Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-31
Minister Leishman Gets Only
Promises from the Sultan.
EQUAL RIGHTS WANTED
SAME TREATMENT OF AMERICANS
AS OF OTHER FOREIGNERS.
How Corrupt Officials Keep the Truth
From Their Ruler Talk of a
Change in Our Representative.
BY VIM. f. CURTIS.

Mr. Leishman, our minister to Turkey,
has returned to the United States without
having accomplished anything during the
last two years. except to obtain from the
sultan promises that are never fulfilled
The last time Mr.. Leishman was here Le
carried back to Constantinople a message
frcm the President of the United States
to the Sultan of Turkey demanding tie
same rights and privileges for American
educational institutions that are enjoyed
by European schools and colleges In the
Ottoman empire
For six weeks after his arrival Mr. Leish-
man endeavored to obtain an audience with
the great Turk. If he had been ambassa-
dor he might have gone over to the Yildiz
KIOSK the next morning and claimed his
privilege Of an immediate interview. but
being only plenipotentiary. he is required
to do all of his business through the off
Gals or the sublime porte and to depend
upon them to arrange a meeting with their
sovereign. Those officials do not like the
United States nor the representative of this
government, because our legation does not
give them bribes nor make them presents.
EurOpsan ambassadors and ministers ara
provided with liberal allowances of money
by thelr governments, which is distributed
as New Year presents among the officials
or the foreign office the secretaries of the
sultan and the attaches of the palace with
whom their business is transacted This
crstom has prevailed for centuries The
oiiiclals expect the money. and if they do
not get it they do their Best to punish the
men whom they consider ulpler obligations
to pay them.
Corruption in Turkey.
That custom prevails throughout the en-
tire civil service of Turkey. Very few
Turkish officials receive salaries; most of
them To t+air
ments and they are expected to reimburse
themselves and get their living out of the
public n pra ctice in which they show great
skill. A collector of customs imposes what
ever duty he sees fit upon imported goods
and manages to collect enough to meet the
expectations OF the treasury and satisfy his
own avarice. The judges of the courts
usually decide cases in favor of the liti-
giant who pays them the largest fee, and
throughout the entire length and breadth
of the Ottoman empire every grade of Off
cial depends upon brides and blackmail
rather than upon the pay roll of the gov
eminent for living.
1t took six weeks. as I have slid. for Mr.
Leishman to obtain an interview with the
sultan and that privilege was not granted
until he had promised the officials at the
sublime porte that he would do no more
than present the Presidents message to
his majesty and would refrain from dis
cussing the subjects to which it referred
That was very significant stipulation, and
IL can only be Interpreted meaning that
the officials of the foreign office prefer to
give their sovereigns all the information
he has concerning the pending questions
between the United States and Turkey.
The sultan has promised over and over
again to comply with the demands of the
United States, and 1t Is possible that he
has been sincere. and has intended to do so,
but his orders have not been carried out by
the officials of the sublime porte. Living
in seclusion and being surrounded by secre-
taries and other officials who have their
own views, II Is almost impossible for him
ever to learn the truth or to obtain any
knowledge which they wish to keep from
him. It IS. therefore. an amiable con-
lecture for which We have no proof that
his failure to keep his promises may be
due to the interference Of his subordinates
rather than his own perfidy. At any rate,
Mr.. Leishman presented the Presidents
message and received from the sultan's own
lips renewal of the promises he had made
several times before, but has never carried
out.
Demands Upon Turkey.
The demands upon him include several
matters most important of which is that
men holding the diplomas of American col
leges shall be allowed to practice law, med
iclne engineering and other professions as
freely as the graduates of French. German,
Russian English and other schools. instead
of being required to submit to examinations
before local boards. which invariably exact
blackman ana DrlDeS before tney issue
licenses There are several other restric-
tions upon American citizens and mission
aries and graduates of American schools
which the United States minister to Con-
stantinople has been trying for years to
have removed, but has never been able to
get anything more than promises.
Last summer, after Mr.. Leishman had ex-
hausted every effort to persuade the Of
ficials to fulfill the sultan's promises, the
United States sent over fleet into Turkish
waters to compel action and our govern
ment was placed In a very embarrassing
predicament. from which. however, Secre-
tary Hay managed TO extricate us without
mortifca ton The governor at Beirut was
removed and new man placed in power
there who is reported to be very friendly
toward Americans and shows every dis
position to treat them with fairness and
business The sultan also renewed his
promises to grant the same privileges and
rights to Americans that are enjoyed by
Europeans and the feet was recalled.
Our government was compelled to accept
those assurances or fight Turkey and the
President did not feel justified in using
force. Congress only can declare war, and
there is grave doubt whether public opinion
would Justify hostile demonstration toward
Turkey. There is not the slightest use in
trying To arbitrate. The great Turk would
be perfectly willing 10 arbitrate anything
anywhere, but he would never obey de-
cree Of any tribunal any more than he will
fulfill the promises so easily made. The use
of force would undoubtedly be resented by
MOldmmeGdn ldfAtlCS ana provoke Il gen
eral massacre Of foreigners and Christians.
They only want an excuse for mas sacre of
infidels. And that is the perplexine predic
ament In which our government finds itself.
Several alternatives might be adopted, but
they are all repugnant to the national sense
of honor and dignity. If Mr.. Leshman were
provided with slush fund he might bride
the officials at the sublime porte to issue the
trades which the sultan has promised so
often and which they probably never will
allow him to issue until they are paid for it.
To Raise Legation to Embassy.
Another method would be to elevate our
minister to the rank of an ambassador, so
that he could transact his business directly
with the sultan, the Europeans do, with
out the Intervention of the officials of the
foreign office He could then at least deter
mine whether the failure to fulfill the sui
tan's promises is due TO his own treachery
or TO the interference of his officials But
we cannot send an ambassador to Constan-
tinople unless the Turkish government
sends one TO Washington. which is not pos
sible. Chekib Bey, the Turkish minister in
Washington. has never received any Gre
dentials and is i'm pitiable position. He is
supposed TO represent the Turkish empire
here. but has no papers to show for 1t. He
has been treated with the greatest courtesy
He is invited to all official functions and
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