Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-17
ARMENIAN AFFAIRS.
Light Thrown on The Subject By q
Missionary Society.
THE SULTAN RESPONSIBLE.
No True Statement OblalnRble, Unless
Foreign Powers Project
the Witnesses.

Boston, Mass, Dec. l6.-Tho Amori-
can board Of commissioners for
foreign missions moro than any other
missionary organization In America,
contralizos ils work In behalf Of
Armenians IN Aslatlc Turkey. tts
Western Turkey mission began IN 1919,
H. Eastern Turkieh mission In 1896,
Rnd lie Central Turkey mission In 1857.
These three missions comprise fifteen
stations, two hundred aud sixty.eight
out-atatious, iorty.uight missionaries,
one medical missionary Ia Eastern
Turkey, fotty.two married women and
aevcnty-three unmarried women; IN
fact u employs seven hundred and
nlnety-One native lAbOTCra.
Numerous inqulriue nave boon re-
celved from the press anu from the
congregational constituency In the
United states which has Induced this
conservative organization TO furnish
thu following statement relating To
annitH In Turkey!
We are not uncOnoofnod by the re-
ports OF mnssacrea IN eastern Turkey.
The position OF the III missionaries OF
the American board within the Turk.
ish empire IL an extremely delicate
one. Sympathlling deeply on one
aldo with all who arc suffering by
reason OF poverty, oppression and mis-.
rule they have yet been loyal TO tue
government under which they have
lived and have never countonanovd
touitiOn or rebellion.
lt has been their blessed privilege
while preaching the gospel Of Josuo
Christ TO aid tue poor, to protect ns far
~ possible the oppressed aud 10 deliver
from unjust Gil 'ials, multltudos who
have been arrested or Imprisoned.
They arc doing their best amid 40
little peril 20 themselves In the iu-
tofesla OF those Tor whom they have
long iaborod, but our readers can well
uuucrstand, that for tho sake, both OF
the helpers ami Of the helped, Il IN
incXpediont Tor us TO present n full
statement OF all we hear and believe.
Some thinga We may properly say
PRIOR 10 the full investigation Of the
alleged atrocities which We trust will
DO piAde by the representatives " both
our government anu OF the European
powers. III the sahaOun region south
VI Moosh Plain, there are, or were,
, many villagos Inhabited by Armeni.
aus. These people were systematically
robbed OF their fi9oks by Kurds, and
Ia the latter part OF this summer tho
Armenians pursued the robbers la
their endenvor to recover their proper.
". In tho fight which ensued dozen
Of these KuiCs were killed, among
whom were some who were enrolled rs
Turkish soldiers.
When information was given that
the Atmeninns had killed some OF the
HultAn'a troops, the charge OF rebellion
was made, anu orders were cent TO put
down the instruction. This result WAS
these lawlers and uncontrolled soldiers
made iniisuriuiinato slaughter OF the
people who had sought 20 defend their
properly. Ia the horrible massacre
which followed, thousands were slain,
some state 5000, others 10000. Tho de-
tails OF this wrelohed affair arc not OBJ
tAinable unless foreign governments
insist upon n thorough investigation,
conducted by foreigners. Tho poor peo-
ple arc In terror ami dare not state the
truth unless under protection.
A document has been prepared near
the scene Of the carnage, supporting TO
give the Judgment Of tho people that
The thousands slain In Talvoite, met
their lust deaCfls, nud expressing regret
that it had been thought best TO send
COnsuls to investigate, since there has
been no need for their coming. The
value OF such document Will be
Understood when the methods for &C.
curing signatures are known. But
such Investigations should be made
most vigorously either to relieve the
government from unjust charges n
the statements uTe Incorrect, or II they
should be proven, TO bring about the
corresponding punishment Oft guilty
parties.
Papers from Conslantlnople, entirely
under tue control Of tho Turkish cen.
Bors OF the pTese, announce that the
sultan has sent one Of his imperial
guards 10 the city OF EfzlngRn,
In eastern Turkey, 70 carry "A deoOra.
ton to Zrkki Paaha, the com.
mander OF tho French army corp,
which IL located there. Hekkl Pashh Is
the military commander who led the
troops against the deiensoless Villages
In the SassOun region at the time Of the
massacre. Another envoy carries four
banners from the sultan 10 this four
leading Kurdish chiefs who were ~.
ISOLATED with the military commando
ant In the reported massacre, aud who
probably were the insligatofs OF It.
After the sultan had thus approved
the action Of hla troops anu OF tho
Kurds, II will be impossible Tor any
committee appointed by the Turkish
government 10 investigate the outrage
and bring arg report that rgilecla on
elthor the KurOsor tho nrmy. By this
act the sultan seems TO assume nil tho
responsibility for what has been done.
These stories OF wrong aud oppression
have aroused the civilized world. We
arc glad 10 learn our government has
directed ons OF IT, oonsulB TO make an
Independent investigation Of all mat.
tiers connected with tho reported mas.
bAcre. But our government does not
stand Ia the same relations TO Turkey
hs do the other European powers, that
under the treaty OF Berlin secured the
right OF seeing that good government
was maintained throughout tho Turk.
ish empire. Tho rights thus guaran.
te6d ought now TO DO exercised aud the
flBtstep should DO tho most thorough
investigation as to the conduct Of
Affairs throughout Armenia.