New-York tribune., 1908-07-25
THE TURKISH REVOLUTION.

Nidhat Pacha is vindicated at last. after more
than thirty years. The Young Turk party, of
which he was the founder. has effected revo-
luton 1t has compelled the very Sultan who
condemned Nlidhat to death-though the sen
te1ce was not executed-tO rehabilitate the
constitution and the parliament which Mid
hat advised That reform system has in fact
nominally been in existence ever since its prom
ulgation For while the declaration of war
bv Russia caused the constitution TO he sus
pended and the parliament to be dissolved, the
one was never abrogated nor was the other abol-
ished Theoretically they have remained in ex-
istence, in what might be described as state Of
suspended animation. for these last thirty-one
wears Midhat has been dead for nearly quar-
fer of a century but his work spendidly sur
wives Prescribed and prosecuted, the Young
Turks have carried an unremtting propa-
ganda from Paris. and have at last, through the
pressure of widespread disaftection and open re-
volt in the army. compelled the Sultan to re-
vitalize the system of which Midhat was the
author.
There has been from the first little danger of
exaggerating the Importance of the disturbances
which the Young Turks have organized and pro-
NOTED in various parts of the Turkish Empire.
but especially in the three christian vilayets
which are commonly called Macedonia. They
began several weeks ago with the open mutiny
Of a considerable body of Turkish troops. which
was speedily followed by the public murder of
General Shemsi by of his subordinate
officers A little later General Saddik SINH
larly slain, and disaffection and open mutiny be
came widespread in Af0nastir and KOssOvO- A
significant feature of the the sympathy
which openly shown to exist between the
Bulgarians and other Christian Inhabitants of
Turkey-excepting perhaps the Greeks-and the
mutineers. At the same time extensive prepara-
tions for uprising were discovered in Turkish
Armenia. and in ConstantinOple itself there was
reason 10 suspect the active existence OF anti
dynastic plots Finally the Young Turks. who
were universally recognized as being behind all
these disturbances, declared that if the Sultan
did not at once proclaim constitution they
would themselves do 80. and would set UP a gov
erament in opposition to him. Thereupon he
yielded. with the result announced to-day. 1t is
a revolution comparable with those that have
recently been effected In the two neghborng
empires which are most closely related to Tur-
key and which most resemble her in the abso.
lutism OF their ole systems.
The serious concern Of the Sultan over the
matter was shown some time ago in the agIta-
ton which prevailed at the Yildiz Kiosk AID in
the startling transfornatio scenes which have
been enacted at the Sublime Porte. Not so very
long ago-it was while Sir Philip Currie was at
Constantinope-Sa Pacha was not only dis
missed from the Office Of Grand vizier but was
prescribed, and probably would have been put
10 death had he not found asylum at the British
Embassy Yet the other day he was recalled and
restored 10 Office with dctatorial powers In place
of Ferid Pacha. who had been dismissed in dis
grace: and Kiamll Pacha, who also was once
Grand Vizier was likewise restored to imperial
confidence and favor and TO great power Now
those changes have been followed by what seems
ON the face of Il to he complete yielding to
the Young Turk demands. 1t Is, however. an
open question whether it will prove satisfactory
to that resolute party. For the Young Turks
have long professed to regard the present Sultan
as deadly incubus upon the Ottoman Empire,
beneath whose malign influence the country is
not only falling into decay but is also passing
more and more under foreign control Inspired