DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4752#0174
164 GOVERNMENT AND OFFICIALS
actively supported by his home government; and
where is that the case? Instances of it I have,
however,, known, and the good achieved I have
seen for myself.
Among the Turkish officials, however, there
is, in the first place, rarely any desire to carry
out the law, any knowledge of what the law pro-
vides, or any wish to learn what are the provisions
of the law. The aim of the official in Turkey is riot
to know and carry into effect the law. The exist-
ing practice would make it impossible for him to
execute it, and no one can say that he ought to try to
know what he cannot execute, especially as it would
mean ruin to himself. And, in the second place,
the salaries apportioned to officials are absurdly
small. I remember in one case the governor of a
district as large as Yorkshire had a salary of £T. 70
per annum. Moreover, the salary is generally
hopelessly in arrears. Finally, the official has
often to pay in bribes, before he gets his appoint-
ment, much more than it is worth. In order to
live he must do as his neighbours do ; bribery is
the universal rule; everything everywhere moves
by bakshish, and without it nothing can be done.
The duty of an official is not to carry out the law,
but to meet the expenses of life. He has his
appointment; he knows that it won't last long, for
changes are frequent, and he must make the
actively supported by his home government; and
where is that the case? Instances of it I have,
however,, known, and the good achieved I have
seen for myself.
Among the Turkish officials, however, there
is, in the first place, rarely any desire to carry
out the law, any knowledge of what the law pro-
vides, or any wish to learn what are the provisions
of the law. The aim of the official in Turkey is riot
to know and carry into effect the law. The exist-
ing practice would make it impossible for him to
execute it, and no one can say that he ought to try to
know what he cannot execute, especially as it would
mean ruin to himself. And, in the second place,
the salaries apportioned to officials are absurdly
small. I remember in one case the governor of a
district as large as Yorkshire had a salary of £T. 70
per annum. Moreover, the salary is generally
hopelessly in arrears. Finally, the official has
often to pay in bribes, before he gets his appoint-
ment, much more than it is worth. In order to
live he must do as his neighbours do ; bribery is
the universal rule; everything everywhere moves
by bakshish, and without it nothing can be done.
The duty of an official is not to carry out the law,
but to meet the expenses of life. He has his
appointment; he knows that it won't last long, for
changes are frequent, and he must make the