I'hoto by D. \\ . and A. S. Iddings. Copyright by Keystone View Co. 



A mosque; in Constantinople; 



races. Four and a half centuries ago 

 the Turk became master of Constantino- 

 ple. Though greatly reduced in popula- 

 tion and wealth, from what it had once 

 been, its people and the other Christians 

 who came under his rule were probably 

 the most generally civilized people in the 

 world. Under Turkish rule Constanti- 

 nople has become the most retrograde 

 capital in Europe. Under such rule, 

 Athens, Bucharest, Belgrade, and Sofia, 

 eighty years ago, were mere collections 

 of mud huts, occupied by dejected and 

 poverty-stricken people. 



Since their inhabitants got rid of 

 Turkish oppression these villages have 



rapidly grown into towns, have adopted 

 the appliances of civilization, and are all 

 making good progress. The first two, 

 which have enjoyed freedom for a 

 longer time than the others, are novi 

 well-built and well-governed cities with 

 bright, intelligent, and progressive pop- 

 ulations, and Sofia will soon run them 

 close. To pass from any of these towns 

 to Constantinople is to pass from a civ- 

 ilized to a barbarous city. 



the; TURK CANNOT ASSIMILATE WESTERN 

 PROGRESS 



The Turk has been unable either to 

 assimilate the civilization which he found 



1141 



