The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-04-23
THE MYSTERY OF TURKEY.


mystery 1t occupies rather unique
position in the political world. Cons1d-
ering it with reference to recent events
there, we are reminded of the saying
that history repeats itself, moves in a
cycle, something like comet. There is
also some truth, often, in the saying
that the unexpected always happens.
What has happened lately in Turkey
was undoubtedly a surprise to most of
the politically wise ones, yet, in a
somewhat modified form, history was
repeating itself.
Civilization, in its larger or most
modern sense, finds hard soil and crude
material in that climatically, delightful
region. Turkey, for ages, has been sub
ject to military revolutions, some of
them encouraged, or repressed, as the
political game seemed to require, by
the strong hand of England. Civiliza-
ton seems indeed to have progressed
but little since Ortogrul, father of the
more noted Gilman, won a kingdom
by the sword, says the Oregon Journal.
All kingdoms were so won, it may be
said: but Turkey has somehow never
civically progressed, for rea sons not
very difficult to see, but impossible to
express briefly. There are now symp-
toms of an arising to higher and
broader ideals, toward better govern
ment: and whatever degree of sue
cess may be won, such movements are
always hopeful and helpful. The ac-
count of the late efforts of the Young
Turks, that we take to be fairly re-
liable, says:
1.-The first parliament that assembled
under the new regime was made up by
an ingenious and interruptions, but
necessary and pardonable gerymander,
of $50 deputies, divided as follows:
Mussulmans Turks, Kurds, Arabs and
Albanians), 213; Greeks, %; Armeni-
ans, TO- Bulgarians. 4; Servians, Jews
and Vlachs, 8. The majority of the
Mussulmans, and of the whole body,
was composed of members of the COM
mittee of union and progress, and took
their orders directly from that organi-
cation. which played the same role in
the government as did the Jacobin club
in the French revolution"
This was rather worse than our
congress. There was inevitable reac-
ton; the Young Turks seem not to
have been sure of their ground; among
them is an element corresponding to
the French Girondists; and finally, per-
haps they have a stronger desire to de-
stroy the things that are than to create
and maintain something better. They
are eager to tear down, but have in
sufficient capacity for rebuilding a
stable government on the ruins they
have wrought. The quality of THEN
patriotism is doubtful In a word ruin
rather than righteousness appears to
have been their controlling thought,
and this of course cannot win definite
and ultimate success. The Detroit
| News. which seems to have studied the
situation considerably, says:
Young Turks and their committee
favor a policy of governmental centra.
lization with which they hope to knit
all the heterogeneous races and sectS
of the Ottoman empire into a solid ma
ton; while the liberal union party
| prefer to recognize these differences,
deal with each according to its lido
synerasies, and give it a separate rep
resentation in the parliament. To
merge everything-re race and
territorial differences-is the dream of
the Young Turk; to go slowly and re-
/ cognlZe If not conserve these differ
ences is the safer policy of the others.
Among the things to be conserved or
wiped away, according to the party,
was the sultanate, or at least it's pres
ent incumbent"
An impossible task, as yet. Relig-
ious antagonism and passions, if moth
ing else, would prevent the establish
ment and maintenance of an enlight
ened and just government. for the pres
ent. Besides, there are the political in
terests of England Russia, Germany
and other nations to be considered; for
Turkey lies at a pivotal point
Finally, some day, somehow, the
Young Turks, or their successors, with
even broader and better ideals and
purposes, will prevail, but it would be
rash to predict any especial degree OF
! success for them just now Turkey re-
! mains a good deal of political mys-
terry