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Page 2
All the powers are feeling that it is of no use to tell him what they
insist shall be done, until these same powers have made up their minds
what they are going to do, if he tells them all to go away and mind their
own business.
England suggests that, if the Sultan refuses, they shall call out their
soldiers and sailors, and fight him till they make him obey.
Russia is unwilling that the Sultan should be forced to do what he does
not wish to do.
The Russian Minister at Constantinople says that he knows for a fact, that
if the powers do anything to lower the Sultan's dignity in the eyes of
Europe, all the Turks will rise and make war upon the offending country.
Russia says that to carry out the reforms that Europe asks for will take
money, and she thinks it would be wiser for Europe to provide Turkey with
the necessary money, and then keep an eye over her, and, through the
control this loan of money would give, see that the reforms are carried
out.
This seems the most sensible plan, but nothing has been decided upon.
The desired reforms deal entirely with the way the various provinces shall
be governed.
Turkey is a very large empire, and the trouble with the present system of
government is, that the Sultan does not have resident ministers for the
various parts of it, as other countries do, but governs the whole himself,
being guided entirely by the advice of the few people near him in his
palace, who do not know the affairs of the empire any better than he does,
but advise him according to their own whims, or prospects of making money
out of the country. The result is great injustice to the people.
Europe feels that this is not a proper way to govern a great country, and
insists that he shall rule his people with law and justice.
Europe says that the Sultan must appoint ministers to govern the different
parts and departments of his empire, and that he must, as other sovereigns
do, ask the advice of his ministers before he makes the laws, and not be
guided entirely by personal favorites and friends.
While all Europe is uneasy about him, the Sultan is keeping very quiet,
not letting any one have the smallest idea what he means to say or do when
these reforms are offered to him.
* * * * *
The Czar of Russia is quite ill, and every one feels sorry that he should
be sick now, when his advice and assistance are so badly needed to settle
the worrying Turkish question, which has so troubled Europe.
The young Czar Nicholas, who was crowned with so much pomp and glory at
Moscow last August, seems unable to carry on the government of Russia.
Many people say he is too weak to govern, and that there are going to be
troubles and revolts in Russia.
The truth of the matter seems to be, that the young Czar is a gentle,
kind-hearted man, who will not govern Russia in the stern, cruel way that
his forefathers have done, and who is therefore thought to be weak and
incapable.
While he is making a part of his people love him for his goodness, by far
the larger half, who have, under the old rule, been able to make money
and gain great power, are furious against him.
Poor young Nicholas is not only hated by the people who were most friendly
to his father, but by the Nihilists, who look upon him as their natural
enemy, and, between the two parties, it is said that the Czar goes about
in constant fear of his life.
Nicholas never wanted to be a ruler. Those who know him say that he has
become grave and sad in the few months since he came to the throne.
It is said that he is of too gentle a disposition to be able to keep his
ministers in order, and that they quarrel fiercely in his presence, and
show very little respect for him.
According to all accounts, his health is giving way under the constant
worry, and it is reported that he received a shock a few weeks ago, which
so completely upset him, that it brought on his present illness.
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