San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-12-11
THE ARMENIAN CASE.
IT is A HARD ONE BUT MAY BE
MITIGATED.
THE SULTAN SEEMS DISPOSED TO
GET AT THE TRUTH OF THE
MATTER IF POSSIBLE.
England and Russia Will Mediate
and Their Efforts May Have
Some Influence in Pre-
venting outrages.

LONDON, Dec. 1.-THE Daily
News this morning publishes a
three column letter from Constan-
tinople giving history of the Ar
menian outrages. The writer ad-
mits from the outset. though he
says that the official denials are as
foolish and conflicting as those
that followed the Bulgarian att oci-
ties, that from all the evidence
that he has been able to gather in
point OF numbers killed and vii.
lagos burned, the Armenian out
RACES cannot be compared with the
Bulgarian atrocities. Still 1t Is a
bad business, the extent OF which
will not be known until the con-
sular reports are published. A
curious feature has been the par
tial success which has attended the
efforts to suppress news OF the out
RACES. This liz due to the fact that
ali the post offices are in Turkish
hands and no scrupe is made OF
opening letters. This is so well
known that nobody dares to de-
scribe the affair except in general
terms. Newspapers in Constantine
pie are forbidden to use the word
Armenia. The difficulty in doing
anything for the Armenians hith.
erto has been that no power except
England cared to interfere. A
common argument in the streets Of
Constantinople ia that even Russia
which might be tempted to inter-
fere for selfish interests has done
nothing. Armenia is too distant
to be properly governed. The gov
ernors who are appointed from
Constantinople fear nothing but
offending the favorites to whom
they owe their posts, therefore the
Armenian grievances never reach
the capital. The fact that the
sultan has invited America and
England to send delegates to IN
quire into the outrages goes far to
show that he wishes to learn the
truth. The Kurds are as much saw
ages as red Indians. They believe
that the government approves OF
the outrages and unless they are
dealt with as the Canadian or
American government would deal
with the red Indians under SINH
lar circumstances, they are incap-
able OF understanding to the con-
trary. Fortunately Sir Philip Cur
RE, the British ambassador, two or
three years ago prevented the dis
patch of Kurdish regiments to the
Sassoun district. Otherwise the
Outrages would have been worse.
The Armenians have only to
glance over the frontiers to
the thousands of their brethren
who have emigrated living peace
fully In Europe or America to be-
come goaded to desperation by the
Turkish missrule. There Is no
doubt that a revolutionary spirit
prevails. Many Of the Armenians
have formed secret societies in the
blind hope to better their lot.
Some are ready to resort to vio-
lence. The writer says that he has
conversed with trustworthy Euro
peans and Americans who have
known of such cases. The average
Armenian, however, declines to as
sociate with such men, knowing
that their policy Is senseless. A
laundering Turkish official does
ten times more to propagate revolt
than all the outside societies In
Armenia, Greece or elsewhere. He
confounds all the Armenians to-
gether and makes his attack as
absurdly general as that upon the
American college at MarsOuvan.
Regarding the remedy, the writer
of the letter declares that autono-
nv is out Of the question because
of race and religious differences.
Barely one third of the population
are christians. Russia has avoided
interference because the successive
disturbances pave the way to the
eventual Russian annexation.
The new entente between Great
Britain and Russia has inspired
law abiding Armenians with fresh
hope. II Great Britain and Russia
join to insist upon reforms, they
will have a fair chance of success,
because in case of need they can
compel attention.
In a leader commenting upon
the foregoing, the Daily News says
eff all the powers cannot act in
concert two must suffice. They
may have the glory Of saving
much more than the peace Of Ar
menia, causing the redress Of griev-
ances which threaten the yeaee of
tInn ,r,nrld y