Page:The promises of Turkey.djvu/14

10 upon the exclusion of the Christians from the military body of which they are the abject slaves. They are for the most part unequal and unable to appreciate the fact that equality with the Turk in military conscription must lead to subversion of the Mahommedan power.

The ample and liberal promises of Turkey in regard to the administration of public justice are twenty years old, and are as yet unfulfilled in any part. The Hatti-Houmaïoun of 1856 promised that—

"All commercial, correctional, and criminal suits between Mussulmans and Christians and other non-Mussulman subjects, or between Christians and other non-Mussulmans of different sects, shall be referred to mixed tribunals."

"Testimony shall be received, without distinction, upon an oath taken according to the religious law of each sect."

"Penal, correctional, and commercial laws shall be drawn up as soon as possible, and formed into a code. Translations of them shall be published in all the languages current in the Empire."

As to taxes, it was promised that—

"'The most prompt and energetic measures for remedying the abuses in collecting the taxes, and especially the tithes, shall be considered. The system of direct collection shall gradually, and as soon as possible, be substituted for the plan of farming in all the branches of the revenue of the State.'"

As to roads and canals and means of communication, it was promised that—

"'Steps shall also be taken for the formation of roads and canals, to increase the facilities of communication, and increase the sources of the wealth of the country. Everything that can impede commerce or agriculture shall be abolished. To accomplish these objects, means shall be sought to profit by the science, the art, and the funds of Europe, and thus gradually to execute them.'"

As to money and monetary facilities, it was promised that—