The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-03
CONDITION OF THE TURKS.
The sMoslems Are the Ones Who Need
Sympathy, Rather than Christians.
Expressions Of the Turkish Government on
the Pesple-The Military Conscription-
Parceiing Out the Sick Men.

CONVERSATIONAL, Dec. 26.-A great deal has
fbeen said and written about the suferings of the
Christian subjects of the Turkish empire. It
has been the fashion to exaRgerate in this partic
ular. Greek and Armenian dragomen entertain
the credulous traveller with an unlimited mass
of indiscriminate SANDER which they so cleverly
1ntermix with truth as to leave an impression
unfairly damaging TO the Turks. The modern
Turk has the disadvantage of inhsriting bloody
history He is supposed to-day to be capable of
as dark crimes as those which stained the rule
of their early ruthless conquerors.
But the fact is that there are many noble traits
In the character of the Turk, which crop out in
spite of his education. The individual Turk is
generally a pleasant gentleman TO deal with.
ale is mild, and affable and truthful It is only
when he becomes the defender of corrupt sys-
tenn of government and of a stern faith that he
seems to take on those fierce qualities which
have secured to him the appellation of ''the I'M
speakable Turk" There are many who hold the
sentiment Of the American consul met in Hun
gary. who informed me that the only decent
people I would find inf southeastern Europe
guage. but in at least few particulars there is
much truth in il. 1t is difficult matter TO find
a perfectly upright Greek, Bulgarian or Arme-
Man Missionaries have to be extremely lenient
toward their servants in the particulars of lying
and stealing. A Turk can be better trusted.
But while much can be said in defense of the
individual Turk, there is little encouragement to
defend the system of government which he has
inherited. In TACT most of the trials of the
Christian populations of the empire come from
this INSCRIPTIONS system, rather than from the
harsh individual When a Turk becomes con-
nected with the machine of government, he
seems to lose himself. For the past few years
most of the harsh rulings against Christian sub
jects have come from the despair of a waning
empire. just at present there is strong gov
ernmental influence brought to bear upon local
authorities to stop all new work on Christian
schools and churches. The American mission
aries say that there never has been in their ex
perience so determined resistance to their
work from governmental circles now. The
Moslem world seems to feel shudder as the
dangers of dissolution approach Yet when /
asked an intelligent Armenian, the other day.
whether that section Of his native country taken
by the Russians in the late war found Russia a
more tolerant government than Turkey, he gave
me decided negative He preferred the Turk.
Thore is one affection from which the Chris
tian subjects of the Turkish empire have been
and still are exempt No one can be soldier
ton TO this has been in the case of certain Mos
lens converted to Christianity in the northern
part of Syria. Orders were received from head
quarters that these renegades from the faith
should be treated as Moslems and be sent off
soldiers. This is opposed to the treaties. and
complaint has been made to the various govern
ments. However, nothing has yet been done to
1selieve the matter. Every war which the Sui
tan wages drains Moslem blood and corrupts
Gosiem life. No Christian homes are desolated
by the enforced CONSUMPTION of a father or son
10 enter q service which generally means death
IN distant region. Probably not more than 10
per cent. of the Turkish soldiers drafted for
distant war ever see their homes again, and
those that do carry back wrecked constitutions,
and only add to the burden of their poverty
stricken families.
Say what we may of the sufferings of Chris
tans in the Turkish empire, it is uDquestionable
that in times like these, of threatened war, the
Moslems are suffering far more severely than
their Christian neighbors. During the late
with Russia the suffering in some parts of Asia
Minor was as fitted to evoke the pity of Chris
tendon as were the outrages in Bulgaria Whole
districts were stripped of their able bodied men,
The entire duty of outdoor labor and of defense
was thrownsupon the women. Moslem women
are not accustomed to work in the fields as
are Christian women, and it was only with the
greatest toll that the crops necessary for life
could be gathered. But while they wero in this
aefenseless condition. the Koords swept down
from the mountains, and pillaged and ravaged
the whole territory.
Such was the state of affairs then, and just at
present we are witnessing a repetition of the
same unfeeling measures. and no one can posi-
bly, e5timate the amount of suffering there will
be in the Turkish empire during the coming
winter. Syria has been called upon to furnish
contingent of 40. 600 men for the Balkan PENN
sula troubles. Both reserves have been called
out, and the voice of mourning has gone up all
over the land. The districts of the Lebanons,
which is under the protection Of the foreign pow
ers is in part exempt from this order. 1t is es-
timated that from Beyrout about 90, 900 troops
have already been sent, and the work of con-
scription goes
The birth of male child in Moslem family
can never be concealed, and the date is recorded
in the records of the district These books are
watched with jealous eye, and when the boy ar
rives at the military age of eighteen he is inter
viewed by the authorities Substitution is al
lowed on the payment of $3.50, in which case
they are placed on the list of reserves But as
man is liable to three conseriptons, he must pay
$3.50 before he can be free. II is Immediately
obvious how very few men in the empire are
able to pay even the first $3.50. There are many
cases where men prefer to reduce themselves to
sheer beggary rather than to enter the army.
Some very sad cases have come to my notice of
late. The SON Of Moslem living in the region
of Nazareth was drafted and taken away by
The officers. His father raised the $3.50
necessary TO free him and handed it
over TO the proper authorities who quietly peck
eted it and sent the boy off to Crete. The father
in great anguish went home, mortgaged his
property and gathered together all the money he
could and when last heard from was started for
Crete, whore he hoped to be able to secure
juster treatment
gentleman was riding from Aleppo to Alex
andretta the other day when he fell in with an
old Moslem going the same way. The aged man
was pulling his beard and croaning in most
pitiable fashion. The gentleman asked him the
cause of his grief He answered, 'The officers
Rave taken nv SON nv only SON off to the war
He is the staff of my old age, my only support
lam on my way to Iskanderoon (Alexandretta)
where he is waiting to be transported. Oh, sir,
don't you think they will let me have himl'
Here the Old mans grief was uncomfortable.
BY the law of the empire the sole supporters
of families are exempt from military service
but the preceding incident is one Of the many
cases of injustice which inhere in the warp any
wool of the Turkish system. A poor man has
no chance in the struggle for justice. Just at