Morris tribune., 1908-08-08
TURKEY WITH LIBERTY
viii Be a New World Power, Says
Mundji Bey.
STILL TO BE REcK0NED WITH

Sultan as Free as His People, Declares
Turkish Consul General at New York
External influence to BE No Longer
Tolerated-To Build New Navy.
Turkey, a rejuvenated and reunited
nation, once more taking her place
among the great powers Of the world,
with a navy equaling that which once
placed her third among naval powers,
10 safeguard the reawakened CONNER
cial and industrial enterprise Of the
country, is to be the result Of the new
~ granted Turkish constitution. So
Mund.ii Bey, Turkish consul general at
New York, predicted the other day,
fur to USE the cOnsuPs words, lit is
not the sultan who is the sick man,
but the entire country" vexed and
harassed on every side by foreign in
fiuence and interference.
Mundji Bey, who is a graduate Of
the High Political school at CONSTANT
nopIe, said to New York Times re-
porter:
His majesty the sultan has been al
a constitution similar to the one given
in 1876 under the ministry Of Midhat
Pasha, but was prevented by palace
influences. His advisers gave him false
and misleading information, and the
sultan has been fearful, furthermore,
hat 11+h fnpI,+ NJ
of liberalism, always having in view
the fate of Abdul Aziz.
''When the throne devoIyed upon
Abdul Hamid, the present ruler, he
swore to give the people freedom and
happiness by means of a constitution,
and but for the war with Russia,
which followed Immediately, the priv
leges then granted would have con-
tinued. But the chambers were closed
and remained so until the recent issue
Of the new firman.
"For thirty-two years the Turkish
nation has been awaiting a constitu-
ton, which has been deferred only, as I
have said, in consequence Of the sui
tan'S apprehension that he would suf
fer the fate of his uncle, but recent
developments have forced his hand.
During the last thirty-two years Tur-
key has fallen into decay and is now
on the brink of ruin, to which it has
been driven by the great powers,
which are constantly interfering with
every internal question.
I'VE are now a free nation, and we
have a free government, and external
interference will be no longer tolerat-
ed. Through that influence we have
lost our agriculture and our commerce.
1t is not the sultan who is the sick
man. but the entire country"
Asked why the grant Of constitu-
ton had not been made before, Mundjf
Boy said:
/! The sultan has been beset by ad-
visers Of his own and ether European
states, who constantly warned him
against giving his people freedom.
Russia, Austria and Italy have been
against a constitution, but our best
friends, England and France, have adj
vised in it's favor.
las regards Germany, the entire
commercial enterprises Of Turkey arc
in German hands and controlled bT
German capital, and this condition Of
affairs has brought ruin on the cOun-
try. We want to control our industries
ourselves, and now that we have free
dom Of speech and freedom Of the
press and freedom of action generally,
we will be able to teach the world
that we are still to be reckoned with,
that we have energy and skill and de-
termination and that we will exercise
them for the advantage of our country.
Our people are serious, and recent
events i'm Macedonia. in which army
corps after army corps Joined in the
fraternal demonstration, showed that
the whole nation is united in the fight
for freedom.
take it from me that the new order
OF t'.tngs has always had the good will
OF The sultan, who, throwing off the
ST. ;ckles imposed by his advisers, is
now as free as his people, and you will
So. what few years operation of free
institutions will do for the Turkish ma
ton.
We cannot realize all our liberal as
pirations at once; it may take some
years, but the regeneration of Turkey
Will surely follow. We will build
new navy for our protection from
nearby enemies, and between 200 and
300 Of our young men will be sent to
learn the methods of the great western
powers. At one time Turkey stood
third on the list Of naval powers, and
she will stand there again"
Mundji Bey said in conclusion that
the sultan was sincere in granting a
constitution, because his majesty fully
appreciated the great strides which
education has made in his dominion
90 per cent of the people now being
able to read and write. The people
are attached to their ruler and Will
support him and his dynasty with all
their strength.
''The sultan will dismiss evil adv1s-
hn SOLD Ia h aSciSf-