Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-31
RUSS|AIS MEDDLINGr
The Armenian Atrocities Are Part
of the Cars Plan to Provoke
a War With Turkey.
Why's OF EK-MINISTER sTRAUS.
Pen Picture Of the Sultan and His Char
scter, as Shown at the Time Of the
JohnstOwn Disaster.
HE Is ONE OF THE PEACE M0NARCHS.
The turkish Army Never Was in Better Trim and the
Soldiers Know No Fear.
Why's OF EX-NINIsTER sTRAUs.
HE Is ONE OF THE PEACE MONARcHs.
The Turkish Army Never Was in Better Trim and thu
Soldiers Know No Fear.
roo.pr,roNDrrc. or THE pnrlrcH.l !

SARATOGA, August 30.-The latest dis
patches from London state that the troubles
in Turkish Armenia are increasing, and the
Sultan is being denounced lor not putting a
stop to the so-called massacres OF Christians.
The whole blame is lald at the feet of the
Sublime Porte, and the true inwardness of
the outrages are unknown to the public.
The truth is that they are incited and
fomented by Russia, and the probability is
that they are the advance guards OF a series
of provocations, which will ultimately re-
suit in a war between Russia and Turkey,
and for which Russia is now seeking pre-
text
No American diplomat has ever held q
more confidential relation to his colleagues
and to the power to which he was sent than
our late Minister to Turkey, Mr.. Oscar L.
Straus. Mr.. Straus was one of the closest
friends of the Sultan during his four years
in Constantinople. He entertained magnif-
Gently at his house in Pera, and he became
at the same time very popular with his
brother diplomats.
THOROUGHLY INFORMED.
Wealthy and cultured, he was offered and
took the opportunities of his position to get
thorough knowledge of the great Eastern
questions, and there is no man in America
who better knows the inside movements of
the European powers in regard to Turkey
than he. 1 met Mr.. Straus here to-day and
had long talk with him upon the Turkish
situation.
"The country of the Armenians," said he.
'1ies in the northeastern corner of the
Turkish Empire in Asia. They have one
of the oldest lands in the world. Mount
iS SunpOxed tn he m If and thew
claim, whether truly or not can't say, to
have the original site Of the Garden Of Eden.
They are much in the same condition as
Poland and have been partitioned about un-
der the warning nations. Russia has taken
q slice or her territory and wants more.
Turkey has slice and another part belongs
to Persia. There are between 2, 200, 600 and
5000, 600 of Armenians in the Turkish En-
pire and between 1900, 900 and 100000 Of
them in the world.
THEY ARE MONEY MAKERS.
''They are a very shrewd, quick-witted
race, aud in manv respects they may be
compared to the Hebre - They are peo-
pie held together hr rel glon, by traditions
and BY race prejudices. and they are to a
large extent people without a country.
Most of the Turkish emigrants to America
are Armenians. They are the money
changers and bankers of the Far East and
they do business all through the Levant.
They are pushing and progressive, and they
are within their limitations one OF the
brightest business people of the world to-
dav.
''The Sultan recognizes the ability of the
Armenians." Ex-Minister Straus went
on: "He employs them largely in his pub
lie Offices. Most all o the under secret lries
of various Government departments are Ar
menians, ard until recently the Minister of
Finance, Agop, was an Armenian, and the
Under Secretary of State, Moustachaa, was
Of the same race.
RELIGION IN TURKEY
''These Armenians are all Christians. but
they are all of different sects. They have their
own patriarchs and their own ceremonies of
worship. AS to their religion the Govern
ment Turkey has always treated them
well. In Turkey freedom OF worship has
always been recognized and conceded to all
such sects. This has heen SO since the fall
Of Constantinople, in 1852, and this reedom
is in striking contrast with the intolerance
Of Russia, which even at the present day
does not concede that to the dissenting sects
within her empire. The tact is that the
Armenians Turkey, notwithstand con-
siderable misrule are to-day enjoying more
liberty than the Armeniaus of Russia. %
"But how about The foreign kilograms.
These tell much different story?'
"Yes," said Mr.. Straus, "but these re-
ports are undoubtedly exaggerated, and
much of the Russo-Turb ish news that
reaches the outside world is doctored to suit
the political purposes of chiefly Russia or
OF the malcontents OF other nations where
ever it may be.
THE OLD STORY REPEATED.
"Both the Crimean War and the Russo
II
by Russia under the pretense of protecting
the Christian subjects of the Sultan. This
Is the high and holy Sbibboleth, of which
Russia avails herself to cloak her greed for
territory In the Orient She began the war
in 1873 by sending her agents into Turkey
to stir up the Christian population. She is
doing the same thing in Turkish Armenia
k.duy, and care ul investigation of these
outrages which are reported in the papers
will show that Russia's hand is pulling the
wires which are at the real root of the
trouble
1 dou't mean to deny that there was con-
siderable misrule IN the outlying provinces
OF the Turkish Empire ana that this mis-
rule is accentuated in such provinces as
Turkish Armenia chiefly known as the
villsyet of Van. This, however, is not to be
attributed to any intention on the part Of
the Sultan or the Sublime Porte to oppose
tne Armenlans, Dut II ls a result OF lack
Of systematic and well-regulaled> govern
ment, which increases with the distance
that 8 province is from the central govern
ment.
ALIVE TO THE WRONGS.
The Sultan does everything in his power
70 correct such misrule, but his efforts are
not always seconded by the oficials that sur
round him. That his intentions are the best
anG that his purpose is to put such inten-
tlons into execution, can be gathered from
the tact that within the past few days he has
appointed a commission of the most promi-
nent Armenian officials of the empire, in |
cludl the late Minister OF Finance and
the Under Secretary of State to devise |
means or the better government and that
portion OF Turkey inhabited by Armenians.
Know rom nv owu knowledge and from |
the various conversations / have had with |
the Sultan that he is a man OF peace, and |
the purpose nearest his heart is TO rule in |
such way as to satisfy the various ele- |
ments of the empire. This is not onlv in /
the line OF his policy, but it accords with |
the estimate and make of his character and /
disposition
HAS the Sultan ever shown auy desire to
quiet these disturbances and to protect these
elemenLs?"
He has repeatedly" replied Mr.. Straus.
he has charged the Governors General i
again and again when it has appeared that
such Governors were not properly noticing
his Christian subjects. This has been cone
10 the line Of his policy to maintain peace
in his empire"