Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-08-27
By William T. Ellis.

L 3.
Turkey is holding an important
place in the days news. Among the
events Of worldwide significance be-
ing recorded by cables few are more
interesting or portentuous than what
mas taken place within the
past month in the realm
of Abdul Hamid. That ruler, whose
heaped-up atrocities have cried aloud
in the ears Of civilization for ven
gence, has suddenly been forced into
the role Of reformer. With his whole
vast empire in revolt, he has been
compelled to yield to the demands of
the Young Turkish Party and pro-
claim constitutional government.
This is news that a few weeks ago
electrified civilization. In all the re-
cent awakenings of the backward and
somnolent nations there has been no
more dramatic announcement than
this. What the reform Of Turkey
means it is difficult for persons in this
land Of freedom to realize. The sim
pie statement that there are thous-
ands of Turkish refugees in this coun-
try, who had fed for their lives from
the Sultan's tyranny, is a window
through which unspeakable oppres-
sion may be dimly seen. All these re-
fugees have been pardoned by a proc
lamation of emnesty Issued this
month.
A reform in Turkish government
means the lifting of the yoke of in
credible oppression from the necks of
millions of people. 1t means that tbs
Macedonian atrocities are to end and
the Armenian massacres to be no
more
Many person who today are reading
without especial interest or inte1ii.
gence, OF the reforms in Turkey, will
be glad to tell their children a gener-
alton hence, that they were witnesses
or these epochal changes. Years Will
be needed to reveal the full imnort Of
these events. Assuming that the re-
form Is genuine and continuing, 1t
means the cessation of unmeasufei
oppression and injustice and an opror-
tunity for millions to live normal and
happy lives. With the reform of Tur.
key, the last important citadel Of ma.
tional intolerance falls.
The causes of The Sultan's trade
which restores in actuality u constltu.
t1onal form of government 10 the peo.
pie, are various There is not discern
able any real change Of mind on The
part of the ruler himself. He was sim.
ply forced to take this momentous
step to save his life. Even after the
issuance Of the proclamation Of re-
form, an attempt was made on the
Sultan's life, which was thwarte,l only
by the fact that he hab:tualty wears
coat Of mail. Undoubtedly, the
Young Turkish Party has been pri.
marily responsible for the remodclled
government. Organized SO perfectly
that even in this hour Of triumph
their real leader is no. known they
have kept up persistent and power
full propaganda Of refo1,n They have
sown the seeds Of revolution III over
the empire. 1t was the disaffection
which they created among the army
that finally broke the rules intolar-
ant antagonism. He saw that the
whole nation was seething with re.
volt, and simply yielded to the iney-
liable. The Young Turkish party COM
PEELED him to install genuinely pro
gressive cabinet; they stand as the
dread invisible censors Of his every
act.
The springs of every abiding reform
lie deep in the hearts Of the people.
They may be long in growing to an
flood, pat grow they
must.
Back Of the labors Of the reform
party In Turkey, and really responsi-
BILE for It's existence, was the spirit
of unrest and of the love Of liberty
caused by education and Christianity,
1t Is idle to deny that tn, missionar-
les have had any part in the progress
sive movement in Turkey While they
have refused to partl,tnn.e IN polI1i- |
cal or revolutionary activities, they
have nevertheless stood for these
Ideals which ultimately make a man
warrior against oppression and In
lnuity. No man Gan hannma in,i,,,Aa |