Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-04-29

the outside world Abdul Hamid took
elaborate care to keep Reshed an I'M
known quantity.
Kept in Fear of Death.
While the sons and other favored
princes of the sultan we're permitted
and encouraged to study in France,
and Germany and travel widely. Re-
shed, the lawful successor to the
throne under the Moslem custom, was
kept immured and in fear OF death.
For more than thirty years Reshed
has lived the daily program laid down
for him by the sultan, while every act
was carefully watched by the minions
appointed by Abdul himself.
For thirty years Reshed has lived
surrounded by his wives and slaves,
but seldom allowed to see strangers.
Even his acquaintances among the
nobility of the empire were for the
most part cut off from him. When
driven through the streets under
guard of the sultan's soldiers he was
not allowed to hold intercourse with
the people or with chance friends he
might encounter At none of the state
entertainments or levees was he al
lowed to appear and never had ne met
eminent.
Books and the seciusion of his libra
ry the sultan seems to, have allowed
his prisoner without let or hindrance
and Prince Reshed is reported to have
made a good deal of the opportunity.
, Fully decade ago when the move
) ment of the progressive Turks was
) just beginning to attract notice Re-
| shed was mentioned as the prince
| whom the young Turks would place
5 on the throne If they ever got the op'
, portunity. In the frequent outbursts oil
| indignation occasioned by the atrocl
ties perpetrated by Abdul, Prince
: Reshed was hailed as the liberator OF
t a downtrodden people. The sultan's re
Y ply to these evidences of a popular
!. preference for Reshed was strictel
l. surveillance Of the prisoner and from
l. time to time rumors emanated from
: the palace prison on the shores Of the
J. Bosphorus that the prisoner prince
had been done to death by the des
t. pots order.
q But though Reshed's life was spar
If ed the sultan appears to have sue
" ceeded in keeping his brother weak
q ling physically and mentally TIL
D. royal prisoner was encouraged to In
|. dulge in excuses that Slapped hi
strength and few years ago 1t wa
n reported that he was suffering fror
IS chronic diabetes. Other reports de-
~ scribe him as sensualist. In hi
,e youth he was given absolutely no et
Is ucation and his life was given to reel
ID less Indulgence.
Of Reshed is "a years old. two year
IL younger than Abdul. The eldest brotl
er was Murad, who ruled for TIM
N but In 1876 was deposed by Abdul an
In imprisoned in Cheragon palace, wher
Q he died about six years ago.
" With the passing of Abdul passes
a period of Turkish history as dark. q
O. any page Of the chronicles Of the NIT
i, die ages. Though Reshed should tur
4 out to be no Improvement on Add,
Il. as a ruler he could scarcely surpas
N. him in the all around villainy of b
reign. Hating and hated. fearing an
at feared, this sick man Of Europe his
of managed to keep his own country an
ut his neighbors in turmoil for a gener
ut ton.
i'd Selling the throne from his ED.
brother, Abdul set out in his reie
IS with professions of liberalism. He pr
ed claimed a constitution and Turks
or parliament met twice. But at once
sr- began to plot against the liberals ar
be finally prorogued parliament and b
re- gan to rule as despot. He repeate
ly this performance when last July
Is, was forced by the young Turks
wy grant constitution. Immediately
started plot to undermine the liber
re program, and this eliminated in Il
3D. military revolt against the cabinet al
SO parliament But this time the sults
Id was not strong enough to stem Il
lrt tide of the popular rising.
Lacking in education and supers