New-York tribune., 1901-03-24
TRADE GUILDS OF TURKEY.
SPECIAL. PRIVILEGES AND USAGES DAT
ING FROM PAST CENTURIES
FrGm The Leisure Hour.

From The Leisure Hour
Many wealthy and important Esnafs
guilds found their occupation Eone-or at ast
considerably diminished the abandonment
of the ancient Oriental spendor of dress ana
equipment and tn" adoption of Western military
uniforms and weapons Uf warfare which have
distinguished the nineteenth century. Trad.
guilds are however. stiIl very numerous in
South astern Europe. and especially in CON
stantinoplc. where rcprt s5 natives of all the
various crafts and callinSS practiSod in the
pire are 10 he found. each having morr
lo!JdS- lodges or tIunS-in every quarter Ct tn
,i.y and suburbs. Each Esnaf is presided over
- several officers called respectively, according
tn their rank. Shc:ks fIaTts, Oustas and kiayas
or presidents. vice e-prcsdents. Suprrint end eutS
and insI eCtors who are annually elected by the
members from among its own master craftsmen.
ana TN 81 officers are reC1gE.c: a ny the govern
M ut. which holds them responsible for the good
behavior Of their fellow guilds Iien.
few i-SEatS possess larg- revenues or enjoy
peculiar privileges granted 10y various SultIrs
ln b$@OCe centuries in return for services
dcrcd at some import ant crisis. Among thes.
are tn" EEoemdkers. who have special officers
empowered To judge and punish all off nders BE-
i"nE'ns I" their fraternity without the interpGs-
ton nf th" legal authorities. This extraordinary
privilege was. it app aTs, conferred upon them
in the sixteenth century by SuIcman H. ~Th
Magnificent" This Sultan being ON one nccl-
sion greatly incensed with the rver-turbulent
JhnissariaS, who. in Sign of revolt, had as usual
overturned their camp Kettles. SWore that with
tn help "f the Eoriaakf - only hc would break
their rehellious spirit. Tha Padisbah's words
spread with lightninG-likc idpidity through N
streets "f the bazaar occupied 10y the shops uf
the Papoutctdjis. who. rapidly as inlIing from
oF"ry lonja in the city. presented themselves
armed before the S..Ta an army of forty thou
sand men. shouting the Moslem war cry. Allah,
Allan The Sultan. gratified by their loyalty
and zeal in his service, received their officers
audience. hade them name their reward.
aud granted the four privileges they asked for
Of which the above named one. When the
news Of these events reached IN" barracks Of the
IInisSari' : theSe ins"lcnt troops were 50 dis
mayed that. in the words of a seventeenth cen
fury chr'nicitr. they wcrr ready T. eat not on'x
thtir soup but their very trenchcrs."
The apprentices I" the various trades are.
when proficient. recommended 10y the master
under whom they favr served their time to ad-
mission 10 the guild of their craft into whic.
they are formally admitted ON engaging To oh
S.TF" its rules. and paying the customary fee.
IL Is usual ON these occasions for all present 10
proceed forthwith to some favOritr spot in th..
n"iEhborhn"d of the city. where the rest of the
dtS IS spent In t"aStEG and IN ArrS making. Sorfr
guilds are composed entirely of Mosiems. as Ger
tain ca!linES are exclusively in the hands of the
ruling race; others entirely OF Christians Many,
however. include adherents of both ere eds and.
as members of the same Esnaf Christians and
M"Sl"ins. allied Icy esprit de corps and by
tradr interests. pull together much better. and
'Vin'- mutually a greater lthcraIity of fcelina;
than IS generally displayed in the social relations
"f Greeks and Turks. At their al rresco feStivi-
Ties. which are also held annually in honor of
The patron saint of the guild the greatest har-
mony prevdi- The arnuscmentS INDUCED i'm
after the conclusion of the midday repast in
ciud@ "A variety ut Juggling and acrobatic per
iormanCeS wrestling matches. and for the
creeks the syrtos hnror-the Tong drawn cIas-
sic dance-lurinE the execution of which their
Turkish fellow craftsmen. seated on rush bot
TONED stools in front of "A rustic coffee house
with hong stemmed tchibOuks or bubbling
narShiiehs. passivcly enjoy their kaif.
Every E.Snaf has its own special traditional
laws ana uSig"s which no: less binding than
Is ITS kanoun. or written cons titution: and thu.
social customs and mode OF life. of their mem
bers afford i'm many instances curious and in
ttTcStlnS illustrations of native rlanncrS among
the labornS classes. OF these the boatmen
may he lnstanccd. naturally a VERY numerous
body IN 50 water Eirt a city ColStantinoplp.
The ranks of this Esnaf are largely recruited
among the youths who come in great numbers
from Asia Minor to seek their fortune i'm tL,.
capital HAIR dozen or mere of th 5. Lakiar,
or bachelors. as they termed live in com
mon IN some humble lodging, paying a fxtI
sum per day or per week To an old man who
acts as their steward and cook and also as their
counsellor ana drbter in any disputes that may
arise IN such a mixed household. Their rela-
TONS with the master boatmen. 10 whom they
serve long apprenticeship. are also of quite
iilial character