The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-08-08

ton of changing the order of success
sion, and of nominating his favorite
sen, Burhan-ed-Din, to the throne.
Purhan-ed-Din is a long way down in
the order of seniority, and there are
no less than thirteen princes between
him and the succession. The palace
favorites might be glad to see him as
cend the throne, in the hope that they
would be able to maintain their posi-
ton under a young man of q who
has been educated more or less under
their influence For this very reason,
however, he would be unpopular with
the people, who ardently desire
change of regime, and who would OBJ
iect very strongly to the violation of
the law involved in passing over the
other thirteen candidates, two of whom
are his elder brothers. If any of the
princes with prior claims to the throne
chose to resist the usurpatlon, they
would find considerable support in Tur-
key. Moreover, Burhan-ed-D Din would
find it difficult to get himself recog-
nized as sultan by the powers, and his
position. both at home and abroad
would be most irregular. The obstacles
| in the way of his succession are so
many and so obvious that it is i'm
PIT ssible to take his candidates as seri-
| Gus.
Reshad's only dangerous rival is his
cousin, Youssouf Izz-ed-Din, who, in
accordance with the Ottoman law of
succession by seniority is the second
Heir to the throne. Reshad's i'll health
and reputed mental weakness might
ccnceivably be made the pretext for
passing over his claim, or for deposing
him shortly after his accession. From
Youssouf Izz-ed-Din it would be hope
less to expect reforms. All accounts
agree in describing him as a man Of
| narrow views and despotic temper, who
would continue the Hamidan policy,
suppressing every other initiative in
the country except his own, The pres
ent set of palace favorites would
probably be swept away, but their
places would be taken by others, who
would be just as unscrupulous and, by
reason Of their present poverty, even
more rapacious.
Il is not quite so certain what the
result will be If, as Is more probable,
the throne comes to the heir-apparent,
Reshar Effendi. The reports of his lib
eralism are possibly exaggerated But
he is a weak man physically, and prob
ably mentally as well. Those who be-
leva in the patriotism of the grand
v.zier and the sheikh-ul-Islam hope
that they will still be in office when
he becomes sultan, and that they Will
b. able, If not to revive the constitu-
ticn, which was granted by Abdul
Hamid, but afterward suspended, at
any rate to restore the Porte to some
OF its former Importance. Reshad s
weakness, they think, will facilitate
this task even if he, who has suffered
almost as much as any one from his
brothers despotlsn, is not in sympathy
with the aims imputed to the grand
vizier and the sheikh-ul -Islam His
ertourage will, however be the cause
of great difficulty His servants and
dependents look forward to the time
when they can become imperial secre-
teries and court chamberains, and en-
Joy the opportunities of which the IL
zets and Faiks make such ample use
under Abdul Hamid Their object,
there can be little doubt, will be to
get as much power as possible into
their own hands, which, of course, will
mean maintaining the present suprem-
acy of the palace over the Porte and
all the abuses to which this suprem-
acy has given rise. AS they have shar-
ed Reshad's fortunes while he has
been virtual prisoner In the hands of
they will exercise greater influence
than men who, Whatever their private
feelings may be- are now serving UNI
der Abdul Hamid, and are, as minis
tiers, carrying out his policy So that
even the succession of the reputedly
liberal heir apparent is more likely to
be followed by a change of personnel
than by a change Of system.
That the powers should Interfere
and bring pressure to bear in favor of
reforms is most unlikely In Turkey,
more perhaps, than in any other part
Of the world, their mutual iealousies
and suspicious make effective co-opera-
ton impossible; and more than one of
them will be unwilling to join in any
action which would make Turkey
stronger to resist aggression
There can be little hope of any real
Improvement until there is a strong
movement among the people them
selves in favor of good government.
There have lately been signs that such
a movement is not quite so impossible
as is generally believed The discon-
tent of the Arn1enians and other Chris
tan races is sufficiently notorious, as
are the liberal aspirations Of the edu-
Gated Turks. The recent risings in
f-astamouni and Erzeroum, where the
Turkish population demanded and OBJ
ta!ned the dismissal Of corrupt officials
and the. remission of oppressive taxes,
SHOW that discomfort is far more wide
spread than anyone supposed. The sig
nificance of these risings is increased
by the fact that the troops refused to
act against the people. But though
trese are favorable symptoms it would
be a mistake to attach too much i'm
portance to them, in view of the ignor-
auce of the peasantry and the apathy
and corruption of the educated classes.
From the Independent.
|
1