The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-24
SULTAN RETAINS GROWN.
wARRING FACTIONS IN TURKEY
AGREE ON COMPROMISE.
Abdul Hamid VIII Continue as Con.
stitutional Sovereign But VIII he
Debarred From Interfering With
Government and Must Agree to I'm.
conditional Submission.


finite agreement between the govern
ment and the committee of union and
progress has been concluded. Abdul
Hamid Is to remain as sultan of Tur-
key, but the present cabinet will re-
sign Immediately.
Constantinople, April 21.-The con-
hict between Mussulman piety and no.
litical ideas OF the West has brought
the Turkish people to the verge of
civil war. Zeal for the faith has been
unloosed. and the adjustment of the
sultan's relations to the committee of
union and progress probably will only
postpone the armed struggle between
the deliverers Of the ancient teachings
OF the prophet and those who are urg-
Ing the teachings from western Eu-
rope.
The cabinet debated the situation
for four hours today. giving special at
tention to the negotiation on behalf of
the sultan with the military members
OF the committee, among whom are
Husni Pasha, the commander of the
Third army corps. his division COM
manders and Izzet Pasha. chief of the
general staff.
The sultan's primary demand is to
remain the constitutional sovereign,
with all the spiritual powers of the
caliphate and with liberal allowances
for his household, while he also asks
for a variety Of minor guarantees.
which 1t would not be difficult to
grant. The demand for the commit
tee of union and progress Is that the
sultan offer no resistance whatever
and submit Internationally.
The Saloniki committee, which ia
the backbone Of the whole progress
sive movement, is largely military, and
:ts important civilian members are
with the army. Some OF the members
OF the cabinet. including Rifaat Pa
sha. the foreign minister, are active
ccnstitutionalists. Tewfik Pasha, the
grand vizier, who personally is most
agreeable to the sultan and to mill
tary men and who Is looked upon as
both benevolent and honest. has un-
dertaken the direct negotiations look
Ing to a compromise. The grand vi
zier and his cabinet are quite prepared
to resign II the committee asks for
their withdrawal from office.
The committee-a vague term 10
represent influential men of modern
Spirits without definite limits. It's
adherents who have a right to a voice
In its AFFAIRS are divided among them
selves. The radical faction insists that
there shall be no compromise; that
the sultan must be deposed and reaI
sonabie prince. for instance. Yussof
Izzedin. should be named as his sue
cessor; that the whole administration
should be cleansed; that no promise
OF Abdul Hamid's can be trusted, and
that to reestablish the System of 10
days ago would be to settle nothing.
The conservatives urge that the de-
position of the sultan would only be
possible after severe fighting: that 1t
Is uncertain whether the troops under
the control Of the committee would
uphold such an act with their bayo-
nets; that the wavering soldiers Of the
First army crops, TO the number OF
$4,000 or $4,000. now garrisoning the
city. would be inflamed and break into
open revolt, and that to demand too
| much means the failure Of all.
THE sultan has got them to quar-
reling among themselves" said one Of
the ambassadors today. land he will
have his own way yet."
Numerous agents of the Muham-
MADAM league have penetrated the in
vesting army's line, pDinting out to the
men that 1t was their duty to God and
Allah to rid themselves OF their Of
ficers. who were no better than
giaours. who scorned the sacred law
OF the Koran and who openly argued
| that the law devised by one arch devil
Napoleon ought to be substituted for
the sacred law In all the courts. The
agitators pointed out that the officers
had succeeded in imposing these wick
aH In ha rt
wanted to apply them to the persons
of Allah's faithful.
Three days ago two OF these hodjas.
who were caught among the troops,
were beaten after a courtmartial and
turned out Of the camps. The fol-
lowing day $50 OF them were arrested
and imprisoned. Yesterday the camps
were overrun with proselyting yea