Arizona republican., 1893-01-24
AN ARMENIAN REVOLT.
The People Arc Clamoring for Re-
 construction.
Priests Declare That the Day of Deliv- erence from Moslem Rulo Is at Hand-A Proud But
 Broken Race.

gently returned from Pcrsan Armenia, tells Tn NouvelIes Geographiques or remarkable movement in that country in behalf of the political independence of the Armenians. Armenia is well known as the Poland of Asia, The country, once powerful kingdom, IS now divided between Russia, Turkey and Persia, and the Armenians have no existence as distinct nation. MT. Lecointe says that many of them believe their nationa lity will soon be restored and this idea is particularly popular in Persian Armenia, where, strange to say, preparations are being openly made for the event.
 The Town of Urmia is the head cen ter of the revolutionary feeling. committee is supported there which is planning for the reconstruction of inde- pendent Armenia This committee is known as the Socicte Bibliophile It is not surprising that it has a French name, when we remember that French is the only foreign language that is cul- tivated in Persia, and that not few subjects of the shah speak it with ele- gance.
 The Armenians in Persia of recent years have had considerable reinforce ments from their Russian and Turkish brethren who have gone to Persia to live to escape the exactions to which they are subjected in their own coun- try. It is among these immigrants that many of the most active promoters of insurrection are found. They travel openly from village to village preaching a crusade against Mohammedans, whether they be Turks or Persians. They advise every adult to procure guns and to prepare for the coming uprising. The priests in the churches of Urmia declare that the day of deliverance is approaching and that every Armenian should be willing to sacrifice his prop Grty and lay down his life, if need be, for the national cause. Accommodations of firearms have already been made, and every week many Armenians arrive at Tabriz to buy guns, pistols and knives
 There is one great difficulty, how ever, in the way of the reconstruction of the ancient kingdom of Armenia. The people are themselves divided into factions. There is no people in the world who have become more disunitcd by internal feuds than the Armcnians. They, therefore, do not have the advan- tagc of a single leader of authority. They yield obedience to rival commit tees which are promoting interests that have nothing in common so far as the whole country is concerned except the one issue of the final reconstruction of tho kingdom. Split up into factions, as the Armenians arc, Turkey and Per sia do not seem to think 1t worth while to take measures to suppress the plot ting that is going on. A day for the general rising was fixed for May b last, but the event was postponed.
 Persian Armenia IS the northwestern part of PcrsIa. adjoining the Armenian possessions of Turkey and Russia. It is an elevated country, with cool eli mate, fertile soii, abundance of game, and numerous gardens and fields whose products are renowned in Persia. Its chief town, Urmia, near the big lake of the same name, contains about forty five thousand inhabitants. Most of the population are Chaldean or Armenian, though there are a good many Kurds and some Pcrsians and Turks. The Ar meuiau population numbers about seventy thousand in this district and few thousand are scattered over the rest of Persia, 1t is prolific and a hand some race, but the people are not very well liked by their nci%hbors on ac- CoGnt of their arrogance and faithlcss- Hc.a. They do not seem to thinl, it at ell dishonorable to break their word. The Persian ArmcUiaus. Mr. LcCointe says are the bappiest subjects of the sh2h. He gives tA.n absolute liberty in religious matters, and compcls the Nohammcdans to treat their priests and churches with respect. They are exempt from military service and their taxes are comparatively light, in which respect they offer a striking contrast to the misery of their neighbors, the Turkish Arlonians. For one cause or another the Russian Armcnians seem to be rapidly dying out