Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 December 1887 — “Sunset” Cox Describes Turkey. [ARTICLE]

“Sunset” Cox Describes Turkey.

New York World. Congressman 8. 8. Cox talked for an hoar and a half last night to a hall fall of members of the Narragansett Club and their friends, at the club house, at No. 397 West Fif y-fourth street. He

told them what he learned about Turkdy and its people while he was United States Minister to that country. “The Sultan told me repeatedly that what he wanted was to insure exact justice and equality to all,” said Mr. Cox. The people are democratic republicans, and cannot do too much for Americans, because we let them alone. While I was there all the nations of Europe made Turkey the subject of diplomacy, and I thanked God all the time that I was an American with nothing to bother me, for the United Statep is so far off that onr people can’t steal anything from Turkey. The Turk is not a sick man, and is very much alive. I never saw so much courtesy and kindness as Turkish parents show to their children. It is that, together with hospitality, that gives them their power.” Referring to Bulgaria,, he explained that it was its position south of the Balkans that made it the key to the (Orient and gave to the country its Importance. “It is a republic something like the United States,” he continued, “and is gove; tied under a constitution given it by England that makes the. p-ople their own rulers. And yet England steadfastly refuses to give her own people home rule while prescribing it for others.” This, and reference to the Turkish policy of home rule, called forth loud applause. Mr. Cox said that the Tarim were misunderstood and maligned. “Their religion gives them not more than five wives, but nearly all are satisfied with one,” explained the ex-Min-iater. “The Saltan has so many that he has to have their addresses on their rooms so as to remind h’m of their names. There are no hereditary legislators or nobibs in Turkey. The reason why the harem is kept up is to preserve the power of the Sultan as a ruler. A> Tark hesitates a long time before patting away his wife, and there is none of the nastiness in divorce proceedings such as we have in this country. “The reason why Bulgaria is free is because a South street merchant named Robert gave ffiJO.OOO to found a college there, and it is the American influence that gives her people freedom.” Speaking of the natural resources of the country tribnt ry to Constantinople as a trade center, the lecturer said that there was an oil region so rich that even the Standard Oil Company wanted to bay it np. “Everything there is oil,and even the money is greasy,for I had some of it myself once,” he said. 1 A man’s temper is one of the few things which improve by disuse.