End Of Young Turk Regime Now Near.

New York Times 100 years ago today, July 23, 1912:
Army, Which Put Committee of Union and Progress in Power, Turns Against It.
WEIGHED; FOUND WANTING
Situation Declared to be Worse Than Under Abdul Hamid — How Military League Has Gained Mastery.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
    LONDON. Tuesday, July 23.— The Daily Chronicle's special correspondent recently in Constantinople, describing the Turkish situation, says:
    "Driven to the wall, the Committee of Union and Progress, that powerful and unscrupulous political body which for three years has held the Government of Turkey in its grip, is now at bay, fighting its last fight in Constantinople.
    "That same army which marched from Salonika and carried the Young Turks to victory, enabling them to put an end to the misrule of Abdul Hamid and to send the Red Sultan into exile, has now revolted, turned against its former allies, and sworn that the regime of the committee must end forever. The Military League is master of the situation in Turkey. It represents the entire Turkish Army in Europe, and its clearly avowed aim is to encompass the ruin of the Young Turks and that sinister body, the committee, which stands behind the Young Turkish Party.
    "The whilom reformers, acclaimed three years ago as the saviors of their country, have been weighed and found wanting. The handwriting foretelling their doom is visible on the wall. Condemned by a unanimous public and, if one might add, military opinion, their hours as a political factor may he said to be numbered.
    "The climax was reached when, after the dissolution of the Turkish Parliament at the beginning of the year, the omnipotent committee set themselves to see that their candidates, and only their candidates, were returned at the election. When not arrested and thrown into prison on some pretext or another, the candidates of the Opposition were by other methods, equally repugnant to Western ideas, prevented from going to the polls.
    "As a prominent Turk, once a member of the committee, said to me recently at Salonika when discussing the political situation, 'The position of every lover of liberty is now worse than it was in the days of Abdul Hamid. When he was on the throne we had but one tyrant to fear. Now we are opposed by thousands of petty tyrants.'
    "Special resentment was awakened in the breasts of the new reformers when, after the general election, Hadji Adil Bey received the portfolio of Minister of the Interior. He had been General Secretary of the Committee of Union and Progress, blindly obeyed its behests, and had no administrative or parliamentary training to fit him for the post. The appointment was a job in every sense of the word.
    "Then came the mutiny at Monastir. Major Tayar Bey and a number of soldiers from the garrison fled to the hills and threatened to throw in their lot with the rebellious Albanians. The mutinous officer from the fastnesses of his mountain stronghold sought to dictate terms to the Government as a preliminary to his surrender, and, obtaining a free pardon, he demanded the impeaching of several members of the Ministry. The committee refused to accede to the terms.
    "This was but a few weeks ago, and the leaders of the committee to-day fully realize how lamentably they erred.
    "The Military League, conscious of its numerical strength and growing influence, did not long rest inactive. It had won over the army and had nothing to fear, so it embarked on a vigorous offensive.
    "First of all, it demanded the immediate dismissal or resignation from the Cabinet of Shefket Pasha. The Government sought to parley with its powerful opponents. Then it threatened. The league stood firm, and so Shefket Pasha withdrew, on the ground of ill health.
    "The next move of the League was to present an ultimatum to the Cabinet of Said Pasha demanding its resignation within ten days. In the event of a refusal it promised to march the army on Constantinople and to treat the committee and its nominees as those treated Abdul Hamid and his adherents three years ago.
    "Eight of the allotted ten days of grace had expired when Said Pasha hurried to the palace late at night and handed to the Sultan the joint resignation of himself and his colleagues.
    "The Military League, triumphant all along the line, is now asking for the dismissal from office of every committee nominee in Turkey and the immediate dissolution of Parliament. An army from Salonika Monastir, and Uskub has undertaken, if necessary, to march on the capital to enforce these demands.
    "The situation in Turkey is certainly very critical. Much is expected from the new Cabinet. It is composed of some of the ablest men in Turkey — statesmen and soldiers who have grown gray in the service of their country. In the hands of the new combination Turkey may be said to breath freely again. Ghazi Mukhtar Pasha and his colleagues are statesmen of wide experience. They will certainly attempt to govern constitutionally."