Evening star., 1909-04-25


At, revolution and reaction
Of April 3d. those who es-
capped assassination or Imprisonment fed
to Saloniki. There the leaders OF the
Young Turks have performed miracles.
Within a week they have marshaled their
forces and returned; they have completely
invested Constantinople. They are once
more than masters.
The committee of union and progress
has issued a manifesto which says in
brief: The army, reused by treachery,
butchery and massacre in Constantinople.
desires to re-establish Immediately the
position existing before the revolt of the
18th instant The army is negotiating
with the palace and will demand the res
toration of Hilmi Pasha as grand vizier
and Ahmed Ria as president of the
chamber.
There are many rumors which insinuate
that the Young Turks will be restrained
in their dealing with the Sultan Abdul
Hamid. Germany is cited as having in
tervened to prevent the deposition of the
sultan In consideration of money loans
of which Turkey is assumed to be in
great need. These are doubtless simple
suggestions arising out Of political condi-
tions and the thought that Germany
would seize the occasion to renew the in
fluence which she recently exercised over
Abdul Hamid. The suggestions may be
unjust, even injurious, to Germany. 1t
is not probable that the Young Turks
who have shown themselves so strong
will now appear so weak as to permit
the intervention of any European power
in their affairs for the maintenance of the
sultanate
The constitutionalists may decide to
maintain the sultan as the nominal head
of state, but 1t is certain
Sultan'S that his power will be re-
p.r. duced to the minimum,
and this will be justice.
A dispatch from Constantinople of the
I'D instant announces that the re-estab-
lished chamber Of deputies met that day
at San Stefano to discuss the question
of the deposition of the sultan. Turkey,
for the present and perhaps for some time
to come, will be governed by military die
tation, which, under the circumstances,
is the very best guarantee OF the malnte-
nance of order.
The committee Of union and progress,
forming party which may now be
termed the constitutionalsts, has al
ready turned its attention to the fright
full crimes perpetrated In Asia Minor.
II
been massacred. a work freely attributed
to the reactionary revolutionists Of Con-
stantinople. The army Of investment has
sent contingents to intercept fugitives
from Constantinople who. fleeing from
wrath to come" are endeavoring with
ton in Asia Minor.
The news Of the defeat of the constitu-
tionalists at Constantinople on the 18th
instant 'precipitated the massacres In
Ac;- H. sy,ev 80 !,
reactionary element at the capital. The
United States and all interested govern
ments have sent warships to the scene of
violence for the protection of their citi-
zens and proteges.
Albania is also within the range Of re-
dictionary policy. There among the half
savage ''skipetars' they have found a
field for reaction and revolt in q regiment
which killed its colonel because belonging
to the party Of constitutionaEsts. The
military force to punish and repress crime
in that direction.
Correspondents in Constantin0ple are
sorely tried under the rigid censorship
of the press, which has
Censored been successfully main
n,a... tained in Turkey, to dis
cover sufficient facts. for
their correspondence. From Tchataldja,
for example, there is a dispatch pur-
porting to be sent by the committee
are perjurer We invite you to
abdicate and await your reply" Now
fancy, if you may, a grave member of the
committee sending such a message to the
sultan, who. however despicable in the
eyes Of the committee, is nevertheless the
~ 1t~h ~ AH> <ofx I, EEL
all those who call themselves Moslems, as
the committee do.
Then, again, there is another dispatch.
perhaps from the same excited and imagi-
native correspondent, from Tchataldja,
who reports Moukhtar Bey, commandant
of the advance guard of Young Turks. as
greeting one of the sultan's messengers
thus:
Have you brought the head of the old
man? We cannot negotiate SO long as
you come without his head!"
OF course all this was said in Turkish,
and the correspondent, who must have
heard this query, does not deign to say
that he understands Turkish, which is
doubtful.
The Figaro of the 7th instant publishes
an interview with an unnamed member of
the committee of union and progress
under the caption of why? and How?"
1t is instructive.
Asked If his party did not fear the
power OI lHc 1ilpClld ldAiAys lHC IcpIC-
sentative of the committee answered.:
"On the contrary, the revolution is the
safety and liberation of the princes. Their
existence was frightful, and they, more
than the people, have been benefited.
"The fourth day after the constitution
received an autograph letter from
Prince Abdul Medjd, son
Conditions of the Sultan Abdul Aziz.
Changed. and consequently the
nephew Of the present
sultan, and who is now forty-one years
of age He thanked me and all the
Young Turks who had saved Turkey and
liberated her from a slavery of forty
years. 4 would like to go and see you,
he added, but / will conform to your
views of prudence Now this prince and
other members go out. The brothers or
the sultan promenade like ordinary
mortals. They go where they dared not
formerly.
"salah- Eddine was one OF the sons OF
Murad v, born In his fathers palace at
Dolma-Bagdye, where they kept him smut
up since his birth. never having mad
with the outside world
He suddenly learned that he had been
freed. I went to see him. he told me
his sad life. He was without money and
no companions save the servant-spies
with which the sultan had surrounded
him. The palace which had not been re-
paired since thirty years was IN ruins