New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-06
GERMANY IN THE EAST.

Whatever NAV have been its original purpose,
There can be no doubt that the German Emper-
or's visit 10 Turkey will have an important Ell
foot unon Dolltical and commercial interests III
TINT emnire The European monarch poses as
the Asiotic Sulans best friend, and his nag Il
tho first and only flag of n Christian rover
roisod over the fOrtrcssCs and palaces OF SIAM
houl since the MOslem conquest These things
cannot fail to have their effect upon the Turkish
mind. Nor can this, that while all the other
Powers have been driving the turks out OF
crete and leaving not even a single regiment or
comnanv 70 uphold the Turkish flag and to
maintain n semblance of Turkish sovereignty
German and her ally. Austria Hungary, have
Withdrawn from the concert and had no part III
this spoliaton of the Sultan's domain. IL VIII
NOT ~ a matter Of wonderment If in return Tor
these marks of sympathy the Turkish "oVerh-
mpnt makes Germany some suus'ahllai '"i''9
sons and gives German enterprise decldeu a"-
yantagrs over that Of any other POWER.
Germany has. indeed, already gained some
most important fOOtholds in the East. h"osi''
md Great Britain have been more open III 'heif
advances but Germany has probably go' iur-
thor into the heart of things than elther Oh
Thorn. Nearly twenty years ago German hrihs
began supplying Turkey with torpedoes ana
ordnance. Ten years ago the German BANK en-
tered into close relations with the Porte Inc
Turkish Tobacco Reggie was financed by Ger
man capitalists. A Turkish loan was hoa'eu
by German banks. The railroads III AhatoIia
were built with German capital Inc electric
lighting system of Constantlnople was lhs'aiieu
by the great German firm OF Slelnens lialSke'
whose head is Deputy In the Reichstas ana Il
director of the German Bank. And as the TURK
knows not how to manage railroads ana electric
plants. all these enterprises are manned anu
managed and controlled by Germans.
Naturally this state OF affairs has opened the
country 10 German trade In almost every line
of goods the German tradesman Is now ahead
or getting ahead Of all rivals. German bicycles
and agricultural implements are rapidly crowd
ing those of American or British make out or
the Anatolian market German cloths or all
kinds are gaining ground at the expense OF Brit
ish. To come down TO a small but important
Item. four-ffths of the pins imported at Con-
stantinople now come from Germany. The EN-
peror has been called an Imperial bagman" by
those Jealous of his subjects success in getting
the Turkish market. He has little need to be
that. for the Turkish Empire is already overrun
1898. according TO British Government report,
only four British commercial travellers visited
Jerusalem, against Twenty-Five Germans. Al
the present time the preponderance or Germans
IS doubtless greater still
Germany, then, Is exploiting Anatolia, when
IS really the most important part or the TURKISH
Empire She Is doing 50 10y both private enter
prise and Government patronage. For be sure
tbc maternal Government ut Berlin takes cogni-
zance Of every detail and gives all assistance
and protection to its subjects. The visit OF the
Emperor TO the East may or may NOT result III
some concrete gain for German capital ana en-
terprise 1t cannot fail TO have powerful
moral influence In that direction. In the end no
doubt. Germany will demand the first voice IN
the disposition of the Ottoman Empire, ana the
struggle will be chiefly between her and Russia
instead Of between Great Britain and Russia.