Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-04-02
cONSTANTINOPLE


Constantinople, metropolis and cap
ital of the Turk, and Mecca, the sa
cred city and lodestone of MOhamme
dan religious life, are, probably, the
two most definite conceptions of the
w]esterner concerning the Ottoman
Empire. He has though of the dome
and minaret sprinkled city of Colder
Horn as one whose glories were past
as one fevered through and through
with the disease Of mismanagement
ignorance, and kismet lethargy. He
has thought of il as the husk of
once mighty and brilliant city, )
There are other elements and othel
people in the wide sweep OF Ottoman
power, however. In a careful consid
Grafton of Asiatic Turkey, prepared
by Stephen van Rensselaer, Troy
bridge for the National. Geographic
society, the writer advises us to re
member that the individual Turk pos
sesses many admirable qualities Of
hospitality, courage and fidelity, thai
in many parts of the Ottoman LANDS
in Asia strong p%hysiques are devel
oped by rugged country and a brac
ing climate and strong characters, al
we'll. He continues:
ALTHOUGH still in the dark ages as
regards science, although under the
handicap of a religion which runs
:athwart all our modern civilization
although ,well-nigh ruined by the vi
cious despotism of the Red Sultan,
Abdul-Hamid; although fanatical and
ruthless toward his Armenian and
Syrian subjects, yet it is my strong
conviction that thei Turk has in hin
good material for manhood. The
qualities of fortitude and friendship
are not lacking. The consciousness
of God is in his heart wherever he
goes and whatever he does. Amons
the peasantry, especially, there is {
Spartan spirit of endurance which
commands admiration"
The reason that the people of the
West seldom think 4 the vast~lands
in Asia in connection with the Otto
man nation is, Mrs Trowbridge indi
Gates because all fruitful, historic
territory has slept a sleep of centu
ries under Turkish administration
Constantinople has been the sole
point of contact for a waking outside
world. "In the provinces the Turks
have built no monuments which vii,
abide" lie says. Their seven cen
turtles of occupation have served tc
demolish many stately ruins Of an
cient architecture; but as for con
structive work not even roads and
bridges have been built"
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 in%exhaustible stores of wonderful
cedar forests, famous Lebanon cedars
with their trunks of from so to sc
feet in height and their girths often
of more than 20 feet. With proper
development, no richer farming OIL
grazing lands are to, be found than
within this same empire, including
those fertile valleys where civiliza'
ton was Graded. Experts state that
the Mesopotamian plain, properly irri
gated, would produce "a substantial
share of the worlds cotton. Here
the silk worm industry fourishes,
and among the most luscious tropical
fruits are grown. Yet in this Gentry.
wooden plows are used and grain is
stamped from the ear. j.
The mineral resources of this sleep
ing empire have not been explored,
However, rich copper mines are
known in parts Of the Taurus, out
groupings of coal have been found,
and oil fields have been discovered
near Bagdad. .
Modern life is just beginning to
soep through. American missionaries
have brought much of it. The unde'
veloped natives, some more primitive
than were those who fought under
the last Darius against Alexander,
sleepers in the richest of all the
worlds historical se%pulchers, are just
awakening to the demands Of more
advanced centuries, to a knowledge
of the needs Of present day trans.
portation methods, of steel farm i'm.
plements and machinery, of gas en-.
gines, Of sewing machines, Of factory
equipment, and of electric installa.
ton. Coarse cloth and wheat for
themselves and barley for their hors.
es has hitherto stood for plenty.