The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-13
Stories of the Sultan.


The last Quarterly Review has an ar
ticle on eastern affairs. from which the fol-
lowing extracts are taken:
Those who are personally acquainted with
the sultan agree an describing him as re-
niarkaoiy gentle, polite, and amiable. with
an active mind. great natural penetration
of intellect. and no culture n. Blancard,
in one OF the books which we have placed
at the head of this article, speaks OF him
as a prince whose heart Is always open
TO every generous sentiment He mas sue
ceeded in gaining the complete confidence
OF more htan one experienced diplomatist,
and among them the present minister or
foreign affairs in France, who, in very
famous essay in the Review de Paris, en-
deavoroed 10 excuse, or even defend, some
of the most sinister acts of Abdul-Hamid-
Midhat Pasha, one of the most remarkable
men in the Turkish empire of our time,
and an exceptionally keen observer, spoke
TO the writer OF this article IN terms OF en-
thusiastic admiration Of the sultan. His
disciple, Mourad Bey, new the leader OF the
young Turkish party, Acknowledges that
the throne OF the Ottoman sultans has
not been for centuries occupied by SOW
ereign so irreproachable in his morals as
Abdul-Hamid.
The question then arises, how can SOW
ereign who appears so good be responsible
for the wholesale massacres n Armenia
and Constantinople:
The explanation seems 70 be that the sui
tan is dominated by terror 10 such an ex-
tent as to have entirely lost the balance OF
his reason. He is afraid, on the one hand,
OF the daggerS of fanatics who blame MIN
for concessions to Christian powers ana LOT
loss of territory. On the other hand, he
trembles lest the young Turkish party
should procure his deposition and perhaps
compass his death. Fear has cured him
of arrogance and pride, passions and vices
but it has also killed every generous SEN
timent. He is said to have been naturally
good, and TO have sympath.zed deeply with
human suffering in all its forms. In the
early years of his reign he shrank from al
lowing capital punishment to be inflicted
in any circumstances, but at the hrst mo-
ment when his fears were aroused he sent
hundreds of men TO lingering and cruel
death. He is a true Mussulman, and res
poets all connected with Moslem worship
but young Nussulman theologians having
made themselves obnoxious 20 him in 1897
he ordered them TO be thrown into the Bos-
phorus in scores. He is said TO be GOOD
father, fond of his children, an excellent
master, who loads with faNors those de-
pendent on him. A short time ago, how
ever, NdNilS " pass OhSA ZIG NAN- -
Constantinople. to assist at religious GER
emony, he took the youngest or his sons
between his knees in his carriage. 10 pro-
tect him from the daggers of the assassins,
and he insisted on Osman Pasha- the old
hero of Plevna, sitting on the front seat,
hoping that the widespread popularity OF
the brave old soldier would protect him
from dynamite and explosive bombs.
The sultan's native fanat.cism is encour-
aged both by fear and by evil counseliors:
One of the chief counsellors of the sui
tan in this matter is man named ABOUT
Houda, a fanatical dervish, whose character
bears a striking resemblance to that OF
in "Old Mortality" This man
came to Constant:nople, bringing with him
from Asia Minor a great reputation for
sanctity and wisdom. When he arrived in
The imperial city he was instantly sur
by vast multitudes, who hung up
On his words as he preached against the
corruption OF the age, the luxury or the
great the lukewarmness of the believers,
he concessions 20 the infidel, and the Zee
,leness of the Commander Of the Faith !
u. The sultan, frightened at the author
~ he was acquiring, took him into the
palace. W6il-informed people say that, at
certain hours, the sultan and the dervish
meet for pious exercises and practices or
)en2nCe. ana Strange SNOI-co oiC tOiN ~ |
nominations and the raising of spirits.
The Reviewer assures us that the sultan |
,as in contemplation a fresh series of mas
q cres-this time in Macedonia. In this |
connection a new person appears on the !
scene:
Some ten years ago there was Pasha |
ntrusted with government in northwest
I'm Turkey remarkable for his eccentr,ci- |
les, and many stories are told illustrating |
lis methods of administration. One day, |
n the depth OF winter. when the ground |
vas covered with snow, he passed by !
'illage inn, on the outside OF which some |
onkeys heavily laden were tied 10 a pole
I'D We're shivering in misery and cold. In
ide the inn their drivers were comfortably |
round the fire, engaged in drink
ng a bowl of heated wine. The Pasha or
cred the load to be taken off the donkeys
nd placed on the shoulders of the men,
yho were then. by his orders. ted up
rhere the animals had been secured. He
hen took the Gonkeys into the inn and Of
cred them himself the heated wine which
ad been prepared for their drivers. On
mother occasion, also IN winter, he observ-
q a poor woman crying at the door or
hurch, because the priest would not bap-
lie her child without getting from her
um Of money which she did not possess.
ne DaSla sentenced priest 10 DC
ed naked. and then 10 be drawn through
ne pond for nothing, IN order. as he said,
D teach him 10 bapt.ze for nothing. The
reat enemy of this Pasha was a man who
now a very important person In the
Western provinces of the Turkish empire,
tho is known as the MolIah Zeka, and IS
character not unlike the dervish who has
he special confidence OF the sultan. He
as not long ago under detention n Con-
tantinople and when he returned TO his
WI country he was received with frantic
nthus.asm- VI. Berard. in his book on
Iacedonia, describes his triumphant return
nd how the Mollah Zeka remained appar
ntly insens;ble 20 the homage OF his peo-
lie, as with his turban forced down upon
is brows his eyes half closed and fixed
pom the ground. and his hands engaged
telling his beads. he passed through the
-ow1s Of his admirers. This man Is des-
ned to play leading part In the masss-
res in Macedonia which, there Is reason
, believe. are even now IN contemplation.
he nassacres in Armenia were organized
V the men like him, strange compounds
Z hypocrisy and tanatictsm, who spent
1me time In Constantinople. then return
| 70 their country. spoke 20 the people as
lev were gathered round the mosques.
nd communicated 20 them the wishes OF
le Master.