The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-09-15
0utrages on Christians for Which There is No
Redress Under Turkish laws, and Which
May Result in War with Russia.
Burns's Scheme for Putting the London
Docks Under Municipal Control.
Probability that the Popular and Successful
Leader Will Be Sent to Parliament-The
Coming Election in France.
CRIMES AGAINST CHRISTIANS.

Lltsio Probability that turkey VIII Redress
the Wrongs Of the Armenians.
Special to the Indianapolis journal
LONDON, Sept 14-The Constantinople
correspondents of number of English and
German Liberal papers continue to send dis
tressing accounts Of Mohammedan outrages
In Armenia. They all agree that little good
may be expected from the commission ap-
pointed by the Porte to inquire into the
horrible crimes which Mr.. Gladstone re-
Gently enumerated in letter to the London
Daily News. 1t is an unwritten Turkish
law that no Mussulman shall be punished
for outrage on Christian. No better proof
of this con be given than in the case of
Moussa Bey, the most noted murderer and
thief amongst the Kurdish chiefs. When
theR Vail of Bitlis communicated
to him the order OF the Sultan
to go to Constantinople that worthy re-
piled that when he Ithe yalil had given back
the 5000 he had taken from him in bribes,
he would obey the order. 1t happened just
at that time that an inspector of Justice
named Ibrahim Bey was in the district,
and in an interview which he had with
Moassa Bey he plainly informed hin that
orders would probably be given to have
him shot. Moussa Bsy has more than one
enemy among the Kurdish beys, SO he took
the hint and went to Constantinople with
out delay. Since his arrival there he has
turned inforlner and the Vail, the chief Of
at Bitlis havo i,een summarlly removed
with the notorious Kurdish chieftain. So
far this was we'll enough. but the Porte has
places. owing to the belief that the govern
forms. Moussa Bey is still unpunished,
and is treated with marked distinction by
palace officials. The twenty Armenians
who whoa came to ConstSsntinople in answer to
against Moussa Bey. have either been trans
ported or lodged in prison, so that they
have since been unable etacommnnicate with
their friends. This hp SO alarmed the
M dars 80 tHa1 II any oi them
The massing of Russian troops on the
Armenian frontier and activity displayed
by correspondents IN furnishing their
papers with detailed accounts of murders
have tsa sssabs ss PoIe tn
understand that this Armenian business
may become very serious indeed, but away
in the wilds of Bitlis. Moosh, Van, Baya-
lid. the functionaries act as though the
opportunity to orlnnder2sz 6asrsfify theiraas-.
sioDs at the expense of the Christians with
ont regard to the consequences tc their gov
ernment The Porte undoubtedly remem-
bers that the details furnished by CORE
spondents OF the horrors of Tatar Bazayik,
in Bulgaria, instigated Russia to intervene
in behalf Of the Bulgarians. Lord Salisbury
has also become uneasy at the fact
that Russia is closely watching events. and
may be tempted to interpose in manner
nttrhs nta aI tn nd xlschD
mier has made representations of a strong
character to the Porte.
For eight hundred years the Armenians
have lived under the dark shadow of Turk
tory their kinsmen. the wild nomad Kurds.
have lived among them. The Armenians
have been Christians from very early pc
riod, theirs being the oldest of the national
churches. The Kurds have long been Ma
are hated of the orthodox Turks. In Arme-
MIA the Christians and Knrds form
the population. The Turks are a
handful. mainly of rulers aud officials.
But the basis of Turkish law, the founda-
that the believer alone possesses the bene-
fits of humanity, and is alone eligible for
the duties and functions of citizenship.
The Christian is the unbeliever, the dog
whose existence may be tolerated, but who
can have no rights. still less any authority.
The history of Roumania, Servia and Bull
garia before their liberation. and of Mace
donIa and of Crete to-day, illustrates
clearly the same conditions. But the Ar
menians are worse Oft than their
RGn Rmrd 0n During sn' the ark winter Sa' the the
Kurds from the mountains. are quartered
on the Armenian villages of the plain. The
Christian population must; must provide them
in return. Some of the Kurdish clans are
addicted to burning, robbing and murder.
There are Turkish soldiers stationed in the
country to keep order, but the Armenians
do not appeal to them for they add to the
repulsive. The Armenians wish to be gov
erned by England, but that is hardly
practicable. Next to that they would like
to be governed by Russia, again a solution
pean, residents propose the. appointment
of Christian Governor, the formation OF a
local militia, and the expenditure within
the province of the revenue there collected.
These are reforms which the Sultan could
throne. A Christian Governor In Turkey is
a Pasha in other garb. Any more substan-
tial Christianity on his part is intolerable
to the Turks, high and low, who are the
Sulran's only faithful subjects. A local
menace which would necessarily. translate
itself into the extermination of the Turks
at least so the Turks understand it.
AS for spending the taxes of Armenia on
Armenian administration, that would be
to deprive the Porte of the only good it gets
from the province-money. Thus there il
a deadlock. Meanwhile, the Russian de-
liverers are at the door. They will deliver
when it suits them The only way to avert
the war which would follow this is for the
powers friendly to Turkey TO compel the
Porte to make new autonomous principal
| ity-a Bulgaria on the Murad, but at pres.
ent these powers are occupied with ankle
fiaa pa