Evening star., 1909-04-28
Review of Abdul Hamid's Reign
Forecasts of Turkeys Future

Forecasts of Turkeys Future
| BOSTON. April 2S.-While the officials
of the American board of commissioners
| for foreign missions look for more fa-
vorable conditions In the Ottoman empire
| In the future, a result of the change
| of regime at Constantinople they believe
that whatever progress may be made will
| be the result of the constitution and the
| Young Turks administration. rather than
| of any effort on the part of Mehemmed
| Reschad Effendi. who was yesterday pro-
| claimed sultan under the name of Me-
| hemmed V.
! Such is the opinion expressed today by
| the Rev. DR.. James l.. Barton. foreign
secretary of the board. who is In con-
slant correspondence with every section
| of the Turkish dominions, and who him.
self has travelled frequently and ex-
| tensively throughout the empire.
Reason for Opinion.
In explanation of his views on the sit
| uation DR.. Barton said that the new sui
| tan is only two years younger than his
! deposed predecessor and brother and un-
| til July "a last he had for twenty-five or
| thirty years been kept prisoner in a
pdIdCc dt ne UdS Ildu EU
opportunity to learn anything about the
| world at large. about other powers or
| even about his own empire.
The constitution and the Young Turks
administrations are looked to, however,
| for the upholding of better conditions
everywhere. Since July "a. when the con-
stitutiOn was first proclaimed, there has
been freedom Of press, travel, expression
land worship. and a declared freedom of
conscience.
| So far as DR.. Barton has been able to
| learn through his correspondents, the
| Young Turks are pledged to carry out
| this line of progress.
DR.. Barton believes that the Young
| Turk party, when once esta blished firmly
/ in power, will be able to curb and re-
strain properly the two elements that
| are now causing the disorder in Asia
/ Minor. namely the revolutionary Arrne-
| mans and the fanatical and reactionary
| MoslemS.
France Approves Change.
PARIS April 2S.-The French news
papers in general approve the dethrone-
ment Of Sultan Abdul Hamid and ex-
press the hope that the Young Turks will
profit by the lesson OF recent events and
| show the same self-possessiOn in the ex-
ercse of the government as they display
ed in winning a verdict.
The opinion is held that a strong. re-
/ y
a firm front to those who covet his out
| lying provinces. which. will be the best
means of preventing the reopening of
the eastern question.
The report of the arrest of Prince Sabah
Eddine nephew of the sultan. has caused
unbounded astOnishment here. Many of
| his friends in Paris are convinced that
| he is the victim of an attempt on the
| part Of the former sultan to effect a
| compromise. looking to his own safety by
| supreme denunciatiOn.
Review of Recent Reign.
| Abdul Hamid's disastrous reign. which
opened with Bulgarian atrocities closes in
| a most dramatic fashion with massacres
of Armenians in Anatelia. His disap-
pearance as sultan causes but few re-
grets abroad.
| But the course of Turkish affairs will
still be watched with great anxiety. The
| Young Turks acted boldly and swiftly.
| but net without the sanction of the
| Sheik-ul-1slam. Hence it may be in
ferred that they have not infiamed the
country's religious susceptibil,ies.
The orthodoxy of the Young Turks,
| however is regarded with considerable
suspicion by large sections of the strict
Mohammedans. Therefore. 1t is too
early to prophesy a quiet reign for
Mehmed v.
| Ninety-five per cent of the popula-
| tion of the city was In favor of the re-
cent reactionary meeting. dispatches as
serted. 1t is regarded as certain that
the Younk Turks must for some time
rule by military dictorship.
| Apprehension is expressed that be-
fore parliamentary regime can safely
be established serious racial and re-
ligious outbreaks may occur.
Special dispatches from CONSTANT
nople give sensational accounts of the
methods employed in the deposition of
Abdul Hamid, who is represented as be-
| ing in state of abject terror. Some
reports even say that he is dead.
| None of these accounts has been con-
firmed 1t appears to be fact that
Abdul Hamid met his fate with courage
and resignation.
Thirty-Three Years Of Abdul Hamid.
For thirty three years Abdul HamiGl
| ii. thirtyfourth sultan of the Ottoman
| empire, has held the powers of Europe
at bay, and with consummate political
| skill he has maintained most of his
empire intact from foreign encroach-
| ment. Yesterday he was deposed as
| sovereign of Turkey by his own people.
whose demand for constitutional gov
ernment he thought he could circum-
| vent.
Last July the sultan was compelled
by the Young Turk party to grant a con-
stitution to the empire. and several
4 mOHlnS idtcT turkey cHtcTeu. TOT the
second time in her history. upon an era
| of popular government.
/ April 13 there broke out at Constan-
tinople military revolt against par
| lament and the cabinet. This move
| ment has been generally ascribed 10
| the Vaccinations of the sultan.
/ The Young Turks answered this at
/ tempt upon popular representation and
/ government by assembling the Sd Army
Corps-which was firm in its support Of
i their political aspirations-outside Con-
| stantinople The morning of April "a they