New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-24
was Greece betrayed into the hands or her
enemy.
TURKEYS CHANGE OF LEADERS.

TURhE1'S CHANGE or LEaDhh"'
War news Of unouestioned authority and OF
supreme importance comes to hand. from Con-
stantlnople as well as from the Thessai'hh lroh-
tier The Turkish communicating In the
field Edhem Pacha. has been peremp'orh! re-
called, and Osman Pacha, the hero OF flevha'
has been sent to take his place. Under almost
any circumstances such change wouid De more
worthy. In the present case 1t Is starting SEN
sational and significant In the highest degree
Whether it BODIES good or evil Tor the Iurkish
cause is yet an open question mat IL por'ehds
n radical change in the conduct OF the war; ana
perhaps in the whole Turkish administration,
there can be little doubt.
To recall a commander who after long cam
paigp has no victorious results 10 show, or VINO
in brief campaign has met with much disaster,
is no strange thing But such is not Edhems
case The actual campaign has lasted only a
week. 1t has, on the whole. been marked with
Turkish successes. Edhem appears. from both
Turkish and Greek accounts, to have displayed
much courage and high ability. and TO have won
rs much ground as could reasonably have been
expected in so short time. He has uttered no
note of distress save to ask for more troops, ana
these are granted with a prOmptness that yindi-
Gates his request Yet he is called home. sub
stantially in disgrace, and his place Is filled by
the greatest general the Empire possesses, who,
in his old age is taken from the place of honor
and well-earned repose in the capital which he
has long filled and sent to endure again the
hardships and perils Of the field. Surely, one
would say the Turkish cause must be in far
more desperate plight than the world has been
led to imagine, If such extraordinary measures
are taken for It's good.
Well. that may be- And yet this change may
mean not disaster, but triumph. For Osman Is
made Of different stuff from Edhem, however
shrewd and trucuent that renegade Greek may
be- Edhem may be an able commander; Osman
IL a great one. He is not only the greatest In
Turkey. He is one Of the greatest the world has
seen in this generation. Let there be no mis-
take about that The man who with numer-
ically inferior forces resisted a siege by Tod
leben and successfully counter-charged the ire
mendOus rushes Of Skobeleff, is past master in
the art of war; II any one can lead the Turks
to victory over the Hellenic GiaOurs he can. If
he cannot no one can. Whether his appointment
means there is so desperate need that he must
be called or whether it means that the Greeks
will now be beaten more easily, quickly and
thoroughly than they would have been by Ed
hem, Is what we shall eagerly wait to see.
BY no means the least interesting feature OF
the case Is yet TO be considered. On Wednesday
the Sultan dismissed and dsgraced his favorte
Izzet Pacha, who had for two years been the
power behind the throne On Thursday he
sent Osman to fill Edhem's place. and told him
he need fear no meddllng with his work by any
Palace ring That should mean, If it means
anything, that Abdul Hamid has at last opened
his eyes to see how he himself Is overrued and
his Empire maadmnstered and brought to ruin
by the cllques and rings Of the Ydz Kiosk.
1t should mean that he has resolved to take the
reins of power in his own hands again. If so, it
may mean good. For there are many who deem
the Sultan himself a monarch of high mind and
noble purpose, and who charge the evil that has
been done to the account of the creatures whom
he has unfortunately permitted to usurp his
powers AT any rate, such change, II it be
made. will clear the situation. 1t will enable
the world to know upon whom responsibility for
the dongs of the Turkish Government is prop
erly 10 be fixed.