Kansas City journal., 1897-05-26
ATIRKIsH PANEGYRIC.

A nation that comes forth victorious
from a war would seem to have earned
the right to a little self-glorification, and
this privilege must be extended even to
the "unspeakable Turk
There is published at Constantinople
newspaper known as the Ikdam, and 1t
is regarded as the official organ of the
sultan. Anything from the 1kdam, there
fore. must be accepted as representing
the sentiments and opinions of the gov
ernment. as well as tho true inner con-
sciousness of the whole Turkish people.
In a recent issue the Ikdam sums up the
war, and the article would be well worth
space in showing what the Turks think
of themselves if for no other reason.
without bringing TO mind the renown
Of the Ottoman government for more
than six hundred years as a world-con-
quering power" says this article, 'the
Greeks have dared to attack it. Like the
pangs which they will suffer in their final
state, the pains of their defeat increase
from day TO day. To imagine thing prob
able the impossibility of which is proven by
evidence as conclusive as that of its nom
existence to-day. and then to fall into
longing to possess that thing. is an en-
terprise for none but Greeks TO engage in.
For they, making truth always a sacri-
fee to dreamings, as far back as the be-
ginning of legend, have even fixed their
religious belief upon fctions of the i'm
agination."
ExnI ghA tot Of ha
Greeks as impracticables and visionaries,
the Ikdam takes up and discourses upon
the attitude of Turkey before the war
after the following fashion: THE Otto
man government. deeming peace and quiet
to be of the same importance TO a nation
as health to the body, has shaped it's pol
icy from the beginning upon this far
sighted principle. Its aim is to defend
the rights OF nations, the sacred rights
of the Ottoman empire. and the peace Of
the whole world. Against such a people
as the Greeks it IS clear that it would
not send out its overwhelming forces
save for a purpose of punishment. IN its
desire to maintain the general peace, it
has used kindness and benevolencs to-
ward Greece. cOndoning the faults of that
country as committed through lack of
culture But the Greeks, with the idea
that predestination has assigned every
thing in the world TO them, and with the
wrongheadedness which IS their renown
from all time. have placed who knows
what Interpretation upon the kindly
course OF the ottoman government"
further that, in the light of the bloody
record made through centuries by the
fanatic Mussulmans, this talk of peace
and kindness and benevolence is positive
ly delicious, while the complaint of lack
of culture in the descendants of Socrates
strikes one as containing the subtilities
OF some dark Mohammedan joke. But
we arc interupting this Mohammedan
writer. who now plunges into panegyric,
as follows:
THE Ottoman whom they have had to
meet are those who, with no means of
travel by sea but sailing vessels, and with
no means of transportation by land but
horses. went TO the other end of the world
in order to add one more golden page to
though their feet through much marching
became wounded like the breasts of their
enemies and their bodies became worn
and feeble with hunger; although they
had to endure every form Of hardship,
waiting days and months under the pains
of heat, of cold. OF snow and ice Yet they
never turned back until they had made
good before God their renown for vic
tory. To them the upholding of the glory
of God was more precious than a thou
sand long lives. The Greeks, in imagina-
tion mighty conquerors, crossed the i'm
perial frontier with the idea of deliver
ing some section of the earth from the
power Of the ottomans. They did not
reflect that. like earth taken from he
meath the fire, it would burn. The i'm