New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-12
SULTAN'S NEW HEIR.
abdul Hamed Takes Steps to
Change the Order of Succession.

- N mean that the monarch intends from
,.,ceforth 20 associate this particular of his
a, various acts OF sovereignty. IT is noteworthy
,bat IN the very rare instances in Turkish history
:, ,,s having been conferred by Sultans upon spe-
ouv favored relatives. Il has been regarded
educating the desire of the sovereign that the sue
x,o, 20 HIS throne should be vested in the
-. IN question instead OF in the legitimate
-, e,narent and the Nahm has in most cases
hscome Sultan IN oeha"Oe Vi eHe statutes i'e
,,g the succession.
:, has long been known that the Sultan has
,.n extremely anxious 20 change the order or
ocsss,on in favor of his fourth son. and he Is
s,tad with having been encouraged TO take this
s.sn nv the Kaiser who took great fancy 10
Rurhan- Bddine when he was at Constantinople'
,ps r-1nce is a very bright and attractive young
se1low Brought up IN the most careful way by
she best German. French and English tutors
obtsinable thoroughly up 10 date and modern IN
ts IDEAS and OF soldery and manly appearance
=. has travelled extensively In Europe. has fire.
,,-tlz been the guest Potsdam OF the KAISER
,,b whose sons he IS terms Of warm friendship
,s uresents the most striking contrast In every
ossfbs way TO Prince Rechad. the siKty-two-year-
=. ,-o,nqer brother or the Sultan, and legitimate
heir apparent -.
T,nastie tradition and Korsnic law provide that
.h throne al the death OF the Sultan shall pass TO
.bs oldest of the princes Of the blood irrespective
., ,he fact Of their being sons, brothefs OF eNe"
Cousins The present Sultan was PRECEDED py ms
Old
,ncls the Inflated Sultan Abdul ASST. Reehad
the next brother Of the reigning Sultan is &C
orains 10 Koranic law. the heir apparent and hrst
a. line of succession TO the throne. and immediately
,,or him there comes Prince Izz-Eddne' eldest son
:, sutan Abdul ASST and first cousin therefore, OF
~ psdisbah After that follow the present Sui
tsn's two youngest brothers Suleyman ana wand
Fddine and then the Sultan's eldest son. so that
Prince Durham Eddine Enendi is only fourteenth In
,he line OF succession, according TO dynasuc Ia"
and tradition
OF Prince Rechad the heir apparent practically
nothing whatsoever IS known. For the last thirty
vears indeed ever the present Sultan came 10
the throne he been TO all intents and purposes
q prisoner Of state condemned to an existence u
complete isolation In the Palace OF Doma- Bagtche'
surrounded by spies and by guards. The conse-
ouence is that no has dared 10 hold any inter
course with him. fearing 10 incur the III VIII o.
the Commander Of the Faithful. who. 10 render the
isolation OF the prince complete ana TO lacl4l-
tate his designs OF excluding him from the sue
cession has propagated far and wide a
report TO the effect that Rechad IS imbued Win
the evil eve" According to some the prince Is
most enightenea and able man. according 70 others
G gloomy old fanatic. not even these diplomats
Who have lived longest at CoustaatuUple can speak
with any authority the subject But il cannot be
denied that IN view of the uncertainty which pre-
walls with regard 20 his character Il would be
wiser from a foreign point Of View 20 encourage
and foster the succession Of young Prince Burhan-
Fddine. who is known 10 be Up 70 date, modern
and devoid Of fanaticism. rather than that OF
Prince Rechad. who for all we know. might turn
out 70 be Oriental OF such reactonary ideas
that compared 20 him the present Sultan would ap-
pear benevolent, democratic and broadminded
ruler.
may add that at the present moment one OF the
sultans most trusted and confidential agents,
namely Haiku Pasha, IS visiting Vienna, Rome,
Berlin and London. we'll Paris. for the pur-
pose Of quietly securing from the various foreign
courts and governments an assurance that they
will recognize the young prince the lawful Sue
oessor 10 the throne. From ell hear the pasha's
mission IS likely to be crowned with success.
a POINT IN COMMON WITH e. T. GERRY
Among the redeeming points OF Abdul Hamed-
Cor even the monarch denounced by Gladstone
''the great assassin has some redeeming points
Is his fondness for children. I have related IN
these letters how he has conferred the order OF
the Chefkat upon the young daughters or the
United States Envoy and cf the British Ambassa-
dor accredited 20 his court But there are many
other WAYS IN which he gives evidence OF this
peculiar phase OF his oddly constituted character.
Thus for instance II takes the form Of invincio!e
repugnance TO see children take any part IN the
atrical performances at night, and his prejudice
IN this respect IS as strongly pronounced as That
Of Commodore Gerry. Of New-York, who, as presi-
Gent OF the Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty
20 Children. hes for a quarter Of a century been
the terror of every theatrical manager who has
had occasion 10 employ little boys or girls for
ehidren's parts IN the dramas. operas. comedies
etc which he puts upon the stage in New-YoTk
To such extent does this notion carry the
Sultan that alterations never contemplated by the
playwrights or composers have to be made IN the
productions Of the lyric and dramatic works per
formed IN his theatres at Yildiz Kiosaue by mis-
private troupsE, and at one or the perform ances
OF the opera Norma" 10 which he had invited
several foreign diplomats. their gravity sorely
tried when in the pathetic scene where the two
young children rush in and kneel before Norma,
who bends down and strokes their heads. the roles
OF the little ones filed by strapping
heavily mustached members of the Imperial Body
guard, booted spurred and ''coifed" with the fez
or tarboosh. II was indescribaby funny for any
one who had seen the opera performed elsewhere
But the Sultan failed 10 perceive anything hun1or
GUS about the situation. and showed that he was
much moved by the pathos Of the scene. His OBJ
lection 20 children the IS according to his
own account, attributable 70 the conviction shared
by good old Commodore Gerry, that young people
ought 10 be in bed at night time. and that the ex-
element OF a theatrical performance and the glare
OF footghts calculated 70 injure their nervous
systems.
WHAT ART WORLD OWES TO THE SULTAN.
have often abused the Sultan in these let
tiers that while on the subject OF his redeeming
qualities 81 IS only fair 10 add that 10 him and
20 his Ottoman predecessors the entire Christian
world is undoubtedly indebted for the perfect pres
ervation Of the most ancient monument OF Chris
usn architecture. namelvs the Mosque OF ST. So
phia at Constantnople The latter was begun in
the year IS consecrated to the Saviour in 36O IN
der the reign Of Emperor Constantine; partially
burned In the opening years Of the fifth century.
restored by Emperor Theodosius the Younger IN
41s destroyed by fire in So recons,v,cted nv F,n-
peror Justinian, reconsecrated on Christmas Day,
bs7; destroyed by an earthquake in sos, once more
restored and consecrated afresh on Christmas Day
5s5. Since then, that is TO say. for nearly 1900
remared arnlt.