The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-08
An Important Mosrem Movement.

An Important Mosiem Movement.
Within the memory of people still
reasonably young, England's influence
was completely predominant in Con-
stantinople Later came the British
seizure of Egypt, and then Russia
gained an ascendency at the Turkish
capital Finally the German Kaiser es-
tablished an influence which ousted
that of the Car, and today Germany
is the one civilized State on intimate
terms with the Sick Man of the East.
These things are important to remem-
| Der in connection with a commission
which recently started from Constan-
| tinople. with the purpose Of establish
ing close relations between Abdul
| Hamid as chief of Islar' and the Mo-
| hammedans of China The personnel
of this interesting mission is composed
of high military officers ulenas and
hadjis, and it is regarded as a very I'M
portant political step in the interest of
| the Turco-Teutonic allianee-if it may
| be called so--in the Far East
| 1t is significant OF the Sultan's re-
| lance upon the protection of the Kaiser
| jected to the despatch of the embassy
| in question, it was started off. 1t is
| said, with the full privity and consent
of the Berlin Government. Neither
Russia nor yet England, each with
huge Mussuiman population, can af-
ford to ignore p movement in the di-
rection of religious consolidation and
Iafa
ate claimed by the head of the Otto
man Empire, which if successful might
endow those populations with dan
gerous potentialities. Were Islam some
day to declare a jehad and unfuri the
green banner of the Prophet in war
for the faith, nobody can tell what
might happen. Germany, without Mo-
haumedan subjects to speak of. can
afford to contemplate consequences
with equanimity. In the role of the
only non Mussulman friend of the Mus
sulnfans, Wilhelm IL stands to win
advantages, primarily in China, but
possibly in other quarters. Readers Of
The Times will remember that when
he was in Palestine he declared TO
a delegation of Turks that the three
| hundred million followers OF their re-
ligiou in the world might always look
upon him as their protector.
1t would be difficult 10 discount the
probable effect of the present Turkish
| mission upon the minds or actions of
the Chinese Mohammedans. They num-
Der many millions, largely occupy some
of the best provinces. and beyond doubt
form the best fighting element in the
Empire. If. as is believed in London
and st. Petersburg, Germany has not
yet satisfied her territorial aspirations
in China, their friendship would De
source of strength in connection with
any undertaking looking to German
colonial expansion. But it is not so
much on account of that as because
of the general menace of Islamism
that Russia and England need to look
askance at such movements.
The tradition of the latter's old
friendship for Turkey is still factor
in Indian politics. In addition to this,
there has been some idea among the
3Iohammedans Of India that the Otto
man Turk on the throne at STEAMBOAT
had no right to assume the Caliphate,
but that it belonged at Mecca, in the
person of the Grand Shereef, always
a descendant of the Prophets family,
with which the Sultan is not in any
way connected. This opinion is in
way to be speedily overcome The
Grand Shereef has been won or bought
over to the support of Abdul Hamid
and his pretensions, and is reported as
doing all he can TO further them. He
is potent agency for such purpose,
since the annual pilgrimages to Mecca
bring him into personal and influential
relations with his leading coreligionists
from all parts of the world, and his
ability and opportunity to create pub
lie sentiment in India, Turkestan, Mon
golia, and the Mohammedan islands of
the Pacific through the means at his
command are not TO be treated lightly.
No one need doubt that We're the Sui
tan of Turkey once recognized as the
Caliph Of al Islam. his power to create
trouble would Immediately become
enormous. He could hold it over the
heads of the British Government, and
Of Russia as well, and if driven to the
wan could proclaim a holy war which
would probably precipitate rebellions
in India and Russianized Central Asia
Of terrible proportions. What he might
be able to do in China is perhaps an
open question. The Chinese Mussul-
mans have been separated from the
fountain heads of their cult so long
that it may take time and tact to re-
educate them In the blind fanaticism
which has made the children Of Mo-
manned the danger to Christendom
they have shown themselves in the
past; but probably the old stuff is in
them yet. The developments of the fu-
ture might yet show that Western civ
iization is quite as much threatened by
the Peril in the Tarboosb as by what
Kaiser Wilhelm has SO aptly called
the yellow PERIL
Yesterday the coal miners Of the United
Kingdom were undecided whether to go
on strike OF not. The meeting OF their
executive beard adjourned until today