The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-23
NEW hooks.
Sam. Of the Countries Rescued From the
Turk.

Turk.
|, /. an interesting and a useful record
d, frs, hand observations which Mr. Will
liam Elerov Curtis has given VA in the book
.aueJ The Turk and His Lost Provinces
Tlcming II Revell Coz The title. indeed
+. somewhat misleading. for the volume
contain, no account of certain regions
once included nominally or actually In the
ottoman Empire, but since forfeited to 1t;
Algeria. Tunis and Egypt in Africa; Russian
Armenia, Georgia and the Caucasus in
I.ia. and the Crimea Bessaraf5ia, Moldavia
and Wallachia in Europe. For that mat
tor. large part of Hungary was once
Governed by the Turk The author con-
fines himself to the provinces. now wholly
independent or autonomous, which he per-
.onnlv visited namely. Greece, Servia.
pulgoria and Bosnia The volume is pref
,ced with a description Of Constantinople
which is peculiarly satisfactory because
the author does not draw on his imagina-
TON. but narrates in sober fashion what
he saw and heard Mr.. Curtis confirms,
what other visitors to the Ottoman capital
have said that at no other European Court
do the diplomatic representatives OF the
United States appear TO so great disad-
vantage when compared with the AM
bas.acors and Ministers Of other Powers.
a. a, Constantnople. If there should be
troubie at STEAMBOAT to-morrow-and it is
likely TO occur at any time-the American
Minister, the members Of his legation.
and the Consul General. together with the
members of the latter's stan and their
families. would be compelled to take refuge
,;rht .,f
course. 20 to the German or Russian En-
bassies. but our relations with the British
are more int innate. because Of similarity
Of language and mutual interests. or
Robert College, the institution on the Boa
phorus which reflects 10 much credit upon
Americans, we are told that there are no
progressed Moslems among the students.
Ii would be unsafe and it might be fatal,
for any student to avow himself a Moslem,
Young men who have come from distant
parts of the Ottoman Empire to enter the
college have often been arrested and i'm
prisoned upon their arrival because sus-
pec,ed of being Moslems Robert College
is not the only high-class educational in
stitution which is maintained by American
or European missionaries in Turkey and
attended by Christian subjects Of the Sui
tan. The students in such colleges now
number some three thousand, and the
pupils in the missionary schools over twenty
thousand.
The Greeks, Armenians and Jews also
have schools of their own, which are sup
ported by private contributions. Although
the known conversion OF a Moslem is rare
incident 5000 copies Of the Bible in the
Turkish language are sold in the Ottoman
Empire every year. The inference Is that
avowed conversions to Christianity might
be numerous, but for the vigilance Of the
Government officials and the Mohammedan
priests.
OF Greece the author Of this book, like
many another traveller, reports that no
other country in Europe, not even Norway,
is SO subject to the will OF tho people. In
deed, the democratic spirit is often shown
in ways that are offensive. Not only is
the feeling Of equality universal in Greece
but an undisguised jealousy ia shown II
one man rises above another. In this
jealousy Mr.. Curtis finds one OF the great
obstacles to progress. sort Of dead line
which no Greek can cross without being
made the target of every selfish and dis
satisfied citizen who regards his neighbours
superiority as personal grievance. The
author concurs with others, who know
the Greek character, in thinking that it
would he difficult, il not impossible, for the
Greeks to permit one OF their own citizens
to rule over them. Under the circum-
stances, We are not surprised to hear that
there are no orders Of nobility in Greece.
There is, however. one order OF knight
hood, the Order of the Saviour, which is
conferred by the King for distinguished
services, military or civil. The liberty OF
the press is not abridged, and not only the
public conduct, but the personal habits,
of public men are freely criticised.
In Servia Mr.. Curtis observed the same
prejudice against the Jews which obtains
in Roumarlia SO far as he could Judge,
however, the prejudice is due TO their sue
cess in business rather than to religious
enmity He was unable to discover a single
instance in which an Israelite had failed
to fulfil his contract or to ask more than
his due. The Jews are not prosecuted in
servia as they are in Roumania, but public
opinion will not allow them to hold office,
although there is no legal prohibition.
The Young King Alexander Of Serva is
described as a degenerate; he looks. the
author says as IL he had escaped from All
asylum for the depraved, Yet he is physi-
cay strong. and by no means feeble OF
mind, and on two or three occasions has
exhibited a notable amount OF nerve and a
capacity for military command He has
inherited his fathers viciousness, but, at
the same time. possesses physical and
moral courage that King Milan never
displayed.
In Bulgaria DR.. Johnson's definition oil
politician holds good. Politics is there the
last and secure refuge OF sooundrel. Mr.
Curtis noted that il is practically ON of the
question in Bul garia to convict OF crime
any man who has been active or conspicu'
Gus in the movement for the liberation OF
Macedonia, 1t is possible for any dis
reputable fellow to violate the Ten Com
nandmen,s with impunity. 80 long as he
GOES about the cafes shouting the battle cry
OF freedom. Nnety-fve per cent. OF the
Bulgarian population are engaged in agri'
culture. Our author found the peasants
Industrious, ingenious and intelligent, Both
men and women are OF fine physique ca
pabe Of great endurance, and very few OF
them are idle or vicious. Their hospitality
Ii extraordinary. No stranger is eveI
turn"d from the door, and the poorest
agrcuturist will share his blanket and his
bread withou, the asking.
TT.