Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09
British Comment on Recent
Change to Liberalism.
THE NEW GRAND VlzIER
Increase of English influence at Sui
tan's Court. {.
MANY AMERICANS IN LONDON
Historic Bell Leaves Savonarolo Mon
astery for Museum-Grumble
Over American Mails.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
LONDON, August I. 1:HS.
II is a good sign I am told by Turkish
authorities here that the sultan. has ap-
pointed Kutchuk Said Pasha to be his
new grand vizier He does not belong to
the ureaucratic class. He was a journal
list in a small way when palace official
recognized his abilities and took him into
the palace. where he quickly. rose to be
first secretary. In his capacity he OPP
posed all liberal reforms and it was he
who signed the decree which annuled
the first constitution. This, of course
won him the sultan's favor, and he was
duly appointed grand vizier. In this post
he did much useful work. checking cor
ruption. founding schools and laying down
railways. He was not popular. for his
manner was hard and austere, and he
punished defaulters with stern hand
Then a remarkable change came in his
career. BY studying the principles and
practices of the reform party for his own
purposes of punishment and repression
he became convert to liberal ideas. He
then tried to bring the sultan to his point
of view. His boldness had disastrous
consequences and brought about his
speedy downfall and disgrace. He had
to seek the protection of the British en-
bassy from the fate of the soaped rope.
which is the reward of so many Turkish
reformers. Now he is taken back to
favor and the sultan will hardly dare to
dismiss him again.
This reappointmsnt will mean further
increase of English influence at the ex-
pense of Germany. for kutchuk Said
Pasha replaces a grand vizier who only
the other day received the Order of the
Black Eagle from the kaiser.
1t is rumored that the sultan intends to
abdicate. That may mean that he may
be forced to do SO by the Young Turkish
party. who are letting him down gently
in allowing the world to believe that IT is
voluntary act: or it may be that Abdul
Hamid. seeing that the days of arbitrary
rule are gone forever. is seeking to turn
the situation to advantage by securing
terms which would never be granted
were he to cling to the throne for the
few remaining years of his life.
1t is we'll known that he desires to
change the succession in favor of his
fourth son. Burhan-ed-Din. By law his
should succeed. 1t is possible that he
thinks that the country would be so glad
10 be rid OF him that it would concede
the change as a condition of his abdica-
ton.
There is another motive. The sultan
loves power. but he loves money more
During the thirty-two years of his reign
he has acquired enormous landed proper
ty.- representing millions. If he stays on
the throne it is scarcely likely, under
the new regime. that he will be allowed
to retain all this, and at his death 1t will
certainly not be recognized as his estate
to be disposed of he may have direct
ed. But while still on the throne he may
plausibly make a claim for an indemnity.
or he may assert his right to realize
its value. 1t would be unwise on the part
of the state to allow him to sell 1t to
whom he might think fit-it includes the
Jordan valley one item-sO the Turkish
government would find means of award
ing him sum of ready money In excess
of anything he could hope to receive
were his reign to continue.
Sultan Wealthiest Monarch.
The workings of Adults mind are tor
tuous. and it is impossible to follow him.
But if the seemingly voluntary abdica-
1ion is not in reality forced one, it is
almost certain that Abdul Hamid will ask
for the succession to be made over to his
son, and for heavy compensation. The
former he will probably not get this uncle,
Abdul AziZ, tried for it and failed), but
the money will be found for him by hook
or by crook. a few short years OF de-
cent government will serve to recover 1t.
if it runs into millions The economy in
the palace budget will go a long way
toward that.
The sultan is probably the wealthiest
monarch in the world. The precise amount
of his civil list cannot be stated, but 1t
is not less than $4.GUV,OCO annually. The
revenue from landed property amounts
to about SaOGO0UO a year and TO this
must be added the interest on his invest
ments in Europe and America, an I'M
known quantity, but considerable one.
for the imperial savings must have been
enormous. In spite of this huge private
income, the Public eXchequer is largely
drawn upon tor purely PERSONAL use.
There is little item of $JOO00O year
for secret service which means the con-
tribution of impoverished people toward
the maintenance of the elaborate spy
system controlled by the nervous sover-
eign. The allowance of the members OF the
sultans family are also charged to the
exchequer and are consequently often in
arrears. a state of things not displeasing
To his majesty. for poor relations are
more easily managed than rich ones.
The words YildiZ Kiosk are familiar
enough To newspaper readers. but there
are, / suppose. comparatively few who
know what they denote. Literally they
mean the star summer house. rather an
innocent Interpretation of words which
have recently acquired sinister sign1h-
canoe. The passenger entering the Bos-
rlorus sees long and stately line OF
palaces on the European shore. Behind
rises thickly wooded hill studded with
white buildings. which peep here and
there from the dense. green foliage This
is tale YildiZ Kiosk. which before the adj
vent of Abdul was simply kiosk, a sum-
mer house the hill. But the present
sultan dislikes publicity. and he made
the kiosk his permaNent residence ignor-
ing the half-dozen palaces of state which
So iildiz grew from cottage to a
town in wood. surrounded by huge
wall fifty feet high-a town containing
some 1000 souls devoted to the service
and projection of one man. who dwells
in Lama-like seclusion in its innermost
recesses. 1t would be certain death to
attempt TO pass its gates unlimited, and
the people of COnstantinOple fight shy OF
its vicinity for fear of mistakes The
sultan denies electric lights and teIe-
PHONES to his subjects but he has both
installed in the palace. and is indeed
surrounded by every modern improve
ment.
Many Sightseers in London.
This is London's brake year" The
other day counted fifteen char a -bancs
barging along Fleet street crowded with
American women and men. who left an
impression of small hats light, we'll
made waterproof overcoats and self
possessed curiosity In the afternoon a
four-in-h hand coach with only two horses
passed down; then two motor char-a-
bancs. with seats rising behind one an
other like q segment of dress circle
broke loose from one of the Strand
theaters. or the stern Of a war galley
which American enterprise had placed
on the streets, in the charge of a young
man with megaphOne, and then q
string of landaus each with four SOL
emn. staring people Being on the way
IN Do eA