Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-20
TAKING A LOOK AHEAD
New Plan Adopted by the Young
Turkey Party.
AWAITING SULTAN'S DEATH
Revolutionary Parties Combine on
Mehemmed Reshad.
LEGAL HEIR TO THE THRONE
Mehemmed Durham Nominated by the
Present Ruler-Trying to Enlist
Aid of the Powers.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

/ sultan is as firm upon the throne and MS
authority is as autocratc and far-reachtng
as it ever was, and every demonstration
against it has been followed by a reaction
and retaliation with appalling consequences.
/ The leaders of the several movements have
recently got together, and after thought
| full deliberation have decided that 1t is
J better for them to work in anticipation of
future events rather than waste their ener-
/ gies on trying to do something in the
| present
Abdul Hamid is now sixty-four years of
! age. His health is very poor. For nearly
I year his physical condition has given
! his dependents great anxiety. Recently he
! has had physicians from Paris, Berlin and
1 Vienna, all of whom have made discourage
/ ing reports. His nervous system is almost
! in a state of collapse and his condition is
| aggravated by the excessive use of coffee
and cigarettes. He almost lives upon coffee
! He drinks enormous quantities OF that
! strongest of all stimulants, and it has be-
| come so necessary to his existence that
/ booths have been built at several points in
/ the park surrounding the Yildiz Kiosk so
/ that he may be served at frequent intervals
/ during his daily drives. The physicians de-
! clare that he cannot live much longer, and
| the succession to the throne of the Otto
man empire and the Khalifat of the Mo-
1 hammedan faith is likely to be q matter of
| vital interest at any time
Combined on Mehemmed Reshad.
Under these circumstances the several or
ganizations opposed to the present ruler of
Turkey have agreed to combine their efforts
In support of Mehemmed Reshad Effendi.
who. according to Mussulman law, is the
heir-apparent and the legal successor of
Abdul Hamid But in direct violation of
| that law the sultan has nominated his fifth
child and third son, Mehemmed Durham Ed
din Enendi, and the nomination has been
confirmed hy the Standardization 10 nal fri
arch of the Moslem world. The law ex-
pressly states that the eldest living male
member of the family shall be the success
sor to the throne and the sultan has no
right to choose his favorite son or name
any one else to succeed him. Three of mis-
brothers and two of his elder sons stand
| between Mehemmed Durham and the throne.
| Ihls unlawful act gives the revolutionary
| societies excellent ground to stand on and
| an unanswerable argument in favor of
Mehemmed Reshad.
The latter is two years younger than his
! brother, the sultan, and the son of the
| same mother He lives as a partial pris-
oner in one OF the palaces on the Bos-
| phorus, surrounded by paid spies and
guards or the sultan, who report to their
master everything he says and does He Is
Known to be in sympathy with THE Young
Turkey Party and to have liberal pro-
gressive Ideas, which, of course are Of
fenslVe 10 MS imperial brother and are the
reason why the latter has attempted to
| put him out of the successorship He has
| conducted himself with great discretion
and prudence, however, and has furnished
| no excuse for his assassination or imprison-
ment. An elder brother, as you know
/ Mohammed Murad Effendi was prisoner
/ in one of the palaces from 1876 when he
/ was deposed, until his death a few months
| ago, and his uncle and predecessor was
/ assassinated in his own room, although an
| attempt was made to prove that he COM
| mltted suicide by piercing the arteries in
his arm with pair Of thermal scissors
The Preferred Son.
| Mehemmed Durham, the-favorite son, who
| had been nominated for the successorship
| VIII be twenty-one years old next Decem-
| Der, and is a bright, active, agreeable
| young fellow, well known among the for
eign colony in ConstantinopIe. who con-
| slider him of superior talent and excellent
| character. He has decided taste for mu-
| SIC ana has shown considera BILE genius both
| as performer and a composer The sui
| tan very proud of these ACCOMPLISHMENTS
| frequently introduces him to foreign Wis
| ltors and has him perform for them upon
| the plano. He is better acquainted with
| the members of the diplomatic corps and
| other foreigners in Constantinople, for these
| reasons, than any of his brothers. He
| speaks English, French and German t1u-
| emily, having had tutors in all those IAN
| guages.
When Emperor William of Germany WIS.,
| tied Constantinople three or four years
| tailed as one OF his attendants. The kaiser
| took great fancy to him and tried to
persuade the sultan to let him return to
| Germany with the party to complete his
| education but the latter was afraid TO
| trust him. His experience with foreign
| educated members of his family has NOT
| been agreeable. Indeed every one of the
| imperial household who has had the ad-
| vantages OF a European education or has
! spent much time outside the limits of the
| empire has become revolutionist and is
member Of the young Turkey party. That
| party was originally organized by Nah
| moud Pasha, husband of Sultana Semen,
| the sultan's sister who was educated IN
/ France and England. His associates were
| almost exclusively sons of the Turkish no.
| hility who were educated in Germany ana
4 France.
The Young Turkey Party.
Mahmoud Pasha is dead He died in ex-
! lie, but his sons are now among the most
| active leaders OF the young Turkey party
| and are frequently seen at its headquarters
| In Geneva. although they reside In PARIS
| thousands OF the most influential people
| In Turkey. including members of the court
| and high officials of the government ana
| even attendants upon the person of the
| sultan. are members OF this organiza ton
Iheir connection Is secret, OF course be-
| cause II would be fatal to them If the
facts were disclosed. The object OF the
party is to secure constitutional mon
! archy and parliament, and its leaders
believe that the crisis is approaching and
! that their time to act will come upon the
| death of the present sultan. They nave
decided to sustain the claims of the legal
| heir-apparent. and are said to have con-
WINGED the leaders of other revolutionary
| parties that II will be wise 10 suspend act
| I've revolutionary operations until that event
| occurs. and IN the meantime strengthen
| the supporters of Mehemmed Reshad by
| making converts in the army and navy
| particularly. and among influential mem
bers of the government and the community.
| That is the program. Plenty of money will
be contributed by Jews. Greeks, Armenians
| and by everybody else who favors good
| government. The banking institutions, for
| eign merchants and all the business inter-
| ests In Turkey will support the claims or
Mehemmed Reshad so far as they are able
| TO do so without compromising themselves.
An effort will be made to secure the sup
port of the powers OF Europe. particularly
Germany, which Is the only friend the sui-
tan has among all the nations He has
| paid high price for that friendship by
| granting concessions to German syndicates
| for almost every enterprise that can be
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