The Washington herald., 1907-09-01

newly elected Parliament with a showing
on the part Of the treasury which viii
permit an extensive reduction of taxa
ton to be made. The nation has grad
ually become alive to this. They realize
that the Kings disregard Of the letter OF
the constitution In ruling for a number OF
months without the legislature was a sine
qua non if the reforms were to be accom-
plished which are now placing Portugal
on a new and happier footing. All dan
ger Of Legitimist rising or OF Repub-
licah Instruction have disappeared and it
may be taken for granted that the joint
birthday of the King and Queen at the
end Of this month viii be celebrated with
more sincere popular rejoicings than eve'
before.
Sultan Abdul Hamed will celebrate, on
September 2. his sixty-ifth birthday.
Opinions differ as to this monarch. Tie
late Mr.. Gladstone used TO denounce him
as the great assassin" and as the per-
sonilcation of everything that was evil.
Emperor William. on the other hand.
whom even his foes agree TO be a singu-
larry brilliant. clever. and extremely re-
lig."as man, entertains the highest posi-
bic regard for the Padishah, and pro-
claims him to be a very well-intentioned.
humane. and Hberal-minded ruler That
Abdul Hamed is a wonderfully clever
statesman must be universally conceded.
When he succeeded 10 the throne, moro
than thirty years ago, the Ottoman empire
seemed on the very eve Of disruption.
Never indeed, had its fortunes been at so
low an ebb, or had the outlook al STAN
boul been more gloomy. To-day the
sublime porte has, thanks 10 the present
Sultan, become once more an extremely
important factor in the great concert Of
nations, as well as in the smaller circle
OF great powers. So much so. that the
acquisition Of its friendship by Germany
Is regarded in every capital Of Europe as
one Of the most useful achievements. Do
liucally as well as economically, Of En-
perOr Williams reign. BY playing on the
rivalries and jeaiousies Of the various
governments represented at CONSTANT
nOple, the Sultan has not ol,v prevented
the organization Of any concerted inter-
vention by the powers In the administra-
ton Of his empire. but has managed to
recover much Of the authority and pres
tige that had been forfeited By his prede-
cessors on the throne When he was
invested with the historic scimiter Of Os-
man, which is the emblem of Ottoman
sovereignty. the sway Of the sublime
porte was disputed In many parts Of the
empire
To-day the Sultan's influence extends
far beyond the borders of Turkey. and
reaches throughout the length and the
breadth of Africa and Of Asia. indeed.
wherever the faith Of Islam prevails.
Every vestige Of authority is cOncen-
trated in the hands OF the Sultan He Is
the absolute autOcrat Of his empire That
his authority on the whole has not been
misused is shown by the fact that the
Armenians prefer his scepter 70 that OF
the Car. II is demonstrated nv the in
crease of the prestige and the power Of
the sublime porte. and in the growth OF
the prosperity Of the nation since he as
cended the throne, and it is finally proved
by the remarkable works which he has
inaugurated as a lasting memorial Of his
name. one Of them being the bridging OF
the straits at Constantinople which d.
vide Europe from Asia, and the other
being the construction Of that great
railroad which is 10 connect the railroad
systems Of Europe with those sacred
cities Of Mecca and Medina which are
the hottest places in Islam. His chief
title in the eyes Of the faithful is that
OF Servant OF the Holy Places, not only
of Mecca and Medina. but also Of Kouds,
which is the Turkish name for Jerusalem,
and it viii doubtless surprise many people
70 know that he still retains among his
other titles that of Sovereign Of Servia.
and Of the Fortress of Belgrade; also of
q A
Tunis and Of Turkestan, none Of which
countries can rightly be said TO be sub
ject 70 his sovereignty. Perhaps the
best proof Of the hold which Abdul
Hamed has succeeded in acquiring upon
the respect and regard of the foreign
governments is TO be found in their
anxiety that his life and his reign should
be prolonged. and their dread Of his
death as a menace to peace. and as cal
culated to lead 10 all sorts Of troubles
and complications.
Other anniversaries during this month
are the eighty-first birthday Of the ven
cradle Grand Duke Of Baden on September
8, and the fifty-first anniversary Of
wedding day on September % his
consOrt being the only daughter and
favorite companion Of old Emperor
William, and who was by her fathers
side when Nobling shot at and so badly
wounded him in 1875 The grand duke
played an important role in bringing
into existence the present German en-
pire, and contributed more than any one
else TO smooth away opposition on the
part of certain reluctant soyereigns OF
the German confederation 20 the investi-
ture of the King Of Prussia with virtual
supremacy as Kaiser. He is universally
and rever.d, both at home and
abroad, and when IL the course Of time
he is gathered TO his fathers. the loss OF
hts sagacious counstis, based upon more
than half q centurys experience as q
German ruler. will be sorely missed.
Italy will celebrate on September Is the
third birthday of her future King, little
Humbert, Prince Of Piedmont, upon
whom the hopes of the nation are CEN
tered. and five days later the subjects
OF King Victor Emmanuel will comment
crate in their usual fashion the ami
versary of the occupation of Rome
thirty-seven years ago. when the Eternal
City became the capital OF United Italy.
Finally, on Saturday. SepRmber IS. st.
falling on the following sun
day, the aldermen and common council
will assemble at the Guild Han, in the
city of London, TO elect for the coming
year their chief magistrate, that august
dignitary. who persOniiies, especially In
the eyes of foreigners, all the grandeur
and colossal wealth OF the British me-
tropolis, namely, the lord mayor
story of Famous Hymn.
From the Culver.