New-York tribune., 1897-01-03
THE wRErCHED MURAD.
rs IT CASE OF THE MAN IN THE IRON
MASK OVER AGAIN?

A kew to the eecret of the continued refusal OF
the Sultan to yield to the demands Of the foreign
Powers is to be found in the announcement that
the Sheikh- Ul-Islam Is confined to his bed dy-'
ing of cancer. His life may be prolonged Tor
some weeks nay, even months. but his condi-
Ion is hopeless, and he will no longer be able to
u!f1l the duties Of his ONCE. lnasmuch as for
some time past he has been living In quasi-cap-
tivity within the precincts Of the imperial pal
ace. and as moreover no one Is allowed to have
access to him on the ground that he is too III to
receive visits, the Sultan Is for the qoment secure
from the danger Of deposition which he breads
moro than any other. knowing that from the
moment II Is pronounced his life would not
he worth an hours purchase. There is only one
personage In the length and breadth of the en-
tire Ottoman Empire who has the right and au-
thcrity as the principal ecclesiastical dignitary
% the realm to pronounce this decree. Of deposit
tion OF n Sultan. and that is the Sheikh-Ul-1sam
and since the latter has been rendered power
less 10 take any such STEP Abdul Hamid con-
sders himself safe.
Then. too. the Sultan is under the impression
that he can rely upon the support OF the EN-
peror Of Germany II matters ever come to an
extremity. That this belief Is not without some
basis is shown by the fact that by virtue OF some
private arrangement between the Yildiz Kiosk
and the Court of Berlin German syndicate has
just received a concession for the construction OF
a most elaborate system Of harbor works. docks
and quays at Tripoli which. when completed
will rival those Of Alexandria and surpass those
OF Constantinople Inasmuch as the Sultan has
no money available tc pay the contractors. the
syndicate is to recoup itself for the expenses by
means Of long lease OF the docks to be con-
structed. which will be equivalent to converting
int
consideration in view Of the eventual collapse
and PARTITION OF the Turkish Empire and one
which cannot fail to give rise to serious es-
arrangement between Germany and Italy. the lat
ter country having long looked upon Trpoli as its
own particular share Of the Ottoman dominions
when the moment arrives for their division and
distribution.
KEPT IN STRICT CONFINEMENT.
Moreover the Sultans fears have been set al
rest with regard to his elder brother, Murad. the
report Of whose escape frightened him out Of his
WITS until he received satisfactory assurances
that the unfortunate man was still safely under
lock and key. 1t is difficult to conceive anything
more tragical than this sequestration for more
than twenty years of this man II, as many be-
Iieve ne is considerably saner than his younger
brother now on the throne. Indeed, the affair.
under this view Is a species OF nineteenth CEN
tury re-enactment Of the romantic story of the
Man with the Iron Mask" For no one except
his jailers are permitted to see him, and no COM
munications from the outer world Of any kind
are allowed to each him, every precaution being
taken to debar him from all knowledge Of what
has taken place beyond his prison walls during
the last eighteen years. Yet In spite of this
there is reason to believe that his numerous
friends and adherents throughout the Empire
and abroad have found means Of keeping up
communication with him, and that when the
moment comes he will be found ready to assume
the leadership Of the party IN Ottoman politics.
known as that of Young Turkey" which aims
at saving the Empire by bringing its government
abreast of the civilization and enlightenment of
the nineteenth century. For its members have
adopted his name their watchword, and they
openly proclaim their intention Of restoring him
10 the throne. which from a religious, as well as
secular standpoint Is his. the very moment that
he has ceased to be demented.
In the opinion Of some it is exceedingly doubt
ful whether Murad ever really has been insane.
and probably the worst that can be said OF him
in this respect Is that at the time 'o his deposi-
|sion he was suffering from fit Of delirium
t-emens brought on by an abuse Of stimulants
|The Turks are not familiar with this peculiarly
Western and Christian form Of malady, and nat
nrally, when they perceived the Padishah was
|bereft Of his senses to the extent Of neglectir5
his religious duties. and OF seeing goblins snakes
and the rest Of the drunkards menagerie hover
ling around him. they took 1t for granted that his
mind permanently affected, and brought the
matter before the Shekh-Ul-1slam of that day.
The latter (now dead) was gloomy old ranatic'
opposed to all foreign innovations, and greatly
alarmed by the exceedingly progressive and un-
orthodox ideas of Sultan Murad. which he saw
we're a grave menace. not only to the power and
influence but also to the vast possessions of the
Mahometan clergy. He therefore gladly avaied
himself Of the opportunity to remove Murad from
the throne by issuing an ecclesiastical "Fetvah,"
Or decree Of deposition the ground Of insanity.
MURAD's PROGREssIvENEss.
The course of the late kh-Ul-Isam is not
surprising when it Is borne in mind that Murad
showed himself during his six months reign to
be the most advanced and progressive Turk that
has ever sat upon the throne of Othman Be-
fore he was deposed he had actually declared
himself in favor Of female suffrage. and or
woman's rights and had announced his inten-
ton of establishing thoroughly constitutional
form of Government He likewise surrendered
to the National Treasury two-thrds of his civil
list. cut down the palace expenses by at least
80 per cent and instituted steps in the direction
Of radical reform of the Mahometan religion
Whether he qualified TO, effect the latter Is
open 10 question. inasmuch as he had openly
professed himself an atheist and repeatedly
heaped rdcule upon the faith Of the Prophet,
especially when in his cups. But be this as 1t
may. there is no doubt that had he remained on
the throne and been cured of his fondness for
brandy and champagne the Tvrkish Empire
would be to-day in vastly different position,
economically and politically, from what 1t Is at
present. namely the plague-spot Of Europe.
For the first few months after his deposition.
Murad was confined. together with his mother
and his Belgian wife. at the Palace OF Dolma
Baghtche But before year had elapsed
daring but unsuccessful attempt had been made
ny All Sauvi Pacha TO free him and to restore
hifn 10 the throne, whereupon he was trans
ferred to the gloomy palace Of Cheragan, the
access to which was closely guarded by senti-