Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-10-10
NO.. 81.

menian neighbors. The responsibility
rests upon the shoulders of Abdul
Hamid and his advisers.
| Abdul Hamid's Little Ways.
This cruel tyrant had many ways Of
| torturing young Turks suspected Of
liberalism. Boiling eggs were placed
under their armpits, a torture which
soon drives its victims insane. The
skin would be flayed from the back
Of another, mustard poultices laid
next the raw flesh and the skin sewed
up again. Redhot irons were run up
the body. Some were burned to
death with kerosene. Many a fine
1 young man Of progressive ideas found
his bed upon the bottom Of the Bos-
phorus.
These are only a few of the deeds
uf horror that coud be told. And In
the face Of them, how can 1t be be-
lieved that the Turk Is kind and GER
tie? Yet II Is true. The solution Of
the problem rests with the psycholo-
| gists. AS 1t is said, scratch Russian
and you will find a Tartar, so II Is
true that beneath the gentle manners
and kind heart Of every Turk lie vol
| canic possibilities Of religious fanati-
cism and Of cold-blooded cruelty. He
has not yet gotten control of the
brute in him, though he is progress
ing.
Beneath the culture and civilized
exterior Of every one Of us lie SUBJ
merged depths Of ferocity and blood
thirstiness waiting for outlet. The
southern gentleman with the most
| charming manner and the kindest
heart, when his daughter is violated
by negro, may set with his own
hands the flame to the pile Of wood
which is to burn alive the offender.
Our passions are like dogs held in
leash. Those who come to US by
pitality-those who come by forbid
den paths, II they come within reach
| OF our ferocity, may feel its bite.
So 1t Is with the Turk. In ordinary
life he is kind and affable, dignifiedly
courteous. He Is kind to his children,
kind to his animals. kind to strangers.
He seldom loses his temper, but when
he does lose 1t, beware. He does not
encourage street fighting, but IL he
bears resentment he may kill.
The New Awakening.
One of the greatest sights of the
awakening Of the Orientals is their
growing sense Of shame at these
atrocities. The influence Of western
civilization, even at q distance, Is
strong upon them. They respect its
ideals Of physical refinement and SEN
sibility to suffering. They quail be-
fore its adherence Of cruelty They
already feel that these deeds do not
become the twentieth century.
With the establishment Of constitu-
tions and its consequent check Of des-
potism, great changes are taking place
and It will not be long before these
barbaric deeds will be things of the
past. Already there has been a great
refining process in the near east dur
ing the last half century, and within
the lifetime Of this generation we shall
see the east purged Of its cruelty and
physical roughness, ready to join In
great world culture, whose ideals
Of gentleness shall not permit OF need
less human suffering.
In other directions 1t is interesting
to trace the medieval character of
the Turkish civilization. In religion
still religion of authority. The voice
Of the priest Is all powerful. He
rules his ignorant followers through
their ignorance. The Koran Is written
in old Arabic and cannot be under
stood even by those who know how
to read modern Arabic. 1t has not
yet been translated into Turkish.
When 1t Is read in the mosques, II Is
read in the original Arabic, which
conveys no meaning to the Turkish
peasant. Things are in the same state
as when Tyndall and Wycliff suffered
persecution in their efforts to bring
the Bible to the level of the English
people. The clergy alone possessing
the key to the Scriptures, have unlim-
tied power to interpret them as they
wish, and the complaint of educated
Mohammedans Is that the clergy have
distorted the teachings OF the prophet.
Breaking a Religious Tyranny.
Already there is a movement on
foot to get back through the mass of
priestly interpretations to the Koran
itself. A protestant wave is sweeping
over Islam, quietly and cautiously a
translation Of the Koran into modern
Turkish Is being prepared. The grip
Of the clergy Is waning In proportion
as the people are becoming educated.
1t must be said in justice to Islam
that 1t has never been as fanatical
and intolerant Of heresy. as the
Christian church. There has never
been any inquisition in Islam-and
prosecutions for religious differences
have been far greater than in Chris
tianity. The Turks are the broadest
and most tolerant Of all Moham-
medans.
In education, also, Turkey is still
in the Middle Ages. Its system is
scholastic. The whole trend of studies
is religious. The Koran is the basis
from elementary school to university.
More stress is laid on memorizing
than on original thinking. Why
should you do thinking for yourself
when Mohammed gave the solution
to all the problems Of life?
Modern Education Getting In Its Work
Modern education, however, is rap
idly destroying this native state Of
mind. The young Turk Is thorough
ly up-to-date. His contact with Euro
pean civilization has opened his mind
to the necessity Of scientific methods.
Even the Turk or Persian who has
studied medicine in his own country
has been forced to think along the
lines Of modern science.
A few generations Of this culture
will make a great change in the
Orient Turkey and Persia are both
eager for western education. In both
countries there are a number Of
pean education and are thoroughly in
sympathy with its ideas. Their influ-
ence Is radiating through the coun-
try. In the end 1t must pervade the
masses.
In methods Of industry and business
the medieval form holds sway. Hand
work Is the rule. The industrial age
has not yet struck the Orient. to
which fact we owe the beautiful
handmade articles which character
lie the east. You may stroll through
the bazaars Of Constantinople and see
men in little booths cutting out va
rious shapes of wood with hand
lathes, working as baskets, shaping
and painting coarse china. They
work slowly, but deftly. Their hours
are long, but their labor digniies in
stead Of degrading them. Now and
then they stop work, light cigarette
and dream. There is a chance for a
bit of meditation, a broadening Of the.
vision of life.
No Frenzied Finance.
When it comes to selling his pro-
ducts, the Oriental is again the mas
ter of his business-sitting cross
legged in his little shop, waiting pa
tiently for a customer. He Is never
anxious to sell. If you wish to ex-
change YOur money for his goods he