Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-16

United States several years ago, and
has made a special study of both
the religious and political conditions
in those two countries. The letter
says:
1t rs now over four years since
the eyes Of the world were turned
on Turkey, as amidst general rejoic-
Ing the constitution was proclaimed.
and people were surprised to find
Moslem and Christian hanging on
The others neck, and with knife in
hand calling each other brother. For
a brief moment religion and nation
allty seemed to be forgotten as a.
midst the general excitement each
We'd with the other as to who could
seem the most patriotic towards
his country. 1t was an immediate e.
Emancipation from many heavy bur
dens and restrictions and everywhere
there seemed a spirit of greater IL
Derty and freedom For a time all
went we'll but little by little one could
notice the reaction setting i'm. The
Turks did not do all that was expect
| ed of them, and on the other hand
the Christians were not slow to find
fault, and felt greater liberty to air
their grievances than formerly they
had dared to do. 1t was not long
before it could be plainly seen that
| the Turks, and Christians no longer
| considered they We're brothers, and
as the Turk had power on his side,
| it is not difficult to guess how Things
generally went. From petty things
often hard feelings arose, until it got
to be the common saying that where;
| under the old regime they had one
master, now they had a dozen. Per
sonally | have failed to find this
true, for under the new administra-
ton have seen many improvements
that formerly We're never thought of
In the country places and small
| towns perhaps the people have had
| the most cause for complaint, and
often their position has not been an
enviable one. At times there have
| been reprisals with the natural con-
sequences, until hatred for the Tur
kish rule has spread everywhere.
The Christian people do not by
any means always agree amongst
themselves, and the name is often
the only thing that reminds one of
the Saviour of mankind. Many of
the priests know practically nothing
of the Word of God, but they are
able to perform rites of the church
and they can baptize the babies, mar
ry the people, and bury the dead.
There is one subject, however, ON
which these people have perfect a.
greement, and it is the thorough de
hesitation of the Turk 1t is this,
rather than either love or religion,
that has bound them together dur
ing the present crisis.
"a Greek or Bulgarian may be am
Ottoman subject, but his heart is
with his own nation, and his fellow
countrymen across the border has al
ways had an open ear foT his trou-
bles, until sympathy has taken the
form of strong action; and the out
come of the whole thing is the pres
emit war.
I'm the press one sees the opinion
| of writer's divided; some speak of
the Turks as brave and honorable
men, whilst others describe them aus
a lot of barbarous people. If We could
place each man with the class to
which he belongs, undoubtedly We
should find gentlemen who earnest
ly and sincerely desire the good of
their country, whilst ON the other
hand we should find a rabble that
are ready for amy work, no matter
how inhuman.
g A Turk is looked upon as being
| fanatical, and he certainly regards
his religion as superior to all others,
and is not willing to allow amy Mo
hammedan to change his faith, yet
he allows Christians to have their
own forms of religion, and also ex-
tends the same privilege to the Jews.
1T is we'll to note that this latter race
of people have no complaint against
Turkey from a religious standpoint,
and it is the Mohammedan soldier
who has often protected him from an
Infatuated Christian CD mob, espec-
tally ON such days as Good Friday,
when certain demonstrations are held
In certain parts of Turkey, had the
Greeks been the rulers, probably most
of the Jews would have had to leave,
exactly as they have had to do UNI
der the same priesthood i'm Russia.
Even in Greece itself, where the
people are better educated than the
Christian element in Turkey, one can
visit Athens and other principal cit
ties and almost the entire absence
Of the Jew is quite remarkable.
"In the splitting up of a portion
of the Turkish Empire, nations &C
quiring new territory will have to
face new duties, for races will fan
under their rule with different ideas
and conceptions of religion than they
themselves hold. In what spirit are
these nations going to meet their
new subjects? Also, how are the diff
ferent missionary societies going to
be dealt with, who, under the Turk
ish government, had much freedom?
think it is we'll to call atten tom to
the fact that only a few months ago a |
Protestant missionary i'm Greece was
sent to prison because he preached |
things out of harmony with the |
Greek Orthodox church. Such things