of no use to tell him what they
insist shall be done, until these same powers have made up their minds
what they are going to do, if he tells them all to go away and mind their
own business.

England suggests that, if the Sultan refuses, they shall call out their
soldiers and sailors, and fight him till they make him obey.

Russia is unwilling that the Sultan should be forced to do what he does
not wish to do.

The Russian Minister at Constantinople says that he knows for a fact, that
if the powers do anything to lower the Sultan's dignity in the eyes of
Europe, all the Turks will rise and make war upon the offending country.

Russia says that to carry out the reforms that Europe asks for will take
money, and she thinks it would be wiser for Europe to provide Turkey with
the necessary money, and then keep an eye over her, and, through the
control this loan of money would give, see that the reforms are carried
out.

This seems the most sensible plan, but nothing has been decided upon.

The desired reforms deal entirely with the way the various provinces shall
be governed.

Turkey is a very large empire, and the trouble with the present system of
government is, that the Sultan does not have resident ministers for the
various parts of it, as other countries do, but governs the whole himself,
being guided entirely by the advice of the few people near him in his
palace, who do not know the affairs of the empire any better than he does,
but advise him according to their own whims, or prospects of making money
out of the country. The result is great injustice to the people.

Europe feels that this is not a proper way to govern a great country, and
insists that he shall rule his people with law and justice.

Europe says that the Sultan must appoint ministers to govern the different
parts and departments of his empire, and that he must, as other sovereigns
do, ask the advice of his ministers before he makes the laws, and not be
guided entirely by personal favorites and friends.

While all Europe is uneasy about him, the Sultan is keeping very quiet,
not letting any one have the smallest idea what he means to say or do when
these reforms are offered to him.

* * * * *

The Czar of Russia is quite ill, and every one feels sorry that he should
be sick now, when his advice and assistance are so badly needed to settle
the worrying Turkish question, which has so troubled Europe.

The youn