The Washington herald., 1909-06-27
BY Ex-ATrAcHE.


in the Orient will learn with regret Of the
decision on the part OF the new Turkish
government 70 abolish the famous dogs
OF Constantinople- II sny attempt is made
70 put the new move inuO execution 1t is
certain to lead to serioas trouble. and the
very fact that II should have been de-
termined upon is calculated 10 add to the
rnisgivings which prevail as to the dura-
b!nty Of the present re giroe at Stamboul.
The dogs OF the Turkish capital are not
merely a popular. but a lso an historic in
stitution-an institution which was al
ready in existence I'm the days OF the By
zantine emperors and has continued ever
since, throughout a period OF considerably
over a thousand years. They are known
70 have been n festaIre Of Constantinople
az the time when il was visited by the
Crusaders and also later on. when the
city fen into the hands of the Turks and
became the capital OF the Ottoman en-
pire. when they may be said to have IN
dergone Transformation similar 10 that
suffered by the great ba silica Of ST. So
phia
For If to-day the MosIsms OF Constan-
tinople regard that an sient edihce as
Identified with the Mohar nnedan suprem-
acy Of that city. so DO they connect in
some superstitious manner the rule Of
Islam with the presence oH the dogs In
deed. every attempt 70 do away with
them has resulted in riots, and the action
OF the new regime in prop Dssing to abolish
them is ascribed by the CCtomans 10 the
presence Of Christians ard Jews among
the members Of the new Turk party now
T. & go "a
the dogs may prove the rOck upon which
the existing government at. fStamhoul may
yet come 10 grief.
Just why the government OF Mshomet
V should wish 10 do away with the dogs
o. stamboul # is difficult to understand
Numbering considerably over 10000. they
have from the days Of Emperor Justin
ian acted as the most efficient scavengers
os Constantinopie. contributing IN no
small degree 70 keeping relatively free
from filth this great and populous city.
which IS without any vesuge OF sewerage
or similar sanitations.
When in the early part OF the nine
teenth century Sultan MahmUd II, i'm
bued with the zeal Of Western reform
and prompted by the advise of one OF his
Greek ministers, attempted 10 round up
al the dogs and TO ship them on 10 an
island in the Sea OF MalTrnora. the dirt
and offal in the metropolis accumulated
TO such a degree that a terrible epidemic
ensued, which was regarded by the in
habitants in the light Of a divine pun
ishment, and they would not rest until
their four footed street CLEANERS had been
restored TO them.
Some forty years later smother attempt
was made 20 rid the city 81 the dogs. this
time by an Ottoman chief OF police. who
had been educated at Paris. He under
took 70 deport the dogs IN. patches and by
degrees 70 various portions OF Asia MI
nor. But as soon as the people learned
about the matter, and. moreover were
made aware that the firsst shipment had
been deliberately driven overheard and
drowned as soon as the vessel had en-
tered from the straits iut'o the Black Sea.
they rose in their wrath against the po-
lice commissioner and literally tore him
10 pieces.
Again, on the accession. OF Sultan Mu-
rad 10 the throne in 1876 an American
glove manufacture, encouraged by the
ultra-liberal doctrines and foreign re-
forms inaugurated by the Nidhat Pasha
administration, submitted a scheme 10
the government TO do away with the dogs.
whose hides he proposes 10 utilize in his
trade But although he offered TO pay
some 2O cents per dog into the state
treasury. which was empty al the time.
the ministers were afraid 70 accept the
proposal lest IL should excite a popular
rising thereby adding TO their troubles.
Indeed. II is a question whether the
knowledge that some such plan was IN
der the consideration of the Sultan did
not lead 70 the religious movement that
eliminated IN his deposition and IN the
accession Of his brother. Abdul Hamid.
Il would be strange indeed, but is not al
together impossible. II Mahomet Y were
in turn 20 lose his throne owing 10 the
Indignation excited among the Moslems OF
Constantinople by the action Of his gov
ernment-which IS very unOrthodoX in
their eyes-in abOlishing the dogs Of
Stamboul.
Certainly IL would be foolish 20 dream
or dispensing with their services until
some satisfactory means had been devised
and completed for the drainage and the
cleansing OF the streets OF the Turkish
H.r-- - l.