The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-10-06
ITALY'S DISPUTE
WITH TURKEY
TTlpOli Has Long Been the Aim
Of the Former.
POLITICS BACK OF HER DESIRE


Empire Since Middle Of Sixteenth
century-Powers Recognize ltaly's
Special Rights There.
The disput between Turkey and
Italy over Tripoli has arisen out of
Italy's old desire to have possession
of that part of the northern coast of
Africa, a desire dictated by political
rather than commercial reasons. OF
the old Roman colonies Egypt, Tunis,
Algeria and Morocco have passed out
of the hands of the modern govern
ment of the Italian peninsula, and of
the five powers on the Mediterranean,
Great Britain, France, Spain, Italy
and Austria, only the last two are
without a base for their fleets on the
south shore.
Although the country has formed a
part of the Turkish empire since the
middle of the sixteenth century, until
1885 the authority of the sultan had
long been purely nominal. Then, after
an extended period, during which the
country was stronghold Of pirates,
an expedition was dispatched from
Constantinople, and the state was
made vilayet of the Ottoman empire.
Formerly Tripoli was of high COM
mercial Importance as the gate to the
Interior, but since the Sudan has been
chiefly approached by way of the At
lantic Tripoli has dwindled in this re-
spect, and her commercial value today
rests chiefly on the fertile coast lands.
Dispute of 1908.
Italy and Turkey had a dispute in
April, 1908, over the refusal of Turkey
to permit Italian postoffices in Tur-
keys territory. At the same time con-
siderable irritation was felt in Italy
over the murder Of an italian mission
ary in Tripoli and the persecution by
the Ottoman authorities Of natives who
had sold land to Italians. Government
circles in Rome had felt for years that
Turkey had been taking advantage of
the international situation to act in
high handed manner toward Italians
and to show little respect for Italian
rights.
Italy prepared at that time to send
large fleet to Turkish waters, where
all objections to the postoftices and
practically acknowledged the other
Italian claims with regard to the right
of the Italians freely to purchase prop
erty on Turkish territory and with re-
gard also to coast navigation.
While Turkey yielded on the ques-
ton of the postottices, the main rea-
son of diffidence, distrust and antag-
onism remained, as the sultan was de-
termined to do all in his power not to
yield Tripoli, with Europe's consent,
as a field for Italian expansion. In
virtue of the accord concluded by the
Marquis Visconti- Venosta with France
and afterward acknowledged by all
the powers Italy, while renouncing her
interest in Morocco, was left free to
exercise her influence in Tripoli, and
thus she is in a position to take ad-
vantage of any preteXt to occupy it
under the form of a ''protectorate"
such as France exercises in Tunis and
England in Egypt
+ Turkeys Last Possession.
Tripoli is Turkeys last possession
in Africa, and the vilayet is gaprisoned
by 10000 Turkish troops, but the pro-
posed occupation by Italy. rumored in
former years, has been approached
warily less from fear of Turkeys re-
sistance than fear Of how the other
powers might take it.
In the present instance it is said
that Italy has already obtained the
consent Of France, Germany, Russia
and Austria to the move which she is
making England also in the past has
recognized the special rights of the
peninsular kingdom in the province.
Not many days ago Premier Gioliti,
after conference with the ministers
of war and marine. declared that If
the Turkish government were not
ready to recognize Italian influence
over Tripoli in some form of protec-
torate the only recourse must be the
military occupation of that Turkish
province.
1t has been understood that such ac-
ton would be delayed until France and
Germany had reached a practical
agreement upon Morocco. and general
opinion has credited the existence of
a tacit or specific arrangement among
the continental powers to leave Italy
a free hand in the affair once that
crisis was over.
Hard uek