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Foreigners Resident In the Turkish
Empire Are Pessimistic Concern
ing the Outlook for the New Re
gime?Ottomans Not Loyal.
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Somewhere in Turkey.?For rea
sons (hat are apparent, I dare not lo
calize the Interview which I shall re
port In this article. Tho porsons
quoted could onslly bo discovered, and
they would bo made to feel the heavy
hand of the government. They repre
sent the darker side of the present sit
uation within the Turkish empire.
Deforo proceeding to quote these
men, I may state one ominous and
related fact, vlt: Every foreigner
whom 1 have met In Turkey?and I
havo interviewed hundreds?has
shown himself hostile to the present
government. This 1? an amazing con
dition of things. Sometimes the an
tagonism bus been merely skeptical
and supercilious. In other cases It
has been deep and passioned.
Hard Knocks for the Turk.
Tho criticisms of the present govern
ment made by these British and
Americans has not been necessarily in
contrast with the old regime, but It
has been a criticism of the Turk aB
a governing power. Neither Is It to bo
considered hostile to Islam per so, but
to Islam as embodied In the ruling
class of the government. I have heard
Educated Non-M oslem Ottomans.
?coro9 of predictions that the out- |
come of tho present regime will be I
utter failure. This state of mind on
the part of the principal foreigners
resident in Turkey must necessarily
be a heavy drag on the wheels of the
government.
Another ominous and allied fact Is
that the Christians in the Turkish em
pire aro emigrating by the thousands.
If anybody has the curiosity to exam
ine tho bulletins of Ellis island during
the present six months he will And a
big percentage of Turkish subjects
among the arrivals. These men have
fled from the prospect of military serv
ice. When put to the tost, they show
that tho Christian population of Tur
key la not loyal to the government.
Apparently Constantinople is willing
to let these people go, although, taken
as a class, the Christiana are more
efficient members of the community
than the Moslems.
An Upper Room Conference.
These generalities were Illustrated
and substantiated by an interview I
bad recently with a doxen non-Moslem
Ottomans, who are all educated men.
and most of them professional men.
They would be called leading citizens
of any community. I asked a friend
Typ? of American School in Turkoy.
to ?rrnnge un interview -with the edu
cated natives of the city who spoke
English. The result was an evening
gathering I? an upper room of the
bom* of one of the members. The
Interview started with one man who
bad lived abroad serving as spokes
man, but it quickly developed lato a
general discussion.
"Have conditions Improved under
the new regime?"
"No; conditions are really worse
than in the Hamidlan days. The new
regime has made the Moslems more
alert to what is going on, and quicker
to assert their superiority, and to im
pose exactions upon non-Moslems.
Christians have no rights In Turkey
today, in spite of what you have read
In the papers."
Here one man broko in with an 11
L
lustrntlon: "A short tlmo ago, In my
Dativo village, u. Christian caught a
thief among his goats. Tho house
holder was a strong man and over
powered the thief, and kept hlm In the
house for the eight. Tho next day ho
took him to tho ofllclals, but because
tho offender was a Moslem ho was set
free, while the Christian was arrested
and fined 25 Turkish pounds for kld
naplng a Moslem!"
The Old Cry for Justice.
"Tell mo." I asked, "what ycu edu
cated non-Moslems want of tho gov
ernment?"
Instantly there camo from several.
aB If by prenrrangemcnt, tho cry, "Jus
tice, equality."
"Why not 'fraternity* also?" I asked,
reminding them of tho third of the
watchwords which wero so generally
UBed at the time of the rovolutlon.
"Never mind about that; let us
bavo justice and equality, and then
fraternity will take care of Itself."
"We cannot get justice. Thero Is
as much bribing as ever, only the
bribes are bigger. Thero are fewer
Christians in office than there were
In the old days."
Venturing to suggest that, In spite
of all, conditions aro Improving and
that the new forces at work must
make for human betterment, one man
Impetuously Bald: "When will they
be better? After we are dead? We
want bettor times now."
Ottomans Who Hate tho Turks.
After more pessimistic talk I re
marked: "Then you seem to think that
tho present government is going to
smash?"
"Wo hopo so," was tho Instant re
sponse. "Wo are willing to bavo any
powor but Turkey rule. Of course wo
dream the dream of Independence for
our own part of the land, and for the
vnrlous nationalities that go to make
up Turkey, but that la far In the fu
ture. At presont we prefer the suzer
ainty of some one of the powers?any
body except the Turks; or we would
be glad to see our part of the country
neutralized under the powers, as Is
the case with I.-ebanon, over which,
however, Turkey has some control.
