"STIRRING UP THE SULTAN."

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11483, 16 January 1903, Page 4

"STIRRING UP THE SULTAN."

A cable message yesterday gave some particulars regarding the scheme of reform which Russia and Austria-Hungary intend to j>rees upon tbe Sultan with reference to Macedonia. Evidently the Powers do not place much faith in the efficacy of the reforms already promised by the Pprte, or they would presumably have waited to see them put into execution before conning forward with fresh suggestions. Tbe details of the Turkish programme of reform, which were made public about a month ago, looked fairly satisfactory—on paper. By virtue of the new decrees the Valis or governors will be invested with power to supervise, and, if necessary, punish illegal acts on the part of judicial functionaries in the Turkish provinces; a new "gendarmerie" vA be formed, containing a reasonaUe proportion of Christians ; the independence of tribunals of justice will, to is stated, ba assured, and the members of the tribunals will hereafter be appointed ia the proportion of one-half of Mussulmans and one-half of Christians by the Ministry of Justice; civil tribunals will be created in districts hitherto nnprovidled with them; a new official post of "Kaixnakam" will be instituted in thie chief town of eadh vilayet to ensure the regular transaction of admanistrative business; ami finally inspeotora are to be appointed to keep an eye on the Valis and to see that the new measures are enforced. The reports sent by the inspectors will be examined by a Commission of Control, and submitted 'by tha* body to the Grand Vizier, together with any decisions arrived at by the Commission. Altogether there is much to be said in favour of the Sultan's promised reforms, but only from a theoretical point of view. As the "Standard's" Vienna correspondent observed, they would be exoe&eob reforms in any other country but Turkey. In the fipst place there is the contingenoy—by no means improbable—that like so many of the Sultan's prooHsee*, they wiß never see the stage of fulfillment. Again., even if the desire for reform be sincere, the success of the scheme depends almost entirely on the honesty of the officials. And tbe Turkish official, it is to be feared, is but a broken reed to rely upon in such a case. Macedonia's experience of the type will certainly not encourage the hope that the Sultan's reforms, even if carried out, will lead to much improvement. Tbe taxcollector, the petty official, the police, and thai Albanese all prey by twp upon the unfortun_-te peasants, and the maintenancs of a soldiery clamouring for their pay adds to the burdens of tbe inhabitants. There seems more hope of real reform in tbe suggestion of tbe Powers, that financial control should be established over the collection of taxes and the payment of officiate and troops. Out foreign officers should have charge of the gendarmerie, and that some high personage, independent of the Treasury at Yildix Kiosk, should exercise a general control over the Macedonian administration. At present, jfc is said, the Sultan's method in to ascertain the exact

revenue which each village should produce, and after making allowance for inevitable plunder by the Valis and other officials, to exact that the residue be paid into his own hands. What these sums amount to, or what becomes of them, no one but me Sultan seems to know. Until more light is thrown upon the methods of finance and adnuni-trafcion in tbe Turkish province-, there can be little hope of improvement from within the Empire. As far tbe process of "Stirring up the Sultan,*' wi-icfi. Russia and Austria-Hungary propose to adopt, whether it will have the desired effect, must remain-for the present a matter of surmise.