The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-22
AuToCRArs AND PARLIAMENTs.
Tho story OF turkeys Experiment OF
1876" Constitutional GOyernM ent."

Tho story Of turkeys Experiment or
1876" Constitutional Government"
To TIKI EDITOR or THE suN-!SI: Read.
Ing the manifesto OF the Czar OF Russia ana
the conditions under which he grants the
general demand OF the people for national
assembly. one is irresistlby carried back 10
tho days when the Sultan OF Turkey grantcd
a constitution and parliament to his people
Tho difference between the two cases IL
that whereas In Russia they are given during
and AZ result Of disastrous war, In TurIey
they preceded one. In both cases they were
started by outside pressure. friendly IN the
case OF Turkey, the reverse In that OF RUSSIA :
but In Turkey there Was no popular ciamor
for parliament. while In Russia every intel
ligent patriot demands IT a. right and a. the
only means Of saving the country from revo-
luton and anarchy.
Whether the difference In the conditions
under which the grant Is being made In
Russia will! have its influence on results 10
question Of time. but the limitations ana re-
strlctlons imposed seem to foreshadow
either a collapse or the beginning OF q more
acute struggle between the autocraoy ana
the people, probably the latter. ThrouEhout
the document there Is not breath OF spon-
tanelty or generosity; II 10 simply the hard
wrung concession made by an obstinate man
and system In their hour Of necessity. with the
evident intention to revoke all or parts OF "
II the opportunity presents itself ana the
people g thoughts can be diverted to other
things by clever tactics.
When tho Sultan of Turkey consented to
promulgate q constitution he knew that
war was impending. The Three Kaisers'
Alliance had agreed on the partition OF most
Of the European territory Of his empire, and
he was anxious to secure the sympathy and
II possible the material assistance OF the
Western Powers. He was persuaded BY .
small but active coterie Of Russophobos In
England, comprising the late Mr.. Butler
Bowles and few others, to call together Q
parliament. which he did under an imperial
decree In November. 1870. after the success
full conclusion OF the short war with eervia
In that year
Tho tone and spirit Of tho decree wore In
form more liberal than that just published
In Russia. but 1T inspired no confidence what
was absolutely without meaning to the mass
of the Mussulman population.
The first deputies were chosen by the
Sultan from among the Mussulman and
Christian notables all over the country.
The latter. whatever their secret sentiments
may have been. belonged TO the class COM
monty described at Constantinople as "Evfet
Erendims." men with only one desire-to
stand well with the powers that were, and
with ono reply. Certainly. sir" to everything
emanatns from authority. Those that &C.
cepted the mandate graciously conferred on
them did 30 In fear and trembling. those
that could excused themselves on the SCORE
OF III health or family affairs. or. II these
were not available. bought on attendance By
qualifications to officials who could excuse
them. The choice of the Mussulnan depu-
of discomfort with the state Of affairs having
begun to pervnde the more intelligent and
educat among the Turks. II was thou ght.
however, that they could be held straight by
the president OF the chamber. Achnned Vefyk
Pasha, who was expected to keep them
we'll In hand.
When the Sultan selected Achmed vefyk
as president Of the parliament he had
double object in view. The Turcophiles In
England. who, he hoped. would be able TO
procure material assistance from the British
Government for Turkey in the coming war.
had to be keptin good humor. and Vefyk
was just the man. for he had succeeded In
convincing Butler Johnston and the rest OF
his party that he was teformer. But Vefyk
was not less Of Turk for being endowed
with sense Of humor When the parlis-
ment met. there was . great TODD In Con-
stan tnople, and tho comedy was admirably
enacted. Tho xaptiehs. or gend armes. were
paraded and the constitution was resd to
them. explaining that henceforth there was
TO be no moro difference between Nussul-
mans and Christians. or Giaours. - they
were more commonly cslled-all were to be
treated alike. Having read the mysterious
document to his satellites. he dismissed them
with the injunction. Now. remember. men.
you are not to call the Giaours Giaours
any more.
In che parliament the deputies were like
sheep without q shepherd. No one knew
what to do and no one wanted TO become
prominent by putting forward radical pro-
poeals, for there was no cohesion or possible
ity Of political organization among them.
Only four sturdy old Turks from Anatolla
stood UP TO insist on . discussion Of the
budget and to be told where the peoples
taxes went. This was the signal for the end.
Achmed yefyk now came out as the Turk.
and stood up e1claimlng "Susl" vulgar Turk
ish, the equivalent for the English Shut up"
and at the same time declared the parliament
closed. This was signal for tho weakened
Christians to scatter like rats to their holes.
folio wed by all the Mussulman deputies ex-
ccpt the faithful four. These protested against
the arbitrary conduct Of the president. but
Achmed vefyk simply clapped his hands.
mors Turkco, and the Eaptiehs were called
In. The four protestants we're carried out,
taken to their khans. themselves and their
baggage sent across the Bosporus to scutarl.
from where they were packed on under escort
to their homes in Asia Minor.
So ended the farce OF constitutional rule
in Turkey: but there was no bloodshed, be-
cause not one resisted. and there was still
the game Of conciliatlng English opinion to
be played-uselessly. as 1t turned out
What guarantee there is that the Russian
autOcFacy means to carry out its constitu-
tlonal concessions In any way different from
the Sultan's It il diff,cult to discover In the
imperial manifesto. The future depends on
the leaders OF the Russian people. and for
tunatey for Russia they are not so likely To
weaken az the Turkish deputies. PERA.
NEW YORK. Aug. 81.