Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-01-24
Moslem Fanaticism in Damascus.

Hardly better example of the man
ner in which the Turkish government
misgoverns can be obtained than from
what is at this moment taking place in
Damascus. The yearly pilgrimage TO
Mecca, with presents sent by the Sui
tan, ought to start from that city in a
day or two. In order to do this it must
have t40, 900. The town and the neigh
borhood have been ransacked tor the
amount, but not more than half the
amount has been obtained. The bank
has been asked to advance portion of
the rest, but remembering how much
the government owes it, and with what
bad, purely Turkish faith it has been
treated, the bank has, | believe refused
the request. The local Jews have been
applied to, but as the numerous serghis,
or orders, upon the departments held
by them are hardly negotiable at any
price, they too have refused. The poor
peasants of the neighborhood have been
squeezed until it has become hopeless
to get anything more out of them. The
governor is in despair how to get the
money. | naturally asked of my many
informants,-for this, after the war
and the propect of new Damascus
massacre, was the chief subject of con-
versation-what the money was wanted
for. From every source the same an
swer was given. IL is to bribe the Bed
ouin chiefs to allow the caravans to
pass in safety. In other words it is to
pay black-mail. One who knows Syria
we'll told me that in some of the Arab
tribes the usual dOwry promised by
the husband to the wife on marriage
was what he could steal or beg the next
time the Sultan's caravan passed on its
way TO Mecca.
l have already alluded to the dread of
another massacre which is felt i'm DAM
ascus. may say at once that | don't
believe there's any immediate danger.
Several well-informed European Of
ficials told me that the Christians have
lived for years in perpetual fear. and
that they do not observe that Moslem
fanaticism, bad though it is, is no worse
now than it has been for many years.
But the recollection of deeds of sixteen
years ago, when so many lives of an in
nocent, industrious, defenccless, and
small minority were sacrificed to Mos
lem fanaticism, makes the people feel
as men do who live in a powder maga-
zine. Let it be said in passing, however,
that Arab fanaticism showed to advant-
age as against Turkish fanaticism in
Bulgaria. No children were killed
few women were killed, few violated.
write carefully when 1 say that it is
by no means Gear that the Turkish
government has not been trying during
the last few weeks to arouse Moslem
fanaticism in Damascus. The state
ment of consul resident in the city
that the government has been putting
out feelers to see whether the Moslem
population would rise, has, believe,
good grounds. This much is certain,
that while the government will not al
low anything like political kilograms to
roach the residents, it has itself put out
a statement on or about the 9th of Octo-
Der, which has caused great alarm
among the Christians. One consul told
me that it was to the effect that Servia
had broken the armistice. had martyred
5000 Mohamedans, therefore all Mos
lens ought at once to go and fight the
giaours. Two others agreed that the
document certainly spoke of those
killed as martyrs of Mahomedanism.
One of them said it was a distinct ap-
peal to Moslem fanaticism, the object
being, as he believed, not to provoke