El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-01-16
Turkey
IS A WONDER
IN RESOURCES
Timber, Copper, Oil and Coal
Abound; Tiflis, Caucasia,
Ancient, but Busy, City.
METROPOLIS OF
A GREAT REGION


capital of the Turk, and Mecca,
the sacred city and lodestone Of Mo-
hammedan religious life, are, probably,
the two most definite conceptions OF
the westerner concerning the Ottoman
empire. BE Eas thOdght of the dome
and minaret sprinkled city of Golden
Horn as one whose glories were past,
as one fevereu through and through
with the disease of u1ismanagement,
Ignorance and kismet lethargy. He has
thought Of it as the, husk Of a once
mighty and brilliant city
There are other elements and other
People in the wide sweep of Ottoman
power however. In a careful con-
sIderati0n Of Asiatic Turkey, prepared
by Stephen van Rensselaer, TrOwbridge
Cor the National Geographic society,
the writer advises the world to re-
member that the individual Turk pos
sesses many admirable qualities of
hospitality, courage and fidelity; that
in many parts Of the Ottoman lands in
Asia strong physiques are developed
by rugged country and a bracing
climate and strong characters IS we'll
lie continues:
Good Material in the TurGS.
Although still in the dark ages as
regards science, although under the
handicap OF a religion which runs
athWart all our modern civilization,
iOus desDOtism of the red sultan
Abdul-Hamid; although fanatical and
ruthless toward his Armenian and
Syrian subjects, yet it is my strong
conviction that the Turk has in him
EoOd material for manhood. The quail
tres Of fortitude and friendship are
not lacking The consciousness Of
God is in his heart wherever he goes
and whatever he does. Among the
pCasantry especially there is a Spartan
$3.50 do
admiration"
The reason that the people Of the
west seldom think of the vast lands in
Asia in connection with the Ottoman
nation is, Mr.. Trowbridge indicates
because all fruitful. historic territory
has slept a sleep of centuries under
Turkish administration. Constanti-
nOple has been the sole point of con-
tact for a waking outside world. In
the provinces the Turks have built
no monuments which VIII abide, he
says. Their seven centuries Of occu-
patton have served to demolish many
stately ruins of ancient architecture;
but as for constructive work not even
roads and bridges have been built"
Resources Are Tremendous
Yet according to this writer, all
forms Of wealth, the basis for a ma
tional life of vital world interest, are
within these Ottoman lands. There
are inexhaustible stores Of wonderful
cedar forests, famous Lebanon cedars,
with their trunks Of from so to so feet
in height and their girths often of
more than 20 feet. With proper de-
velopmeut no richer farming or graz
ing lands are to be found than within
this same empire, including those fer
tile valleys where civilization was
Graded. Experts state that the Meso-
potamian plain, properly irrigated,
would produce a substantial share OF
the worlds cotton. Here the silk
worm industry nOurishes, ard among
the most luscious tropical fruits are
grown. Yet in this century, wooden
plows are used and grain is stamped
from the ear.
Copper, oil and Coal.
The mineral resources Of this sleep
ing empire have not been explored.
However, rich copper mines are known
in parts of the Taurus, OutcrOppings
Of coal have been found, and oil fields
have been discovered near Bagdad
Modern life is just beginning to seep
through. American missionaries have
brought much of it. The undeveloped
natives, some more primitive than were
those who fought under the last Darius
against Alexander. sleepers in the
richest of all the worlds historical
sepulchers, are just awakening to the
demands of more advanced centuries
to knowledge Of the needs Of present
day transportation methods, of steel
farm implements and machinery, Of gas
engines, of sewing machines, of factory
equipment, and of electric installation.
Coarse cloth and wheat for themselves
and barley for their horses has hither-
TO stood for plenty.
In the Tlflis Region.
There can be few more wonderful
landscapes in the world than those
around Tiflis, the ancient capital of the
Georgian kingdom, now the center Of
Russian government in the Caucasus !
and the advanced base of the Russian
armies operating against the Turks"
says another statement given to the
press by the National Geographic so
ciety. "Tiflis is in the midst of the |
which divide Russia from
southern Asia, in the midst Of a /
rended, forceful, spirited country, /:
overmastering in its majestic beauty. |
It is likely from the regions around I
this capital that the old time Georgians |
took their Inspirations of courage, !
while the famous, and elsewhere rarely /
eQualed, beauty Of Iberia's daughters I
is but the reflected splcndOr of the
W ondrous land around
THE city is spread over the floor l
Of a valley. on both sides of the river I
HOor. It is purely city of the East, /
tho nearest approach to western life I
being in the wide spaced Russian /
quarter. It is the hub Of he Russian |
Continued on Page 3. This sectiOn).