The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1909-05-01

the past fortnight, and with reason,
since 1t has been attended by the
murder OF some ten OF twelve
thousand Christians, mostly native,
but also including many American
missionaries, the number OF whom
1t is as vet impossible to tell. \
great many people have wondered
what the fuss was all about, and IL
It were possible at this period OF
the world progress to behold a
holy war, so.called, which were
common enough IN ne early day 5
OF Mohammedanlsm, but which
mad been supposed to have passed
away with the playful use OF the
sword as a means OF Christian
cvangelizatlon. The situation is
really not 50 very complicated,
and It hangs altogether about the
Efforts OF the sultan, Nbdui Hand,
TO hang on to his lou both as king
and as head OF the orthodox church
OF Islam. i, is not a. easy a stunt
AS one would imagine, tor the prog.
ress OF the rest OF tn world has
been reflected into lurkeN, while
1t has not abolished OF apparently
even diminished the ianatlsism OF
Islam. SOM, thirty years ago tn,
sultan was forced To giant a Don.
sutution 10 his people, and Just
as soon a. he could, nuiiihed 1t on
the ground Of military necessity,
very much as the constitution OF
Russia has been nuliIued by the
Car. For while the notification
went, but the better class OF Turks,
Ih, tn, better class oi New Men
ICdus, wanted statehood, and plot.
ted and planned, and formed a
society OF patriotic measure which
reached all over the empire. uiy
% OF last year they came out IN
the open and demanded a rystora.
ton OF the constitution, aud the
sultan l,it compelled 10 grant the
demand. No sooner had "a, people
settled q wu 20 q measure II com.
paratiyc liberty than IN, sultan
saw tn danger TO hI, ~ stem, and
began by degrees % tax, II back.
tbs game va, soon observed, aud
the society, which the world calls
The Young Turks began to get
IN iis work IN the army, finally
getting thj .Gsgest part OF It IN
sympathy with their demands, and
asst week investing CoustAntinOp,e
10 SUCH numbers that the sultan
W,~ forced to WELD Saturday ait.r
a battle in which 5000 were killed.
The sly old tox knew all the time
that he would nave to do that, and
mad been playing both ends against
the middle, 10 use a worldly eN-
PRESTON that Is well understood IN
the west. A. the head OF Islam
he stirred up Mohammedanism
against Christianity, and a series
OF riots resulted that up 10 date
have caused the death oi Io,O 900
Christians and which the crown
claims 20 be- unable TO stop, al.
though deeply shocked and pam.
ed. In the resulting nuIlabaioO.
Abdul Hand sprung his scheme,
which was 10 grant Just a, few re-
forms a. possible 10 the idCc OF
the inevitable, and then hold his
Job as sultan and a. mead Ut tue
Moslem church also. The scheme
worked, a deal was signed up with
the Young Turks, the scrap Ui
Saturday being merely an incident
and all lovely from a Turkish stand
pOIDt, end the 10, 900 Christian
lives that have been used as pawns
are not worth while considering.
The Christian powers, looking on
have been shocked by the mex.
presslble brutality OF the game
and that is all. Turkey viii quiet
down tor a while, and then the
whole tragedy will happen ali over
again, maybe next year, perhaps
several years. II is sure 10 come,
Tor the hOgglshness OF the Porte
will lmpel HIM 10 keep crowdIng
with the lmperal graft until the
patriots rise again, Judging
from this incident, the sultan will
have only 10 muddy the water
with another enpirc.wide massacre
OF Christians, and piacate them
again keeping this game up until
his Internal old arCa paws the
debt OF nature, He has a crown
prince and several hundred prince
lets in training to take his place.
Taking II altogether the outlook
is not bright tor anybody IN rur.
key unless they keep Their faces
turned toward Mecca and proclaim
that there Is 40 God but God and
that Mohammed Is his prophet.
Measured by the standards oil
modern ssatecratt, the proceedings
Of the Sultan are only a little more
brutally frank. Other nations
use a refinement OF his method.
to maintain enormous armies and
navles 10 murder with, and tariffs
that make the lot OF toilers hard
indeed. The Commander OF the
Faithful differs only that he nike,
up religion with his s~tatecrait iol
the retention OF his unspeakabl,
despotism. He utllizes the wei