The sun., 1897-06-13
VIZ.

medans will lose their high social position and
become mere herdsmen and hamas or portcrs
They are seldom capable of business. Either
they are exceedingly frugal and unenterprisng
or, II they break away from their tenets and
traditions, they become dissolute and reckless
and squander their wealth in every kind OF
folly. Some Of the Bosnian Turks, indeed. have
tried to advance with the times, and ono or two
have amassed considerable wealth. but the ma
jority have not progressed, and, in our authors
judgment, never will Tho principles OF their
religion preclude the hope Of their being able to
compete upon equal terms with other traders.
Mr. Thomson gives an instance of the difficulties
that lie in the way Of n Mohammedan becom-
ing successful merchant. Usury is strictly
forbidden by Moslem law, and a believer ought
not, therefore. to put his m oney into bank or
into any investment that would pay him inter
est The injunction is clear and peremptory;
there is no escape from it: They who devour
usury shall not arise from the dead. but as he
arscth whom Satan hath infected by a touch.
This shall happen to them because they say,
Truly. selling is but MS usury.'" Wherever
Mohammedanism is retained in its integrity,
this precept Is vigorously complied with. Such
Is the for instance, in Afghanistan, and all
along the northwestern frontier Of India. Mr..
Thomson says that Pathan once consulted
him as to how he should recover some money he
had lent of which he could not obtain repay
ment. Our author advised him to bring a suit
for it with interest, which, as the money had
been long due, would have amounted to nearly
as much as the original debt. He would not do
this. II am a Mohammedan. he said. +" and can
not take interest. only want my money back"
When he brought his suit he did SO only for the
exact sum he had lent In India proper, how
ever, where, for years. they have mingled with
the Hndus and with Europeans, Mohamme-
dams have no such scruples; in Bosnia. also, Mr..
Thomson found that they have means. when
they minded of evading the strict letter
Of the law. They will not charge interest, but
they contrivc to obtain an eXorbitant return for
their money in other ways. A man will give
another, say, a sheep worth five guldens on the
condition that he is to receive an Okla of butter
worth one gulden every year till the sheep
is returned to him; SO that he is really
getting twenty per cent. for his money. Or
man will lend certain sum to another, who
gives him receipt for II, accompanied by
a promise TO buy from him a gold watch at an
agreed price, When the money is repaid the
watch is paid for also. but is never delivered.
There is a third way. 1t is forbidden to lend
money at interest, but it is not forbidden to be
partner in a particular enterprise and to share
the profits that may accrue from it, This mode
of evading the law is frequently practised in
ever. unsuited to the requirements OF modern
trade. and the bulk OF Turk money unless he
puts 1t into land, is obliged 10 lie idle. We
told that not long ago one of the wealthest OF
the Begs became insane, and, when the Govern
mcnt took charge of his property great deal OF
money found buried under the floor OF
his house, in the same way that treasure is kept
| lying unproductively in the palace vaults of
many an Indian Nawab. Under the pressure Of
Western competition, all these restrictions are
| beginning now to break down. Many OF the
| Bosnian Mohammedans will openly take int crest
and have no hesitation in deposting their money
| in the banks. All this points to the likelihood
| Of a gradual reconversion to Christianity. The
taste for luxury has been acquired. the old sim
Pile ways and manners are dying ont, and it Is
| CALLING to people who have once been dominant
to feel themselves sinking, step by stcp into the
| position OF menals. They are beginning to
| recognize that. under the conditions OF modern
| life. wealth alone can retain them in position
| and influence and power. What, therefore. asks
| Mr.. Thomson, is more probable than that the
| younger generation should, one by one abandon
| n religion which handicaps them so enormously
| That general rcconversion has not yet
taken place is attributed in great measure to the
fact that the Austrians. with the hope of sup
porting themselves by the aid OF the Moham
| medan element against the Slav population
| which is to them a source of unceasing perpleNi
| ty and trouble, have treated the Mohammedans
| with greater consideration than the Christians
| and thus have preserved to them their feeling OF
| pride and. to certain extent, their sense OF pre-
| dominance. Mr.. Arthur Evans. writing before
| the Austrian occupation pointed out that The
mobiles of Bosnia, whether Christian or Moham
medan. seem always to have valued their inter
ests as Il caste more highly than the creed
| xyht nrat tn 1auf fIai,
tyranny has. on the whole, been more tn,
tyranny of O caste than OF q creed. At tn,
time of the Turkish CONG uest OF Bosnia the fore
fathers OF the present Begs renegaded. for tn,
most part. from Puritan form OF Christianity
and accepted the creed of their conqueror
rather than sacrifice their possessions. Their
10, indeed, no prospect of such severe alterna
tive being placed before the Bosnian Begs at tn
present time; but there can be no doubt that
though 1t should be merely for the sake of re
tanning their social position, many OF tho Bcgs
II they must bow before the Giaour will &C
cept his creed. For them to-day, as at the INC
ment of the Turkish conquest, the chief anxiet
is as to their position as a noblesse. Thei
rank secured, their future. political and relie
ious, would become quite a secondary cor
sidcration." Our author repeats that, hitt
erto. the Austrian policy has been to kee
the Turks apart from the rest of the pee
Pile and to prevent any religious amalgt
nation rather than encourage it, So the Turk
being, as they are the most favored portion c
the community. have. at the present momen
no active motive for the change; 1t is. neverth,
less, Mr.. Thomson's conviction that the chang
Is coming, not from pressure from without, bu
! from far more permanent though more gradut
influences from within. Before the Austria
occupation the manners of all the people. ric
| as we'll as poor, were frugal and simple and tt
> necessity for money was but little felt. No
that the Mohammedans have luxury all aroun
them and have. to a certain extent. indulge
r in II themselves, they will be unable to do witt
out 1t; and, In the contest between desire an
principle, desire seems likely to prevail, II Il
) contest be but sufficiently prolonged.
We are reminded that In addition To IL