New-York tribune., 1908-07-25
REFORM FOR TURKEY
CONSTITUTION RESTORED
sulfan Yields to Demands of Young
Turks.

hau,ber Of deputies in accordance with a con-
.s,ution which has been elaborated by the
c,tan The trade has been communicated to
ne wallis and the district lieutenant governors
xth the necessary orders for the holding of
elections. The constitution which the trade
now makes effective is practically the one
worked out IN 1910
The Grand Vizier Immediately took stems to
carry out the orders of his imperial master He
addressed to Sail the provincial authorities con-
cerned circular telegram convening the cham
her OF deputies, in which he pointed out that
the method Of forming the chamber is deter
mined by organic statute which according
to the official communication, is IAN fllustrious
institution OF the Sultan"
Startling the sudden dismissal Of Ferid
Pacha from the Grand viziership of Turkey and
the appointment of Said Pacha In his place
this step was as nothing compared to the SEN
sation created in all quarters this morning by
the Official announcement that the Sultan had
decided convoke a parliament
II was felt that in view of the general re-
volt in the army, unprecedented in the history
of the Turkish Empire some change was in
evitable and that far-reaching measures of re-
form in the central government were bound to
be instituted But the drastic action OF the
Sultan, who took the reins into his own hands
and by the stroke Of q pen suddenly yielded to
the demands Of the Young Turks and restored
the constitution Of 1876. has taken the palace
clique. the members of the diplomatic CORDS
in fact. the entire population of ConstantinopIe-
completely by surprise Although it was thought
that the long sustained agitation might possibly
bring about some form OF parliamentary sd-
nlnistration, nothing dramatically abrupt
was regarded possible.
The immediate cause Of the Sultan,s raising
Of the white hag~was the receipt of a telegrarn
from the Albanians OF Uskub to his majesty in
forming him that they had taken their oath to
favor the re-estabiishnent Of the constitution
This message came like a thunderbolt at the
Yildiz Kiosk The Sultan had been under the
impression that he could depend upon the Al
bsnians under all circumstances Ferid Pacha
who Is an Albanian. had fostered this conceit.
When the facts became known the-wrath of the
Sultan Immediately fell upon his favorite who
summoned to the palace and dismissed on
the spot.
The former Grand vizier. Said Pacha, was
then summoned to the palace He gave the Sui
tan an insight into the real gravity Of the sit
uation in the country. and the hopelessness OF
attempting TO restore permanent peace IN the
army and among the people unless the personal
regime, with its attendant abuses and intrigues,
which had brought the country to the verge of
ruin. came to an end and some steps were taken
in the direction Of granting measure Of con-
stitutional government. The attitude of the AL
banians had disconnected the Sultan that Said
Pacha found him in mood to make conces-
sions and the pressure e3erted by other men
who had been long absent from the councils at
the palace completed the conversion which re-
suited in the historic trade Of to-day.
After thirty-tvro years OF autocratic rule under
Sultan Abdul Hamid II the people Of Turkey
again have q constitution granted tos them This
rra
proclaimed on December q 1876. by the present
Sultan. Immediately following his elevation TO the
sultanate after the violent death of Sultan Abdul
kz5z, June OF that year, and the deposition OF
Sultan Murad V, August 81, 1876
This action the part Of the Sultan, which came
IS g comuiete surprise to all observers OF the
progress of events In Turkey. was wTested from
him by the Young Turks political party that
has been working number Of years for the
establishment of a constitutional government in
the realm Of the Sultan.
Last fall the Young Turks and representatives OF
the various races and creeds in Macedonia met IN
Paris and decided to concentrate their efforts SO
as 10 bring about q government for Turkey thaI
should be modelled the Western system The
efforts TO this end characterized by a quiet
determination and few persons were aware to
what extent the propaganda fiourished- About ten
days ago there began TO come reports Of mutlnes
among the Turkish troops in Macedonia and it was
declared that the Young Turks had succeeded in
10 their
When the Sultan learned that the wild people Of
the Albanian country would support him no longer.
but had Joined the liberal movement and were call
ing loudly for constitutional reform. he suddenly
decided 70 bow TO the inevitable rather than face
revolutionary outbreak through all Macedonia.
. The chief provisions Of the constitution of 1875
were: The indivisbility the empire, the suprem-
acy of the Sultan, individual liberty, the freedom
OF all creeds of the press and Of education; equal
and two mi a
ersl election by ballot every fourth year and fr-
removable 4,dRes The first Turkish Parliament
was opened on March 19 1877, with thirty Senators
and ninety Deputies in attendance and on that
date the first speech from The throne was read
The carving out Of this project OF reform, how
ever. impossible under the conditions prevail
ing throughout the Turkish empire in 1871 and the
Efforts we're abandoned when Russia declared war
on Turkey on April a. 1877. This war concluded
osastrously for Turkey
The granting of the first constitution was pre-
ceded IN the spring Of 1875 by insurrecon when
broke out in Bosnia and Herzegovina. then TWO OF
the northern provinces Of European Turkey, ana
before they had been taken by Austria-Hungary-
The Porte failed TO put down the disturbance, ana
the efforts TO DO so Increasing the financial embar-
rsssment. Turkey was forced In the autumn OF
that year TO repudate the claims Of many credit
OTIS n the mean while the insurrection continued
TO spread, and 1T attracted the attention OF
the larger European powers. At the instigation
o. Austria q note drawn up and signed py al
the powers declaring that 1.-The promises OF reform
made by the Porte had not been carried into enect
and that some combined action Of the powers or
Europe was necessary 10 bring about the fulflment
Of the many engagements which Turkey had MADE
and broken
This note failed to effect its object. and the rep
resentatives the powers met at Berlin and init
mated that if Turkey failed to fulfil her broken
promises within two months force would be used to
raaf IN IN