Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-02

1t will prove both interesting and In
structive to recall the incidents attending
the PRONUNCIATION of 1876, which then. as
now. was involuntary. Abdul Hanlio
would have his subjects take him TOT
LIBERAL but the world knows better and
none more so than the party or Young
Turks" which trusts him not, but Is even
now considering his successor. AS we
shall see. the man indeed who was the
father of the constitution of 1876. ana con-
sequently the father Of the Young TURKS
was no other than the unfortunate Mldhat
Pasha whose life and death tstrangied 10
death by order of Abdul Handy have been
made the subject of a book by Midhats
son, All Haydar Bey. THE Life or Mo
hat Pasha,' 1903.
The ENJOYS and plenipotentiaries of the
great powers were assembled in the Ad-
miralty building on the
Diplomats Golden Horn in the large
A...,h,.d hall prepared for their
reception December %.
1875 When the preliminary formalities
had been concluded there came the report
Of a gun from the opposite shore of the
Bosphorus at the Seraskierate. Savfet
Pasha arose and, addressing the pleni-
potentlaries. said:
Gentlemen the cannon that you hear
across the Bosphorus announces the pro-
mitigation by his majesty the sultan of
a constitution guaranteeing equal rights
and constitutional liberties to all the SUBJ
jects of the empire alike"
The constitution was then proclaimed
The ulemas. with the Cheik-ul-Islam; the
Christian clergy and patriarchs. the min
listers plenipotentiary. the softas and
students the representatives Of all the
corporations and the populace of the
"a nit al with A2 hoa ring the inScrintiOn
Liberty marched all to the residence
of Midhat to congratulate him on the
success of his work.
In the evening the mosques were illu-
minated. and the people. carrying torches.
paraded the streets. crying Long live
the sultan and Midhat Pashaw The pal
ace of "Bechiktashe'' was the only place
not Illuminated. The sultan was sick!
Midnat made speeches in which he de-
clared that he recognized no distinctions
between Mussulmans and Christians, as
they were all children of the same coun-
try. He urged that "all should work to-
gether as brothers to promote the prog
ress of their country under one flag and
by the aid of the new liberty pronounced
by the sultan.
When the question of the application Of
the constitution arose Abdul Hamid. true
to the characteristics which he has al
ways practiced. procrastinated and prom
Used. Finally Midhat protested thus:
Sire, the object of promulgating the
constitution was to abolish absolutism, to
indicate your majesty's rights and duties
to define and establish those of ministers;
in word, to secure to the nation COM
plete and entire liberty. and thus by a
common effort raise the condition and po-
Sition of the country. Our object In pro-
mitigating that constitution was certainly
not merely to find solution of the So
called eastern question. but to seek there
by to make demonstration that should
conciliate the sympathy of Europe, which
had been estranged from U.S."
These were bold words of the sultan's
grand vizier-words which were seldom. If
ever, heard at Yildiz XII
Bold osk Did Abdul Hamid
w.-a. heed them? The atrocious
assassination at Jaif May
10. 1884, of Midhat. recounted by Midhats
son, is a sufficient answer. Is there con-
ISOLATION in the maxim that 1.-The blood of
the martyrs is the seed of the church? If
that is so, then Midhat's death was not in
vain. for around his name, become the
synonym of liberty, the party of Young
Turks has rallied for a final struggle for
absolute independence.
The party of young Turkey. like that of
young Egypt, is party of calm and Or
der and the dispatches of July 30 from
Constantinople declare that Everybody
has been greatly impressed with the per-
feet organization of the movement and
the absolute discipline in all ranks" 1t
Is avOwed also that the situation lacks
clearness. and that coming events,
which usually cast their shadows be-
FORE cannot for fact be fOreshadowed
That the Young Turks are masters of the
situation and the sultan an unknown
quantity is everywhere apparent
The sultan Is a good promiser, but a
Wretched performer. 1t is a poor excuse
to say that his advisers were vicious and
bad. Abdul Hamid has never kept his
promises. either to his people or to Eu-
rope. which has been obliged to interfere.
blindly, no doubt. in Turkeys affairs
because of his atrocities toward his Chris
his Moslem subjects, in the second.
Among the many obligations which he
has VIGOROUSLY and rersistently violated
is the letter and spirit of the SiXty-first
article of the treaty of Berlin, July Is,
1878. which says:
THE sublime porte undertakes to carry
out without further delay the ameliora-
ton. and reforms demanded by local re-
quirements in the provinces Inhabited by
the Armenians, and to guarantee their
security against the Circassians and
the steps taken to this effect to the pow
ers. who will superintend their applica-
ton !
The sultan has successfully evaded per-
Torrance of this solemn obligation. The
Young Turks may be trusted to take such
action as may seem to them necessary to
guarantee henceforth the peace of Tur-
key. and thus the peace of Europe. The
imperial trade of July 20 convoking the