St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-12-08
CONSUL JEWETT CHOSEN.
He, However, Will Act Inde-
pendently and Report at
Washington.
WHY EUROPE WAS SNUBBED.
Sultan Considered the United
States the Only DiSinter-
eSted Nation.

WASHINGTON, Dec.7.-The announce
ment in a cable dispatch from COnstan-
tiuOple that President Cleveland had
TeconSidered his original intention and
decided to send all American delegate
with the Turkish commission to inquire
into the Armenian OutrageS. was shown
TO Secretary Gresham today. Until re-
Gently the department has been
much in the dark officially as
to the Armenian troubles, but
at last information was received that
warranted action, and this has been as
announced. The course pursued by the
United States has been marked Oy
great prudence and desire TO refrain,
as far as the dictates of humanity would
permit, from any ENHANCEMENT in
European politics. As the SignatOry
powers OF the Berlin treaty at the close
of the TuTko- Russian war had bound
themselves 10 look after the welfare Of
Christians in Turkey, it wUuld have
been an unWaTranted interference by
the United States in the affairs Of those
countries had we taken any steps
without solicitation from one or more of
terestS of United States citizens in
Turkey. So when Turkey requested
tbs United States minister. Tertell, to
name member OF the commission of
Inquiry, the request was for polite rea-
sons declined. Turkey had naturally
turned first to the United States As the
only Christian power whose conclusions
would be likely to carry weight with
the Christian world, upon whose
Absolute Disinterestedness
she could rely. The great Christian na-
tiOns of Europe were all under suspi-
cion OF having designs upon Turkish in
tegIity, J it was necessary in order to
Stem the tide Of rising indignation To
place Christian on the commission of
inquiry if its findings were to be cOnclu-
sive upon Europe. The United States
having declined to join in the commis-
sion, however, the porte was obliged to
yield to the extent Of permitting the
European governments to name com
mlssloners. Up to this point the gov
ernment had been i'll doubt as to
the reality of the reported out
RACES. The Turkish government had
declared positively that the Armenian
affair was nothing but a rebellion, and
that 1t had been suppressed in a legiti-
mate manner. There had been a battle.
some sixty or seventy Turkish soldiers
had been Killed, and the rebels had lost
about 500 or 600 mea. But at this juno
ture came reports from trusted agents
dlScFdltlng the official reports of the
turkish government, and affOrding
reason for the belief that the Armenians
had been terribly outraged. Then Great
Britain appealed to the United States in
the interest of absolute justice, and
to insure report above suspicion
and beyond cOntravention Dy the Turks
themselves, to appoint member of the
commission Of Inquiry. This appeal
turned the tide and induced the presi-
dent to reconsider his first decision.
But, to avoid any appearance of entan-
clement with other powers which might
result IN the end in making the United
States an active party to controversy
with which it is contended we had prop
erly nothing to do. he decided that the
American representative should, while
accompanying the commission, act
with absolute independence, hear
and see what he could in Ar
menia, and instead Of joining in the
conclusions Of the commission. should
make a separate report to the state de-
partment. Probably because of his
nearness to the scene Of trouble and
also his antecedents, Milo A. Jewett.
United States consul at Rivas, was Sc
lected to act as the representative of
ihe Unitec States in making the inyes-
tigation. Mr.Jewett was born in Riyas.
Turkey, Of American parents, his
father being missionary. He came to
the United States in his youth, and was
educated in Massachusetts. He be-
came physician and was for about
eleven years attached to the Danbury
Insane asylum. He was appointed con-
sui to Rivas by President Harrison in
1892, and is regarded as peculiarly fitted
for the inquiry with which he is
charged.