Then all these emigrants who hare
left by the hundreds of thousands
will return to this country. All of
them pine for the homeland, but they
simply cannot live here."
"Do yon not see," I remarked, "that
tht> -./untry is being drained of the
best people by emigration, so that the
prospects grow weaker as more of
them leave?"
"Good people go to a good country,"
was the terse rejoinder of a college
professor; "there is no field here for
educated non-Moslems."
The Army Bugaboo.
I have said that the prospect of mil
itary service which is now open to
the Christians is driving many young
men out of tho country. Several were
escaping on ships upon which I trav
eled. When remonstrated with these
young men declared that the Chris
tians are persecuted In the army; that
there are no Christian officers; that
the Immorality of the Turkish soldiers
ta of a nature that makes ?Ten the
nominal Christians flee from It; and
that the lifo In the army la not only
poorly paid?about 80 cents a month?
but that the conditions are of the
hardest
It seems to be the opinion of these
educated observers that Turkey Is
willing to have as many of the Chris
tians as please leave the country.
Here my companions began to ask
questions about America. They talked
of it as the children of Israel must
have talked of Canaan. Every man
of the twelve in that room, as wo
found by a count, has relatives in
America; some of them look forward
to going thither themselves. They
think that the rapid spread of the
Masonic movement will help improv
conditions; but they say that In Tui
key the MasonB do not cohere sufL
clently.
The Sultan's Greatest Dread.
Speaking of tho reform elemenl
which undoubtedly exists within Islam
Itself, these educated Ottomans said
that tho progressive Moslems dare not
show their hand In Turkey. There
Is no real freedom of criticism.
"If you would print in your paper," I
suggested to one, "that the Sultan If
not a descendant of the prophet, and
not oven a membvr of the prophet's
tribe, and so, according to tho ancient
law of islam, is not qualified to be
caliph, would you be sent to prison?"
This point Is one which gives tho sul
tan grentest concern.
With fine scorn tho man answered:
"No; I would not go to prison; I would
go to my grave."
"TheBO new days have only made
the Moslem Turks more fanatlcul
There is likely to be a massacre at
any moment. None of us is safe. I
cannot venture out without my pistol,
as you see"?moving aside his coat
and showing tho pistol In his pocket?
"everybody goes armed. When the
Moslems could kill Americans, as they
did Rogers and Maurer in Adana, they
say It Is safe to go ahead and kill
native Christians."
Factors In Reform.
The gentlemen present were unani
mous thai the greatest factors of
promise tn Turkey were the schools
maintained by foreigners, and espe
cially by the Americans. After the
beginnings of tho public education
which have been made, there may
come general enlightenment.
Thero Is great need for the Improve
ment of ogrlcultural conditions by the
government itself, If people are to
wrest a bare living from tho fields,
with prices rising on every hand.
Late at night tho conference broke
up, and I carried with mo a picture of
men under the strain of tho great fear
and a great discontent, who could be
patriots If given a chance, but whose
present sentiments are tho?e of utter
antaRonism to tho government of
which they are citizens.
(Copyright, 1911, by Joseph B. Bowles.)
HOW TO AVOID MATRIMONY
Kind-Hearted Soul Offers Some Valu
able Advice on the Matter,
Without Charge.
To avoid getting married is a very
easy matter, either for a man or a
woman. If you are a man, frequent
the dance, especially the coming-out
dance. Stick to tho debutante as
men of liberal views stick to their
opinions. Hang around conservatories
when the music is playing soft and
low. and where thero are intoxicating
odors. Hang around summer resorts
and attend musical recitals. There
are other things to do, but this should
be enough.
For a woman to avoid matrimony
is quite as easy. She should live in
a college town, or Washington, D. C.
She should cultivate those young men
who wear yachting Bults all summer
and who know what to do with their
hats on a piazza; who are good at
buckling on skates, who ask if you
have heard this and that, who would
just as soon act as ushers at a wed
ding as not, who are perfectly willing
to explain the game of baseball, who
are willing to Introduce other fel
lows.
That's all you have to do to avoid
matrimony. But, in order to cinch
the matter it may be well to add a
few more words of advice.
Ladies! If a man comes along who
will not talk baseball with you; who
does not know anybody and does not
want to; who does not even play
bridge; who cannot even toll you who
ore tho richest girls at the summer
resort and Just how rich they are;
who never was an usher at a wedding
and never will be?pass him the ice
pitcher! And do it quick! Then
go and hide!
