Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-23
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THE STORY IN ARMENIA AGAIN.

tales are told of Turkish atrocities and
Armenian risings. The latest adyices are
that the Porte has set on the mercileSs
Kurds to butcher the Armenians. 1t is
not improbable On Saturday the RECORD
UNION at considerable length sketched
the issues that have brought on these diff
culties. While it was shown that the Ar
menians are not wholly blameless for pres
ent bloodshed, the Turks have not even
shadow of excuse for their cruel treatment
of their Christian subjects.
The Mahometans have never, in fact,
been at peace with the Armenians. Hatred
of "infdel dogs" is cardinal doctrine of
faith with the followers of the prophet.
They have one point of agreement from
which they never depart, and that is con-
tinued persistent effort to crowd the
"Giaour" from Turkish ground, no matter
whether he be Christian, Hebrew or unbe-
lever in faiths. In short, the rule of the
day in Turkey, though it may not be pro-
claimed upon the highways and in the
ears of tourists, is "all but the followers of
the crescent must CO." In other words, in
Turkey the patriotic cry is Turkey for
the Turks" A correspondent of the New
York Tribune of recent date, writing
from Constantinople, says that the renown
Sultan Abdul Hamid has among his peo-
pie rests mainly upon his adhesion to this
doctrine.
This Sultan is more absolute now than
has been any ruler in the domain since
Mahmoud, nearly a century ago. He is
imbued with the idea that the Turks are
to be preserved as distinct people in all
territory occupied by or subject to them'
and that all others are to be expelled or
become their servahts. In pursuance of a
policy resting on this belief, he has stead
lily engaged in the displacement of Christ
ian officials in all the provinces and has
substituted for them orthodox Turks.
So far has he carried this work, that
practically, Christian communities have in
Turkish dominions few Official representa-
tiyes, and these are only in minor Offices
There is but one American official now OF
the Sultans Council, the Minister of Fl
nance, and even he has recently been sub
jected to the indignity Of having his house
searched by the police, for discovery OF
alleged disloyal evidences. The animosity
to the Christian is evident on all hands
\ Christian can scarcely get hearing in
q Turkish court, and the Magistrates strain
every point to acquit Mahometan offenders
against Christians. Turkish bandit infest
the highways, but are careful to rob and
kill only "infdel dogs" and they thus es-
cape as a rule, the feeble pursuit of Turk
ISL officers A Christian witness against a
Turkish highwaymaa has no standing in
court, and even in civil actions, Christians
are unfortunate indeed who cannot produce
Mahometan witnesses in support of their
causes.
All the school inspectors are Moslems,
and Of course open in their hatred of the
schools of the Christians. Christian print
of all kinds must go through Turkish Cen.
sors hands, ami Christians are taxed more
heavily for support of Moslem schools than
for maintmnence Of their own. The name
of the Sultan is exalted at all places and
times, and woe to the Christian who, ever
by look, expresses dislike for it.
In short the Christian in ANY Of tn,
provinces of Turkey has long been the OBJ
ject of petty prosecutions, and now hi
rights as man are being gradually strip
ped from him. 1t is not surprising, there
fore, that the Armenian demand for the
appointment of Armenian Assistant Gov
errors should produce trouble. To grant
the request would be to reverse the policy
of the Sultan and endanger his throne. In
refusing therefore, he has gone to the ex.
IRENE Of firing the religious intolerance o.
his Mahometan subjects by justifying
secretly at least, assaults upon Christians
by Turks and Circassiaus and Kurds, the
two last raiding villages and destroying
property and life with weapons furnished
from the Sultan's own armory. The Ar
menians, il consequence, are up in arms
and lust so soon as some leader fit for tn,
occasion arises, we shall hear of the Chris
tian and the Turk once more in open ant
extraordinarily cruel war, and the Ores
cent will be found bearing down the eros
for unless European nations interfere
or Russia comes to the rescue, the Arme
mans viii be trodden down and extermi
mated, il possible.