The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-04-29
SULTAN OF TURKEY
DEP0SED TO-DAY
Official %Action Taken Jointly by
Church and State.
HAS RULED THIRTY-TWo YEARS
His Brother, Rechad Effendi, Is Pro
claimed Observation-Disclosures
Resent Deposition and More
BIoodshed May Result.

Constantinople, April 27.-Abdul
Hamid H. Sultan OF Turkey was of.
ficially deposed this morning. The
reinforcement was effected jointly
through secret vote favoring his
deposition by the National Assembly,
and a religious edict by Sheik vi
Islam, approving and legalizing the
dethronement. The Sultan will be
removed from the palace to-day.
Following the deposition of Abdul
his brother, Rechad Effendi, was pro-
claimed Sultan amidst great enthus-
iasm and cries of the ''Tyrant has
allen. Hail Rechad." - '@rr.' '.' . .'.
Shiek vi Islam, and the Assembly
based their charges of dethroning
Abdul on the ground that he violated
the Moslem religion by many inimical
acts and that his supremacy was harm
full the church, contrary to the
scared law and opposed to the best
interests OF the people. 1t is certain
the Sultan will be stripped of his
fortune estimated at ninety million
dollars Despite the joy over Abdul's
downfall millions OF Mohammedans
resent the deposition, and there is
danger of civil war; particularly in
Asia Minor. At sunrise tomorrow
morning Rechad will be formally en-
throned with great religious cere-
mony. The Mohammed Rechad Effen-
di, the new sultan, has lived practical
ly prisoner for twenty-five years in
the large palace and gardens not far
from the YiIdiz Kiosk. Since the July
revolution, however, he has often been
in the streets of Constantinople look
ing from the carriage windows upon
the scenes in the thoroughfares which
must have been strangely interesting
to him. He is gray haired and not
very strong. He is 60 years of age,
and well educated, although mex
perienced in the affairs of the world.
Household is Scattered.
The official salute OF 10l guns was
fired this afternoon in honor of the
nephew, was arrested during the night,
charged with participation in the re-
dictionary movement. The women OF
lAbdul's harem have scattered to vari-
Gus places in the country. The young
turks entered the palace today and
arrested the remainder of the house
hold Abdul is now a prisoner in the
palace at Cheraghan.
Abdul Hamid Long in Power.
Sultan Abdul Hamid., succeeded to
the throne on the deposition Of his
elder brother, Sultan lMurad ", Aug.
81, 1876. He therefore reigned for
more than thirty!two years, and in
synonym for cruelty and duplicity
throughout the civilized world.
Abdul Hamid was nearly "a years
old when he assembled the throne, hav-
ing been born Sept. %, 1912. He is the
tAirty-Eohrth sovereign, in male de.
scent of the house OF Gilman, found.
ercof the Ottoman Empire, who began
his rule in the year 1899. By the
Turkish law of succession, the crown
is inherited according to seniority by
the male descendants OF -Othman. Any
child OF the imperial harem, whether
oil a free or slave woman, is con-
sldered eligible to the throne
Brothers Logical Successor.
Under this condition the logical
successor OF Abdul Hamid is his broth.
or, Northumberland Effendi, who
was born Nov. 3, 1874, and is two
years younger than Abdul Hamid. The
Sultan has sister nearly year older
than himself, two younger sisters and
two younger brothers. The number
of his children Is not known. He can
be succeeded by his eldest son only
when there are no uncles or cousins
OF greater age than the son.
1t has not been the custom for sew.
eral centuries for the sultan to con.
tract regular marriages. By the Mo-
hammedan law man is restricted to
few wives, though the number OF his
concubines is unlimited.
Inmates of the imperial harem come, |
by purchase OF free will, mostly from
districts without the empire, the ma
jority from Circassia. From among
the number the sultan designates |
number, generally seven, to be known |
as "Kadien, or ladies OF the palace
and these are usually called wives.
This rest of the women are called "oda.
Xix" and remain under the seven as
servants---Tae superintendent of the
harem is always an aged lady of the
palace" She keeps up knowledge of
the outside world through the guard |
of eunuchs, whose chief has the same
rank as the grand vizier.
Based on the Koran.
Fundamentally the Turkish Empire
Is based on the precepts of the Koran,
and the irreconcilable differences be-
tween Mohammedanism and Christian
ity are at the bottom of the conflict
between the old and the new elements
OF the population. The new element, Il
whose leaders have been educated or
have travelled In Europe outside of
Turkey. are considered enemies of
Mohammcdanism by those faithful to
the old religion, and their ideas are
considered heretical in politics as in
religion. For the government OF the
country the law as laid down In the