Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-28

should not do so. He has selected his third
son, who has just reached his majority,
presumably because the lad Is great
favorite and protege of Emperor William or
Germany. He partially educated In
Berlin, under the kaiser's patronage. Ger
many is the only friend that Turkey has
among the nations of the earth, and but for
it's support the Ottoman Empire would
have fallen to pieces long ago. 1t is believed
that the sultan has named his third son as
his successor with the expectation that the
kaiser would be more friendly to him than
to any other member of the family.
This selection, as 1 have already said. IS
unlawful and contrary to all precedent Inc
united forces here are endeaVoring to carry
on propaganda in support of the sultan s
brother. The result, however, will depend
entirely upon the army. Whoever has the
troops can hold the throne. Hence, the
revolutionaries are endeavoring to secure
the cooperation Of the officers.
Troubles of the Armenians.
The Armenians do not expect much from
the succession in the way of reforms be-
cause their chief troubles come from the
Kurds, semi barbaric race which occupies
the adjoining territory and is permitted to
rob and murder them at will. The governor
general of Armenia might protect them if
he would, but he has never shown any dis
position to do so. and the sultan appears
to be entirely Indifferent to their welfare.
Inc ArmenlanS complain tnat whenever a
good Turk gets into power he becomes as
bad as anybody. They say that the pres
ent sultan was regarded as liberal until
he came to the throne Their only hope
is in securing the Intervention of the Eu-
ropean powers to compel him to give them
autonomy and self-government, with off,
Gals of their own race, their own police
men and their own tax collectors. They
have been trying in vain to interest Eng
land, Germany, France and other nations.
which have taken an active part in the
protection of Macedonia, and now are
working to get their cause before The
Hague tribunal-on what grounds for
what purpose l cannot quite understand.
At the late parliamentary union in London
a Belgian delegate introduced resolution
commencing the Armenian cause to the at
tention of The Hague tribunal and the
leaders are deeply gratifed. That is the
first formal public recognition of their
cause by an international organization.
The Armenians have recently presented
petitions to the president of France and the
President Of the United States, the two
great republics, asking their Intervention.
They have the sympathy of Mr.. Clemen-
ceau the French minister Of interior, who
is likely to be the next premier of France,
and he has promised to do everything in his
power to help them. Clemenceau is a
cialist very liberal in his views and de-
cidedly antagonistic to every form Of des-
potism. If he should become prime minis
ter Of France it Is possible that he might
take up the Armenian case. Russia and
mans.
The Armenian organizations have sent a
duplicate of the petition to President Roose-
welt, and hope that he will do something.
They say that our Intervention would be
more effective than that of any European
nation because We have no political or
commercial interests: no jealousies or rival
ries like England. Germany, Austria and
Russia: that the powers would follow our
lead and cooperate with us in any move
ment to secure home rule and good gov
ernment in Armenia, relief from the ex-
tortion of the local Turkish officials and
protection against the Kurds and other bar
barous tribes.
Reforms in Macedonia.
After many years of diplomatic negotia-
lions, the allied powers have finally Sc
cured certain reforms in Macedonia which
are now in operation but are not entirely
satisfactory. The province is governed by
two civil commissioners known as agents.
One is Russian and the other is an Aus
tran, because the rivalry of those two ma
lions in the Balkan states makes it neces-
sary to have both represented in every
council and on every committee. These
agents are giving fairly good adminstra-
ton, as good as can be expected under the
circumstances. The finances of the province
are in charge Of what is called 1.-The inter-
national control commissioners" consisting
Of five members representing Russia, Aus
tria, Turkey, Germany and Italy. They as
sess the taxes, prepare the budget, super
wise the expenditures and audit the ac-
counts. The taxes are collected and the pro-
ceeds are disbursed for the commission by
the Ottoman Bank. a French institution
having its headquarters in Constantinople
with branches in all the important Turkish
cities. The bank acts as the financial agent
of the government. Its administration is
generally satisfactory and taxes are low,
compared with those of other countries,
but they are as high as the people can af-
ford to pay, and many Macedonians refuse
tn a1f0paf her ola lining ba bou
stood there was to be no more taxation
That was what they objected to under the
Turkish administration, and there has been
no improvement. The Macedonians are a
very unruly people. and difficult to control.
They have been subject to tyranny SO long
that they cannot adjust themselves to a
liberal government. The agents of the bank
cannot resort to the methods of compulsion
used by the Turkish collectors. Hence the
taxes are getting very much in arrears and
1t will soon be necessary to negotiate loan,
which, of course, the allied powers will
have to guarantee.
The collections now amount to about
$1O,0O0G0O year, of which $6500,O00 are
in the forts and garrisons. This enormous
army is considered necessary to prevent
local instructions and an invasion from
Bulgaria, SO that only $3.5O0.O00 is left for
schools, roads and other public improve
ments and the ordinary expenses of civil
administration. Out of this fund a second
army or police force of several thousand
men has to be supported.
The plan of reforms included a gendarm-
erie composed of local recruits command
ed by officers from France, Germany, Italy,