Page:Islam, Turkey, and Armenia, and How They Happened.djvu/192

186 could be used as an instrument in their hands. Prince Humid, the brother of Sultan Murad, was the man. Exceedingly timid and suspicious in nature, feeble in structure, short-sighted in mind, devoid of education, and especially fanatical in religion, Prince Humid, who was every moment fearing the assassinator's approach, was put on the throne and given the titles of "The Finest Pearl of the Age," "The Esteemed Center of the Universe," "The Sultan of the Two Shores and the High King of the Two Seas," "The Crown of Ages and the Pride of All Centuries," "The Greatest of all Caliphs," "The Shadow of God on Earth," "The Crown-giver of all the Princes of the World," "The Gracious Father," "The Victorious Sultan Abdul Humid Khan," etc.

Among the palace party there were men clever enough and able to make plans for the diabolical steps to be taken in the future. Some proselyte Christians, some European adventurers, had the light and mind to study the inner and the outer condition of the country and prepare reports for the mechanical endorsement of the Sultan. By the strict police system of the palace and suspicious guardianship of the imperial harem, it was impossible to see the operations which were going on in that "region of holy happiness," as it is called. All the telegraphic and postal transactions were in the hands of the palace favorites; they could modify, annul or invent any news they thought favorable for their policy. The Sultan was but a slave in their hands.