AFFAIRS IN TURKEY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9158, 4 August 1908, Page 5

AFFAIRS IN TURKEY.

"THE EVIL GENIUS."

IZZET PASHA ESCAPES,

Received August 3, 11.13 p.m. CONSTANTINOPLE, August 3

Izzet Pasha, who i 3 announced as Turkey's evil genius, escaped from here aboard the British ship Maria, which, however, has been stopped in the Dardanelles, pending communication with the British Embassy respecting his surrender.

Izzet Pasha was, with several officers, about a fortnight ago, arrested on a charge of conspiracy aiming at the Sultan's abdication. Said Pasha, an ex-Grand Vizier, was appointed with dictatorial powers to succeed the Grand Vizier. Izzet Pasha has for years been the power behind the throne in Turkey, ever throwing his influence against reform. When the Porte recently drove Italy to the length of despatching a squadron to enforce her legitimate demands, the London "Times" remarked that foreigners might be excused if they sometimes found the operations of Abdul Hamid's mind impenetrable. "He always acts in the same inexplicable way, and the result has always been the same, "said the "Times." "He kicks against the pricks and he hurts> himself consider-, ably in consequence. Perhaps Abdul Hamid is not himself exclusively to blame for a course of actiun which is altogether unworthy of his intelligence. There is a power behind the throne which notoriously eggs him on to take up this 1 * singularly inept attitude. Constantinople is the city of specialisation, and unfortunately there is a specialist in reaction and obscuration there, who stands in the highest favour with the Sultan. Izzet Pasha preaches reaction and obduracy in his master's ears, in season and out of season, and Izzet Pasha's influence in the Palace is as powerful as it is malign. How it can continue to prevail with Abdul Hamid, after it has again and again resulted in discomfiture and humiliation, is one of themysteries of Yildiz."

LIBERALS FAVOURABLY IMPRESSED. ' Received August 3, 11.13 p.m. CONSTANTINOPLE, August 3. The Sultan's recent action and language, combined with the fall of hated Palace officials, has favourably impressed the Liberals, who are trying to persuade 20,000 troops in Macedonia to support the Sultan as constitutional monarch. Nine thousand troops at Constantinople and the fleet support the constitution. One thousand time-expired soldiers at Adrianople mutinied, desiring to proceed to Constantinople to rescue the Sultan.

"ALL ARE EQUAL."

Received August 3, IT. 13 p.m. CONSTANTINOPLE, August 3. The Turkish Ministers of War, Marine, Foreign Affairs, Education and Finance remain unchan ed. Said Pasha has appointed several new Ministers, but the impression is that the Cabinet is only transitory. The constitution declares that all Ottomans are equal, regardless of race or religion.