Men! When you see a girl who
hasn't got a crowd around her; who
wears no scalps upon her belt; who
subscribes to the I'^me I>ady; who
knows how to Bet a table for five in
a cottage that cost $1,200; who can
give an appropriate Halloween party.
Beat It, my son! Beat It!?Puck.
Physical and Psychical.
Dr. Farlll, lecturing before a soclal
eervice class In Chicago, Bald "the
character of the man as a citizen oft
en was dependent on the physical
training he received." Yes, but his
character was more dependent upon
the moral training he had received.
His environment, his studies, his as
sociations, Iiis methods of thought,
the books he reads, the things he likes
to talk about have more effect on his
character than all the physical exer
cises he can pursue. Because sound
muscles, nerves and organs are to be
desired, they should not monopolise
one's interest entirely. The vanity of
the flesh very often leads to the un
dermining of one's life.
Building up the physical at the ex
pense of the psychical is a disturb
ance of that equilibrium which means
health. The tendency of the age is
to disturb that equilibrium?to make
the legs of a man the test of his
mlghtness, which was not the Lord's
way, as the Psalms remark. The right
way, in the determination of those im
portant relations, Is to keep the soul
just a little ahead of the body on
its upward maroh.
Not Hard Cider.
Bacon?I see a man in tho apple
country has a lake of apple cider on
his place.
Egbert?And do they skate on It?
"No; the cider's not hard enough for
that."?Yonkers Statesman.
EDEN NOTES.
Eden, Feb. 12.?The farmers of the
Eden district No. 2, met the 10th to
reduce tho acreage of cotton. The
weather being unfavorable there were
not many present.
Mr. S. R. Gray has returned homo
from Atlanta with a line pair of mules
and a horse. Mr. Gray believes in
good stock on the farm.
Mrs. J. A. Armstrong made a hy
ing trip to ?den last week.
Dr. J. W. Benson has purchased a
new buggy.
Miss Sophia Armstrong spent Friday
with Mr. M. W. Gray and family.
B. W. Martin nnd wlfo ate turkey
with Zeb Vance and family Friday.
Miss Vivian Owens spent Wednes
day night with M. W. Gray and fam
ily.
A party of men went to Sowen's
Bridge last Tuesday and killed about
forty rabbits and several birds.
F. W. Mahaffcy was In Laurens Sat
urday on business.
Clyde Mahaffey and wife spent sev
eral days In Fountain Inn last week.
Ambrose Holder went to Greenville
Friday on business.
E. H. Reeves Is on the sick list this
week.
See tho splendid values wo are
showing In Iron Beds.
S. M. & E. H. Wilkes & Co.
Liver Tonics
The wise old saying that "an ounce of pre
vention is worth a pound of cure" stands the test
when spoken of your liver troubles. When the
liver is out of whack the whole systen goes wrong.
One of our standard liver tonics taken at the right
time will prove the real "ounce of prevention.'*
Try One of These:
Thackers Liver and Blood Syrup.
Lax-Fos Kidney and Liver Hedicine.
Black Draught Liver Medicine.
Simmons Liver Regulator.
Laurens, S. C.
NewSpringGoods
AT
SWITZERS
We have just received a big shipment of New
Spring Goods for your inspection. They go on
sale this week. The Quality and Price will sure
please you. We ask that you come to our store
and make your selection of early Spring Goods
now.
SILK DEPARTMENT.
New Things In Silk Foulard.
50c, 27 inch Silk Foulard for February ..86c
35c, 27 Inch Silk Foulard, for February . .25c
Big shipment of new Ginghams, just what you
want for early spring school dresses.
12 l-2c Spring Gingham .10c
15c Spring Gingham.If l-2c
Spring Percals now on hand. All new pat
terns here at Swltzer. Per yd 10c and 12 l-2c
LINEN DEPARTMENT NOW COMPLETE.
36 in Linen Crash, just the correct thing for
new spring suit, blue, new tan, gray, only
.40c
36 in Linen Crash, gray brown and white 25c
36 in brown Dress Linen .20c
SUIT DEPARTMENT.
We have Just received our first shipment of
new Bprlng Suits. Ask that you come and look
through this department and let us show you
what Is the correct thing In Suits for spring.
WHITE GOODS DEPARTMENT.
36 in White Madras .10c
27 in Heavy cord White P. K.25c
27 In cotton Corduroy, white and black . .25c
27 in White corduroy. 50c kind .40c
Our buyer leaves this week for the big North
ern Harkets where he expects to purchase a com
plete line for every department of our store. We
are now, and will continue to be, in perfect shape
for our trade.
SWITZER C?T
LAURENS, S. C.
