The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-10-27

tainIy Of New and More Serious Distur-
Dances The Protest OF Arming Mussui'
mans Il Replied to In Manner which
Aroases Apprehension = One resturs
% which Has soothiag Inhasnee.
Constantinople. Oct. 27.-[Copyright.
1896, by the Associated Press. 1.-The re-
port that trouble OF q serious nature
was brewing here has so often been
sent out that any fresh announcement
to that effect IL looked upon as having
little or no foundation In fact. But.
in spite of this. It 10 but right to state
once more that everything points TO
further and very serious trouble pre-
pairing on both sides throughout the
Turkish empire.
The ball was set rolling Wednesday
last when the sultan signed two trades.
which were issued the next day. levy
ing a poll-tax OF piastres per head
on all Mussuimans and increasing the
taxes on sheep. public works and edu-
cation by to 11s per cent. the funds
SO raised to be devoted to military pur-
poses. This caused the representatives
of the powers to send a collective note
language, calling attention to the dan
ger that the arming Of the Mussulmans
was certain to create and pointing out
generally the critical situation of af-
fairs 1 the Turkish empire. But large
purchases of arms have already been
made and the danger increases hourly
Porte sends q Reply.
The porte Monday sent reply TO the
collective note of the ambassadors. AS
usual. however. II was al evasive an
swer, and in substance simply stated
that the money derived from the addi-
tional taxes was only intended to com
plete the armament OF the mustaahfus
or landstrum, the third and last class OF
the Turkish army reserves. and 10
strengthen the armament OF the other
land forces of the sultan, which con-
sist OF the Nizam. or regular army and
it's active reserve, the redif. or land
wehr. Conscripts In Turkey serve six
| year in the Nizam, four with the colors
| and two with the reserve: they then
| serve eight years in the redif. four In
| the first class and four In the second.
| Then they complete their twenty years
| service by serving six years In the mus
| tahfux.
The action Of the Turkish govern
| ment In completing the armament OF
| the mustahfuz indicates that the en-
| pire 10 facing a situation which may
| necsssiate calling forth all the military
forces at Its disposal and II also In
| dicates that the situation Is the grav-
est since the Russo Turkish war. I'm
der these circumstances, II Is but nat
! ural that considerable uneasiness pre-
walls. OF course. there is always In
txak ,t lAa nat thaf
sultan, by these movements is simply
seeking to distract the attention OF his
subjects from the actual state Of af-
fairs brought about by his mal-admin-
| istration.
The Powers in Earnest.
Seeing that the powers are really In
earnest and that an understanding be-
| tween Russia. France and Great Brit
ain means decisive action. he Is by
these armaments practically threaten
| ing the wholesale massacre OF the
Christians. and announcing that Tur-
| key will resist to the utmost any at
tempt at armed coercion.
Happily there Is one feature of the
| crisis which has a soothing influence
on Abdul Hamid This is the financial
situation II is about as bad as it pos
sibiy can be. All negotiations upon the
part of the Turkish government for a
temporary loan have failed and the
condition OF the treasury Is one OF ut.
ter helplessness. On top Of this the
price of bread has risen 40 per cent.
and bids fair TO rise still higher as the
price OF wheat goes up. This has great
ly aggravated the prevailing distress
and Its consequent discomfort. The
is understood that many more bombs
police continue making arrests and u
have been found. In Armenia the
greatest apprehension exists. The ech-
oes OF the recent massacres In the city OF
Egin are just reaching here. In spite oi
the efforts made by the porte to sup
press everything but the official news.