New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-02
THE ARMENIAN TROUBLES.
STEADILY GOING FROM BAD TO WORSE.
Constantinople, October I6

| STEADILY GOING FROM BAD TO WORSE.
Constantinople, October I6.
Recent advces relative TO Armenian affairs in
dicate an awful state Of anarchy in Armenia and
a condition Of ever-increasing tension between the
| Porte and the Patriarchates The National Repre-
sentative Assembly of the Armenians having ac-
cepted the resignation of Mgr. Ashikian. the patr-
archal throne remains unoccupied Similar to this
! is the situation of the Greek Patriarchate. The
Commission sitting upon the privileges of the
Patriarchates held long meetings and accomplished
nothing. Its object was To hush the Patriarchates
with minimum of privileges but the demands
| for the privileges being maintained intact grew
louder. The Turk exhibits an astounding degree
of ignorant fanaticism in his pretension that the
social life Of the Christian communities must be
regulated in such matters as marriage, divorce and
succession by Moslem law as administered BY the
courts of the Cheri
The Greeks have only the question Of ecclesi-
astical privileges to be settled the Armenians have
further grievances and claims solemnly recognized
| by the signatory Powers of the Berlin Treaty.
The Porte did not heed the notes of the Powers
reminding it of its pledge for and the intoerable
condition Of Armenia. The Armenians persisted in
asking that their rights be respected. The Turk
! cannot with any degree of patience hear OF the
rights Of giaOurs and began to treat them as rebels
with a redoubed cruelty. Every Armenian Is
watched with monstrous suspicion, controlled
by no principle, limited by consideration. Even
| Artin Pacha and the much-admired Minister Of
| Finance, IIagOp Pacha, have been suspected and
their houses needlessy ransacked in search Of
compromising papers. Andon Khan, an Armenian
in the Persian service, recently sent by his Gov
eminent to Turkey, was, on landing at Constanti-
uople arrested by the police and thrown into
prison, although promptly released the repre-
scntatons Of the Persian Ambassador 10 tine Porte.
Dr. IIagopian, medical missionary and
an American citizen, was arrested and
after four weeks of imprisonment in Marash
sent to Constantnople under escort. Hun
dreds of innocent Armenians are thrown into prison
on mere Suspicion and without any sort of previ-
Gus examination. Bands of soldiers and gen.
tlarmes are keeping a wakeful watch on the
principal roads, and search and question all
travellers on their way to Constantnoplc This
is done to prevent letters and news from reaching
the capitll and unveiiing to the world the scenes
Of Kurdish atrocities il Armenia. News does.
however. reach Europe and America through Ger
thin channels and shows that the barbarians have
now unlimited power 70 terrorize the Christians
Dead bodies of murdered Arncnians discOv-
cred daily. One was impacd at AlaSheerd In
Tayazid the Ottoman officers and soldiers talk
ing possl sson Of the Armenian houses after simply
turning out the inmates Hussein Agha. kurd
notorious for his long series of crimes-a second
Moussa Bey-has been released from prison in
Vau and appointed governor of Patnotz. where he
enjoys fall exercise of his savage propensities.
The Annenians of the warlille town of Zeitoon
are reported to he again in full rebellion and
T. have taken possession of the Turkish barracks
| A. 81 lo.-c
tackled and destroyed at night a Turkish bat
talon going from Er7eroun 10 Erzingan. The
revolutionary party of the Armenians in Constan-
tinorle have be-un to answer by terrorism to the
Ottoman system of terrorism, and several traitors
have been murdered.
1t would seen incredible that the Armenian
lace. 50 remarkable for its peaceful and enduring
character and entirely given 10 commerce and
pursuits of peace should rebel But Turkish
cruelty has done everything to eXasperate them.
Their services have been ignored their fidelity de-
spised, their claims Knocked at; when they have
asked for a little liberty the Porte has added
an extra rivet to every chain they bear The
natural result is that they nave been for some
time muttering unheeded complaints and now
they are beginning to sputter out protests and
threats which seem TO be precursory signs of
violent eruptions
Russia is reported to lie anxious TO show that
she has nothing to say in the matter. She is
certainly awaiting the approaching occasion for
striking Europe has said much and rcmon-
strated much with the Porte on IT'S criminal attl-
tude toward Armenia without the slightest re-
suit: she has no possible justification for walt
ing any longer. Ii is more especially the duty OF
Great Britain TO take vigorous initiative IN the
m tier by inviting the co-signatOry POWERS 10
collective intervention for the settlement OF the
Armenian question All the world knows what
the immediate needs Of Armenia ara CHRISTIAN
govprnor-eeneral of character approved ny the
Powers and gendarmcry differed by Europeans