away a great deal of
course. especially to his favorites of the
ssraglo. whom he leads with Jewels. but
these presents are only Indian gifts IN
due time they return 70 the donor or his
heir ha IL
inmate Of his harem, and on the death of
each her possessions revert TO him
Although disclaiming responsibility for
me massacre OF his subjects, and attempt
ing to pose as a gentle and humane man
the sultan has never hcen known to have
any computations about putting people to
death for other than religious motives
Inder.the law the sultan has the privilege
or drowning all the women OF the harem
OF MS predecessor. and when Abdul HanId
assembled the throne. Il Is said that a little
over 80 beauties Of the seraglio. which
had only recently been started bv his
brother were plunged into the Bosphorls.
All other sultans have done this for a
woman In the harem cannot live after her
fora ana masters power over her has
ceased. any more than a man not a eun1,ch
on duty IN the harem can look uDon her
race after her selection as a TOW OF the
sultan. thousands Of supposed conspira-
tors nave been put 70 death by Abdul
Hand. but the murders were done so Sc
cretiy thar the fact is only deductive.
notwithstanding the inevitable DOOM ~
every woman who enters the haren. me
gentle sex throughout The Turkish dor,fn-
Ions are consumed with a desire to enter
the portals Of the palace and become
ha"d. II she should give b!-h n a so,
her happiness IS complete.
whenever the sultan goes 20 the MOSQUE
~ I escorted by 7,o" troops and he never
sleeps IN the same room two nights "a e.,
cess.on for fear Of being murdered
Nnat is 10 become of him nowo-Nsyv
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