The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-20
EX.SULTAN HAS
AN APOL0G|sT
Sidney Whitman Declares Abdul
Hamid Knew Nothing of Many
Turkish Cruelties.

LONDON. May 20.-Sidney Whit
man. d contributor 10 the Daily Mai.
takes the bold stand OF apologist for
the deposed Sultan Abdul Hamid He
says: OtlNo
During myxarious- visits TO Con-
stantinople | became acquainted with
q number OF persons who had frequent
and regular personal relations with the
sultan, some OF whom had known him
for many years. Now, making every
allowance for the court fayorites who
were busily engaged in feathering
their owH=Rests. ! am quite sure that
there were others among my acquaint-
ances. such as Ahmed MIdhat Effendi,
the late Munir Pasha, grand master OF
ceremonies and introducer OF ambas-
sailors, and his successor. the late
Ibrahim Pasha, ali meE or rare dis
tinction, who would never have been
devoted 10 the sultan as they were ii
there had been that faint on his char.
acter which ignorance. prejudice. Or
party feeling, both in England and
elsewhere, have imputed to him.
Wrongs in sultan's Name.
Many wrongs have doubtless been
know OF no evidence 10 prove him
personally guilty OF treacherous cruel
". On the other hand | can voucn
for numerous personal traits OF kind
Illness and delicate consideration on
the part OF the sultan which would re-
dound to the honor OF any man.
whether he be Christian, Hebrew, or
Mahommedan
The idea OF the sultan's craven fear
is one OF those things which have CIV
en- rise to all sorts OF fantastic exaG-
gerations. His is the sensitiveness OF
a refined and cultivated nature which
shows itself In certain timidity
when called upon to take decisive
step But as far as his personal cour-
age Is concerned. II is only three years
ago when, on the occasion OF the well
known bomb throwing outrage. his
calm and dignified bearing was re-
marked by everybody.
Whenever | have heard the sultan
spoken OF by those who knew him. II
has always been hisk indness, his gen
crosby, his powers of work, far more
than his sagacity which have formed
the theme OF encomium. Indeed, there
can be no doubt that the sultan's in
tellect has always been overrated by
public opinion at the expense or MS
heart. as was the case with the En-
peror Napoleon III.
System in Turkey Doomed.
II is not SO much the man as the
autocratic system which is doomed
in Turkey. This anybody who Is a.
all conversant with the inner work
ing and the abuses inseparable from
Il could not help foreseeing. In our
time no one man can achieve the task
which the sultan has attempted. He
IS bound to be kept in the dark WITH
regard TO many important matters
and thus 20 become the victim OF the
favoritism inseparable from his re-
gime and ultimately 10 DRIFT into inc
rocks. | can quote from personal
knowledge many cases in which the
sultan was kept in ignorance or the
true character OF those he trusted-as,
for instance. the late Fehim Pashd.
know for a fact that he was ignorant
TO the last Of the iniquiues OF TINS
scoundrel
These facts and his natural disin'
clination TO severity have led MIN 20
condone things which can no longer
be tolerated nowadays in any civilized
country. But even at this late hour
| remain OF opinion that IL Is the
chronic financial chaos-which caused
the Turkish soldiers 10 be left unpaid
even ambassadors not receiving their
salary. while court favorites were
loaded with presents-which has been
one Of the principal causes OF the
present crisis. Nor does the rapacity
OF court fayorites alone account for
/ that which has come 20 pass. The
enormous sums swallowed up by the
extravagant entertainment Of sundry
foreign potentates have had their
tshaie In bringing discomfort TO head