Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-18
INFLUENCE
IS WANING
GERMANY NO LONGER POWERFUL
IN TURKEY
.KAIsER's PRESTIGE usuRPED BY
FRENCH
Incident of Long Delayed Bridge Con-
tract Is Cited to Show Present
Disregard of German
Influence
Special Gable to The Herald.

Special Cable to The Herald
CONSTANTINOPLE, Aug. 17-Germal
influence in Turkey appears to be on thu
decline. For many years, and until quit
i recently, Germany enjoyed an exception
ally privileged situation in Turkey. Every
where throughout the country the power
! of German influence and the energy Of
! German action were making themselves
! felt with increasing force. AS regard!
politics, the Imperial Divan or rather
Yildiz Kiosk, whereas centered all polite
al power took nd decision of any i'm
portance without first consulting the
| German emperor, whose advise was al
ways religiously listened to and followed
1t is only necessary to recall the events
| in Crete the Greek war and the Mitylene
incident to be satisfied that in reality
Germany directed Turkish policy.
| On the other hand, that German enter
prises, commercial, financial or industrial,
| have attained their present high develop
ment and degree of prosperity is due In
part to the initiative, courage and activ-
| ity of the individuals Interested, and also
! to the encouragement and protection they
obtain from their government. But there
would be no exaggeration in saying that
the principal factor in their progress is
the marked favor which all German en-
terprises enjoyed up to the present from
the Turkish authorities, from the high
est person who gave the orders to the
lowest who executed them, perhaps with
out enthusiasm but always with fidelity.
For fifteen years all the big orders for
war material have gone to Germans 1t
was only necessary for Krupp's repre-
sentative to make a tender for any other
offer to be at once refused. The Germans
have secured all the important conces-
sions and the high posts in the army and
we'll paid posts in the government de-
partments.
Commerce Develops
1t was only natural that German COM
merce under this high favor of the
authorities developed greatly and little by
little supplanted the trade of other
countries. 1t is, however, certain that
for some time German influence has been
waning. This is particularly to be noticed
in the evident tendency there is on the
part of the government to oppose all
demands and claims, even the most just
ones, if made by Germans, by offering
its pet weapon, passive resistance.
In spite of all the energy of the German
ambassador many questions which a few
months ago would have been settled at
once remain unsettled, because the gov
eminent pays no attention to the de-
mands. One of these, owing to the cir
cumstances connected with it has peculiar
An iron floating bridge connects Galata
and STEAMBOAT. 1t is a famous bridge,
most famous for the way it has with
stood the attacks of the elements and age
and incessant collisions with the Turkish
ferry steamers, but in spite of every
thing 1t continues to act as a Turkish
bridge. 1t is an absolute ruin, and the
lives of thousands of people are daily
endangered by it.
For over twenty years the government
has been troubled by this state of
things, which might lead to a catas-
trophe, and has several times thought
of repairing the structure. But the ex-
ecution of plan takes long time with
the Turks.
Germans to Build
Six months ago, however, a German
firm got the concession for the construc-
ton of a new bridge. The contract was
signed and the bridge was to be ready
for use in twenty months the govern
ment undertaking to pay the cost of con-
struction in regular installments. In
order to make these payments the gov
eminent offered to contract a loan with
the Deutsche bank of $1,000, 900, to which
the latter agreed.
1t looked as If there was nothing more
to be done but to begin work, but in
spite of repeated representations by the
ambassador, in spite of the good will of
the Deutsche bank which offered to
make the first payment without waiting
for the guarantees and in spite of the
constant danger to the population of the
town, nothing is done. The grand vizier
refuses all the facilities offered and al
ways puts off the first payment neces-
sary for the commencement of the work.
The non-execution of this work, so es-
sential to the safety and comfort of the
town, is due to a question of offended
dignity. When the last loan was OBJ
tanned in France by the Turkish gov
eminent a certain amount of the loan
was used for purchases from French
firms. The greater part of the orders
were given to Creuzot but still sum of
$3.50. 200 remained over for French firms
and then the Turks had the grand idea
of giving to the French-who did not
want 1.-THE construction of the bridge
Acting at once the process verbal was
prepared and sent by the porte for the
imperial sanction, but in Turkey every
thing is known as soon, or sooner, than
it is done, and the German ambassador
got wind of the affair before the sultan
had even received the papers
He at once went to the palace and In
very strong language protested against
the concession being given to anyone
except a German firm. He said that
during the last twelve years the sultan
had several times promised in the most
precise and formal manner, that the
bridge should be rebuilt by German
firm, and that he had come to demand
the fulillment of the promise.
Within twenty-four hours the contract
was signed between the Ottoman gov
eminent and a German firm, but the
Porte took the affair personally as an
insult, and has done everything possible
to hinder the conclusion of the business.
1t is impossible to suppose that the Porte
is doing this entirely on its own respon-
sibility, as in all things it is governed
and directed by the palace. and doubt
less it has been informed that this line
of conduct would not be dstasteful there.
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