The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-14
TURKS ARE TIRED
OF FREE GOVERNMENT

Berlin, August 13.-(Speciai. )-Accordfng
| to messages received here from Constan-
tinop1e the Turks are rapidly approach
| ing condition of complete disillusion-
ment regarding the beneficent effects Of
a constitutional regime and government
| by the people. Two years have now
elapsed since the world was startled by
| the news that the young Turks had de-
posed the tyrannical Sultan Abdul HAM
| i'd, and had erected in the place of the
old absolute monarchy a modern and
democratic form of parliamentary gov
eminent, and the masses of Turkish peo-
pie have now realized the fact that their
| country has not, as they expected, been
transformed into an earthly paradise by
| the change.
| They expected too much. Constitutional
government, of course, in point of fact
has brought about many radical changes
| in the aspects of life in Turkey and has
| swept away many of the old abuses
which pressed very heavily on the whole
population of the Ottoman empire, but
the masses of the people as a whole are
already forgetting the advantages gained
because their extravagant expectations
are very far from being fulfilled. More
over, parliamentary government, as in
troduced by the young Turks, Is still sub
jected to ,many limitations and restraints,
and many new evils and abuses have
taken the place of those that were abol-
ished with the old regime.
| Turkey has parliamentary government
in name, but martial law is still pro-
claimed in Constantinople and in many
other parts of the country, SO that per-
sons who make themselves politically OBJ
jectionable to the predominant party can
l - t.1 tx,tA xxx-tCr. Al h
out any semblance of judicial proceedings,
just as was done In the old days under
| the despotic Sultan.
| The young Turk. party has exploited its
power to the utmost, and large numbers
| of eminent Turkish citizens who do not
entirely agree with all the methods of
Turkeys present rulers-who are really
the Young Turk commttee-have been
prosecuted and maltreated just as IN the
old days when the Sultan prosecuted and
maltreated the Young Turks themselves
The methods have remained the same
| but the objects of persecution have
changed In many respects the tyranny
of the Young Turks committee, which is
| the real power behind the throne and be-
hind the government, is just as difficult
to bear as was the tyranny of corrupt
Sultan, and in one respect 1t is worse, be-
cause the people had grown to accept the
ancient regime with a certain amount of
Indifference, and they are bitterly dis
appointed because the new regime has
failed to satisfy their passionate desire
for complete political liberty The result
| is that a very dangerous volume of dis
contented feeling has accumulated. until 1t
has grown to such an extent that an
other revolution aimed at the tyranny of
| the young Turks may issue In the near
| future s
There are good reasons for holding that
the young Turks would be justified in
combating the adherents of absolutism
and despotsm by vigorous and coercive
measures, because any effort to re-estab-
fish the old reactionary government
would, indeed. be a grave menace to the
country There are still number of in
| fluential men who have lost their we'll
| paid posts, hosts of lesser officials who
have been deprived of their sole source
| Of income, Mahometan priests who think
| that the new regime will lead to infldeli-
| ty to the Mosiem religion, and other ele-
ments of the population who would not
hesitate to overthrow constitutional gov
| eminent and restore the banished Sultan,
Abdul Hamid, to the throne If they had
the chance; and the young Turks as the
guardians of the countrys liberty, must
/ take precautions against such dangers,
and, II necessary, repress any movement
| In that direction with relentless energy.
But the Young Turks are vigorously re-
pressing not only the reactionary party,
but also the friends of liberty and prog
ress who cannot see precisely eye to eye
with them regarding the shaping of do
nestle policy. 1t is the precaution of
progressive and domestic Turks whose
views diverge on points of detail from
those of the young Turk party that has
excited SO much resentment and may pro-
duce another revolution.