The Daily News FRIDAY, APRIL 23. A DESPOT'S LAST KICK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 74, 23 April 1909, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, APRIL 23. A DESPOT'S LAST KICK.

There seems very little reason to doubt Unit the ins])iring force behind the reactionary coup that failed to overthrow | the power of the Young Turks in Turkey last Tuesday week was the wily Sultan himself. Nearly a year ago, Abdul, with many protestations of his devotion to his people, granted a Constitution, but it was perfectly evident lie foul no alternative. The movement that culminated in the granting of the Turkish Constitution was one of the mest remarkable in modem times. Inspired by some of the ablest minds in modern Turkey, the propaganda and aims of the Young Turks, 'were circulated, broadcast throughout the land, and covertly and without ostentation an irresistible national movement was perfected, awaiting, only the decision of the central organisation that the time wan ripe to ■trike. The support of the bulk of the Army was assured, and at the opportune mouieut the demands of the Young Turks were pressed. Abdul lost no lime in acceding, a remarkable bloodless victory was achieved in that blood-stained country, and Turkey was granted a Constitution. The Young Turks, whose organisation was subsequently absorbed by the Committee of Union and Progress, did not, however, repose over-much confidence in that sudden conversion of the old reactionary and despotic regime to Constitutionalism. History had taught them that Abdul's promises were made to bo broken, and, as events of the past few days have demonstrated, they did uot allow the vigilance of their organisation to relax. It would seem, however, that the reactionaries believed otherwise, and the sudden outbreak of last week ill Constantinople, inspired no doubt by the Sultan himself, aimed at the overthrow of the Constitution and the religious liberty guaranteed under the Constitution. The dramatic suddenness of the I blow, in the "delivery of which two .hundred Young Turk army officers were ! '. murdered, for a few hours seemed to ] promise success to the reactionaries. If Constantinople alone had to be dealt with, there is little doubt the coup would have succeeded, but the plotters were evidently unaware of the loyalty of the Provincial Army to the new regime. Within two days thousands ofsoldiers from the provincial garrisons were marching on Constantinople to uphold the Constitution. Chaos apparent- ► J.y reigned for a time, but as soon as \ the central organisation of the Commitl tee of Union and Progress at Salonika [ had perfected its plans, order was evolv- { cd. and we no" know that Coustautif nople is surrounded by ail army whose i sincere demeanor and splendid eijuipt incut has been a source of marvej to the ► foreign attaches. Foiled fn his last \ effort to secure a reversion to despotic

T rule, we learn of Hit* prostratio-.i of the ♦ Sultan, unit his oiler to abdicate in 1 favor of his brother. At, tliv moment I tlic 'triunipli of the Constitutionalists is X eom))lete, though through the interven- * lion of Austria and Germany Abdul still site upon the throne. Doubtless it would scarcely suit German aspirations to have an old friend thus removed from the field of diplomat}', but whether abdication ensues or not, ll i* scarcely likely that, the despotism that him mkil the heterogenous peoples of the Turkish H.jMjjire. for centuries will ever again obtain. The forbearance with which the Constitutionalist* have conducted the present campaign against thu reactionaries, considered in conjunction wjth the Young Turks' coup of twelve months sgo, shows that the clays of barbarism are surely giving place to days of civilised enlightenment. While political emancipation was a national policy on which tilt mixed peoples of Turkey caul,| agree, it wa ; s altogether too much to expect that the bitterness of religious strife could be forgotten Because of political unison. The .Moslem and the Christian are no more sociable than the wolf and the lamb, and time alone can I secure that religious freedom and toleration granted under the Constitution. The revolution in Constantinople, therefore, provided! all iJ.it* justification necessary to re-kindle the slumbering tires of racial and religious hatred in sown parts ot the Kmpire. and we learn of the shocking mfl»*i)crt's of Armenians in Asia .Minor. These disturbances, purely local, however, are events that will be sternly discouraged by the Young Turks, whose ideal is a United Turkey. That rhcy ore slowly but surely succeeding in llicir lofty Aims is an event that can only give satisfaction the world over, fof the peace of Europe hat more often, within modern times, been threateiji-d through the duplicity of the despotic l'oile than from any other uunrler.