The morning call., 1890-07-30
THE ARMENIAN OUTBREAK.

The disturbances which lately occurred
at Erzeroum in Asiatic Turkey were pre-
diced by those who were familiar with that
part of the world. For several centuries
warfare between the Christians of Armenia
and the MOhammedans has been chronic and
though in that province the Christians have
always been numerically the stronger, and
their leaders have been men of ability,
the natural sympathy of the Porte
with its corelgionists has given the
advantage to the followers of Mo
manned, and the Christians have suffered
frightfully from the oppression Of the TURK
ish Governors. The Armenian question
was brought prominently before the Con-
gress of Berlin in 1875 and Turkey agreed
TO institute the reforms upon which Russia
and England insisted. But it did not keep
its promises. The condition of the Armeni-
ans has been growing steadily worse in
stead OF better, and now the old feud has
broken out with its usual Accomplishments
of rapine and blOodshed.
1t is supposed that there are some $780,
600 Christians in Turkish Armenia, and
side by side with these live about 100000
kurds, who are wild, lawless brigandS, sub
sisting by pasturage and plumber Tine
was when the Armenians were abundantly
able to protect themselves against these
predatory bands, but repeated castigations
by the Turks and generations of misery
have broken the Armenian spirit, and they
rarely pluck up courage to strike back.
Thus the Kurds ride rough-shod over a
country which in the palmy days of Greece
was rich fertile and populous enough to re-
sist the invasion of Alexander the Great.
but now is bowling desert. The powers
are constantly appealed to by the Armeni-
ans for protection. Russia has offered to
extend a protectorate over the country.
But Great Britain has set her face steadily
against any extension of Russian power in
the direction of India, aud the mutual
jealousy of the two nations has left the Ar
menians to their fate.
The Armenian problem, like all political
problems which involve religious strife,
seems to an outsider to be insoluble. Edu-
cation is so backward, not only in Armenia
but in all parts of the Turkish empire, that
bigotry is rampant, and the Turks believe
that they are rendering grateful service
when they take the life Of an unbelieyer.
With few exceptions, tie leading men on
both sides hold to the tenets which were en-
forced by Alva in the Low Countries. Thus,
WIFI d hulu StctUS an VI
off his wife or daughter, or robs his house,
the secret sympathy of the Pasha is with the
Kurd and against the Gaour That feeling
is only restrained by the dread of provok
ing the Christian powers beyond endurance
The Bulgarian problem was easier of solu-
ton. The Turkish population Of Bulgaria
was so small that no injustice was done in
placing the government of the principality
in Christian hands. But in Armenia the
Turks of the various tribes are almost as
numerous as the Armenians themselves.
In Erzeroum they are a majority.
Ferty years ago the wisest statesmen of
Enrope believed that the true way of deal
ing with the Turk was to let him die out
in Europe at all events. Nicholas was
minded to assist the operation of nature,
and 10 help the Turk on his way to the
grave. England and France, for reasons
which their historians now find hard to ex-
plain. opposed the benevolent purpose of
the Gar, and the Porte got new lease of
life. But they merely protracted the agony.
Reform is antagonistic to the Turkish sys-
TEN. Here and there Sultan or a Vizer
who happens to be an educated man pro-
poses to fall in line with the march of mod
ern intellect. But he cannot carry his peo-
pie with him. 1t is only by continuing to
make himself impossible that he maintains
his hold on the Turkish masses.