Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1911-07-13
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New Turkey Offers Rare opportuni-
ties for American Capital-A Use
of the Flag That Does Not Rebound
to Honor Of Country.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Tarsus, Asia Minor.-One Of the
great gardens and %granaries. Of the
world is this famous Cilician plain
round which bloom memories OF 1.-THE
glory that was Greece and the gran
deur that was Rome"
Today it is of interest as a feature
in the new life of awakened Turkey
and as q. rare field for the employment
of American capital and the sale of
American goods. The commercial
opportunities of new Turkey are en-
bodied in the situation which is found
here. If the new order in the empire
is to succeed there will inevitably be
great changes in the life Of the peo-
pie. /
Broadly speaking, the Asia Minor Of
today mirrors the times Of the Bible.
There has been little change in two
thousand years. Upon great threshing
floors, open to the sky, handicapped
grain is threshed by oxen and fails,
and winnowed by tossing it into the
air. Two women may still be seen
grinding at a mill. Instead of hotels
the wayside khans are Of the type
which the beautiful Bethlehem story
has made familiar to the world. About
the roadside wells the herdsmen still
gather their flocks, and women with
jars draw the water. It is all primi-
tive, pastoral, patriarchal. The next
twenty-five years will transform the
old order here, even as the like period
of time has done in Japan.
Why Americans Are Favored.
Hitherto obligations and finances
have gone hand in hand in Turkeys
experience with foreigners. Conces-
sions have had diplomatic significance.
Simon-pure business has been kept out
of the country to make way for the
promoter who Is supported by the Off
cialdom of some European govern
ment. New Turkey is tired of this.
She must have money for internal de-
velopment. Only by the inflow of for
eign capital and modern foreign meth
DDS can the people be helped along
the road which the government has
planned for them. In their hour of
need the officials are sincerely turn
ing toward America for help. I have
been told directly by more than n
cabinet minister as we'll as by minor
officials, that since American capital
lists are not the forerunners of danger
ous governmental policies, they are
the most welcome in this country.
The Bagdad Railway.
The Bagdad railway is an illustra-
ton of how business and diplomacy
go hand in hand. The concession, for
this great highway has been secured
by the Germans. It is a master stroke
of policy. There is no exaggeration in
declaring that this Bagdad railway is
the most important bit of railway con-
struction now under way anywhere on
earth. It may be looked upon from
several angles. Some persons see this
line stretched from Berlin to Bagdad
as a mailed fist shown in the face of
India. Others regard it as an out
stretched hand for the golden COM
merce of the far east. Others see in
it only peril to the British and Rus
sian influence in Persia.
The ordinary business man, who
does not NEEDLE with politics, is con-
tent to note that it opens up, the fer
tile plains of the Tigris and Euphrates
to the German trader. Construction
has already proceeded to Burgulu and
before this winter is over it will be in
operation we'll into the foothills of the
Taurus mountains. There, engineering
difficulties will hold it for a few years
hy1f tho Ti1ioior on6 IF tho linz ic o1cn
being built. The maps of tomorrow
will not ignore this new route over
the most ancient highways of the
world.
But the railway is practically polit.
zeal, Germany says that If New Tur-
key increases her taxes, as she means
to do, the money must be applied to
the building of the Bagdad railway.
Great Britain and Russia declare that
the taxes may not be raised if they
are to be used for any such purpose.
Between the ~contending forces of di-
plomacy, poor Turkey is held at a
s%tandstill. Small wonder that she
has looked favorably thus far upon
the Chester railway project which is
designed to open the eastern end of
Asia Minor. This, however, is not yet
through, for the sinuosities of diplo-
macy at C~onstantinople have twined
themselves about many another prom.
Using enterprise to throttle it to death.
Business and Reform.
Apart from the question of mines
and railways, and these other larger
affairs which are roughly grouped as
concessions, there remain smaller en-.
terprises which offer no difficulties to
the American business man. Perhaps
I can best explain these by quoting a
long conversation which I had with the
Vail of the Vilsyet of Adana-a pro
gressive young Turk who was put in
by the Reform government after the
massacres to rule this troubled terri
tory by an iron hand.
Djemal Bey is an enlightened Turk
Of the new order, liberal in his opin
ions, intensely patriotic yet sensible
in the pursuit Of reforms. He has re
quired compulsory education for al
children between Z and IA years Of
80 49, 80