The Dominion. FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1909. THE TURKISH REVOLUTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 483, 16 April 1909, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 1909. THE TURKISH REVOLUTION.

The remarkable revolution brought about in Turkey last July, when the Young Turkoy Party, headed by the Committee of Union and Progress, succeeded, with the assistance of the Army, in substituting to a large extent consti- , tutional government for tho most despotic rulo in Europe, has been followed by a I counter-revolution. Tho second revolt has been quite as sudden as tho first, and apIparently ae successful, and it has also i been carried out by the Army; ' The troops declare that they have no designs upon the Constitution, but the immediate sympathy given by tho Sultan to thoir cause, and the'experience of all history in rogard to military control of States, detract greatly from the force of thoir professions. It can hardly be expected, moreover, that the now political party' in aecondanoy, which bears tho ttinistor title of the League of Mohammed, will perpetuate tho policy of religious freedom and equality, so new and strango to Turkey, which was among the glories of the recent short-lived regime. When tho Young Turkey Party, by a sudden coup, wrested from the arch-despot, Abdul Hamid, recognition of a constitutional form of government, with-racial equality and religious tolerance for all the divisions of the Empire, the satisfaction which was felt at the now state of affairs was not,Unmixed'with doubts of ita continuance. It was hardly to bo expected that the Sultan, the'"vice-regent of the Prophet on earth," after enjoying tho most absolute power for over thirty years, would surrendor, without attempt at recovery, his "divine right" and sole authority, and remain content with being, as lit professed himself to be, tho mere "head of the Government, and a working member of tho Constitution." There is reason to suppose, also, that the first success of the Young Turkey Party was duo rather to a fortunate conourrence of events, than to an active sympathy with their political demands. The Army concentrated in Macodonia, which represented four-fifths of the military establishment of the Empire, were smarting, according to an authoritative writer in the Nineteenth Century, under special grievances of their own, A revolt was planned to secure the amelioration of theso purely military grievances, and the Young Turkey Party, who had long been spreading thoir propaganda among the Army officers and other classes, wore sufficiently clever to convert this military revolt into a political revolution. Unfortunately, after they,had, with tho assistance of the Army, forced Addul llaiiid to consent to their Constitution, they were unable to lcavo tho new Government to talco its course. The Committee of Union and Progress were the power behind the throne, and their unconstitutional direction of affairs apparently mado them as objectionable to the new

Government: as they had always been to the Sultan. Probably if they had withdrawn their authority the Government would have broken down before, and Abdul Hamid resumed his ovil despotism. It Iβ admitted that during their brief control the Committee of Union and Progress gave religious freedom to all sects, suppressed crime,' and suspended the system of espionage, corruption, and terrorism which festered under Abdul jSamid. But in soliciting tho adherence of ; the numerous constituents of the Empire they did not disdain to hold out different baits to each. "In Albania," says a writer, "they announced the new order as a truce from tho intolerable blood-feud; to the Turks it was to mean saving the Fatherland from European robbers; at one place it was resistance to foreign ways represented by Austrian eaftsi chahlants', in another it was European freedom and good trade." ■ It is probable that sections with such diverse expectations from the new regime have been diversely disappointed. A- new body,; whose name seems, to imply opposition to the .religious freedom, which must have been tho most novel plank in the platform of the former revolutionaries, has reversed their revolution, with the Army's aid, and the diplomatic' Sultan is no doubt awaiting the ' opportunity to renew his grasp of sole authority, and to triumph over, the Constitution of 1908, as.he triumphed over that of 1876. Even if lie should not succeed, government by an Army,' which seems to be the' latest final force, is likely, as history showß, to bs.as unsatisfactory as government by any single despot. The issue of events in Turkey will have moro than a sentimental interest for the rest of Europe., The misgovernment of that country has been one of the; greatest sources of ; danger : to the peace of the great nationß, and, its disintegration) which has often, been thought to be in sight, would'furnish'bones of dangerous contention. A, strong, united Ottoman nation, in: which ; the minor nationalities would be merged, was one of the principal dreams of the Young Turkey Party. With the destruction of their influence it is announced that Albania is aiming at autonomy, and other disruptions are always possible. .The downfall of the recent governing party impairs the strongest guarantee of the good government of Turkey that has existed for decades, and on tho good government of Turkey do* ponds, in no small measure, the tranquillity of Europe. ""■'■ \: : '