Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-13


in the discussion of public questions the
members of the first chamber OF deputies
conducted themselves with remarkapie
dignity and showed an ability and intel
ligence which was surprising. Sir Hehly
Elliot. the British ambassador, VINO at
tended it's sessions, declared that they
were most encouraging and showed the
members to be fully determined that thelr
control over the government shouio pe d
real one. There was no Jealousy between
the classes of which the assembly was
composed. turbaned mollahhs and repre-
Of the Christian churches neins
equally bent upon making the new IN
work for the regeneration ..
their common country, critic1slns tne act
of the government with perfect freedom
making known the abuses going on in the
provinces and refusing 10 vote the money
asked for when they deemed the amount
excessive or the object unnecessary. Noun,
ing in fact, could be more promising, ana
many of those who in their Ignorance oI
the Turkish character, had laughed at
the notion of an ottoman parliament, now
honestly expressed their surprise and
their admiration for the fearless spirit
that was exhibited
Explorer 1ayard Praises Them.
Sir Henry Layard. the famous explorer
November 26, 1877. wrote as follows:
Last week / was present at a sitting OF
the Turkish deputies. l may state with
confidence and with. some. experience In
the house of commons that never saw a
debate carried on with more order ana
propriety No public assembly OF the
kind could be composed of more re-
spectacle, intelligent and dlgnlneu oouy
of, men than. the. present turkish parma
ment, and it should pc the po.Ss
of England to employ what influence sne
may have with the porte to support ana
encourage this attempt at nationai repre-
SentatiOn.
Before the constitution was suspended
the parliament dissolved and the prom
Used reforms were Abandoned; Midhat
Pasha was removed, degraded and BAN
ished to the deserts Of Arabia There
he remained, much of the time In prison,
until 1883, when by command or MS sov-
ereign he committed suicide or was as
Abdul Hamid feared his influence SO
much that a few months later he had the
grave opened and the head of Mldhat
shipped to him at the YifdiZ Kiosk al
Constantinople in a box LABELED Japa-
nese ivories-art objects" He was not
satisfied of Midhat's death until he had
seen that gruesome evidence
How Revolution Came About.
The overthrow of 1.-THE palace party at
Constantinople was brought about by the
concerted action of the Young Turkish
party, the Armenians, Greeks, Buigarians,
Kurds and rebellious Arabs, who held
congress in Paris last December, which
was fully reported in these dispatches at
the time. All the various interests which
were antagonistic to the sultan then re-
solved upon cooperation. And their
president, Prince Seebaheddin. son or
the brother of the sultan, who was par
TALLY educated at Robert College, the
Presbyterian institution at Constantine
pie, appointed secret agents to promote a
revolutionary propaganda in THE army.
The work was successful beyond eXpecta-
lions, and the committee of union and
progress selected the :,1St of August, the
thirty-secOnd anniversary of the accession
of Abdul Hamid to the throne. for
coup d'etat which was to end his life ana
reign and place one of his sons In power
with a liberal regency.
In some way or another the sultan
learned of this program. and anticipated
a revolt of the army, led by Gems. EnVer
Bey and Mail Bey. by calling around him
a ministry of liberal Turks. dismissins
his former favorites and permitting them
to escape from the country. proclalm1nS
Midhats constitution of 1876. calling an
election of deputies for new parliament.
and by offering amnesty for more than
60, 600 political eXileS.
The censorship of the newspapers was
abolished: new journals sprung up In
every city of Turkey. and kilograms,
handbiilS, pamphlets and other printed
expressions of opinion and reports OF
events were sold and given away on the
street. Public meetings were held IN
every village, and the pent-up feelings or
the people were relieved by oratoricai
eruptions that were volcanic. The entire
Ottoman empire has since been passing
through a hysterical exhibition of joy and
relief the extent and Significance of which
the outside world cannot realize.
What It Means to Turkey.
While the sultan may not have been
sincere in his promises. die cannot recall
them. The people have burned his bridges
for him so that he cannot retrace his
steps. and the bloodless revolution means
to Turkey: Freedom Of conscience; free
dom of thought; freedom of speech; free
dom of the press; the protection of life
and property; no more confiscations; no
more secret arrests; no more robbery
under the guise of taxation.
No more Armenian massecres: no more
massacres of Christians in Macedonia.
Hereafter Christians and MoslemS, Jews
and Greeks will serve together in the
army which makes a ''gehad' or holy
war against the Christians impossible.
There will be equality of race and re-
ligion in official life. in politics, in bust
ness. and all religions will be free.
1t means freedom of commerce without
restriction or monopolies to favorites.
Women Will Be Emancipated.
All foreigners will have equal rights
and protection.