Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, SEPTEMBER, 14, 1908. TURKISH REFORM AND ISLAMISM. GERMANY'S DISAPPOINTMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 14 September 1908, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, SEPTEMBER, 14, 1908. TURKISH REFORM AND ISLAMISM. GERMANY'S DISAPPOINTMENT.

inlpi ration. In its immediate re- i suit therefore the triumph of Consti- j tutionalism at Constantinople must bo regarded as a knock-down blow _ to Germany's aspirations, and a remarkable encouragement to British influence and policy. i «* t »***« | Should tho Constitutionalists be able to hold their ovrn against tb» reactionaries and the weakness and vacillation already characterising the new Government in dealing impartially with law-breakers, the goodwill of Turkey towards tbe Anglo-French-Rusßian entente moy be brought to its diplomatic completeness by means of military conventions binding tho high contracting parties to take joint action in the event of any infringement of tho status quo j by an outside Power. Meantime i immediate change brought about in | tho European situation by the sue- i coss of the Young Turkey move- | ment is so obvious that it fully ox- j plains the irritation of tho "National Zeitung," the German Government's official organ in tho press. « a __ a d _■ At the same time, the "National Zeitung" is not far WTong iv its warning that Britain may find herself ombarassed elsewhere by the spread of Constitutionalism in Turkey. Whilo tho success of the Young Turk movement at Stamboul undeniably strengthens the hands of Great Britain for the great work of keopiug the peace, it must be borne in mind that the coming of Constitutionalism in Turkey furnishes an example and an object lesson to Moslem races in other parts of the . world. Great Britain is pro-eminent as a ruler over Mohammedans. But if the Mohammedans in Turkey will not brook the autocratic rule of a Sultan of their own faith, who is moreover the spiritual head of that i faith throughout the world, is it not likely that they will refuse to accept much longer the virtual autocracy of a foreign ruler akin tp thorn neither by race nor religion 1 __ • ■ ■ n a The success of the party of advance in Turkey has been well noted by tbe Nationalists in Egypt, by the i bazaars of India. Although the former have been quiet lately, there ia no reason to suppoßO that their aspirntions for self-government tire loss marked than when Lord Cromer sternly repressed the movement. In liAlia, conditions already are Very restless, although Mahommedan loyalty soema assured, and the example of "the Young Turks cannat have a tranquilisring effect. On the other hand tho new regime in Turkey must be a shock to every devout and conservative Mussulman, for he beholds vative Mussulman, for ho beholds the power of tho spiritual head of his faith withdrawn from him by Mahommedan hands and Pau'lslamism left without a leader. In fact, the leadership of Islamisra is now in tho I heart of Africa — with those mysterious Dervishes of whom Lo Queux and other writers have drawn pictures, in fiction it is true, but having much significance to thoso who are watching the trend of Eastern ovenis. - r —

THE statement by tho eminent Oriental authority, Professor Vnmbery, that the result of the reform-! in Turkey has been to compleUrly destroy German influence there indicates that another diplomatic design of Germany has been baulked. Only a few months ago it was avnrred that as a counter-move to the understanding betweon France and iGreat Britain the Kaiser was endeavouring to induce Turkey to loin the Triple Alliance. It is understood that German support to Islamic aspirations in Turkey and Morocco may have been tho inducement offered, dn return for Turkey's sympathy with German . schemes of railway oxtension in Persia. The exact tru'h may never bo known; but tho cables say that "astounding revelations of bribery by foreign diplomats to secure concessions for their countrymen have been mado." It woild Ik. only an examplo of the Turk's way hnd he taken the infidel's guilsful gold and then virtuously declined to grant the consideration for wh'ch it had boon offered. Thp destruction of German influoDe? at Stamboul must have boen apparent to every 6tudcnt of politic.! as soon as the Sultan had signed hi. memorable irade on .Tuly 25, and it has beon empbaSisod by Professor Varnbcry. Synchronising with the decline of the influence of Germany — tho Power which jealously uphold the Sultan's autocracy against any attempt by the rest bf Europe to whittle it sway by introducing real reforms in Macedonia — came the instantanrnu.T r.-vival of the influence ' of Gror.t Ihitnin, tho Power which \ itaud* a> tin- typical representative; of i.':> -I.l'rtu: ionoiism in Europe, and from which the leaderß Of the Young J . Turkey party undoubtedly drew their .