The morning call., 1894-12-08
COULD NOT RESIST
England's Appeal to- the
President
TO HELP THE TURKS OUT.
Mr.. Cleveland Refused at First
TO Join
IN LINE WITH AMERICAN POLICY.
But When Great Britain Urged 1t
He Consented to Appoint an
Armenian Commissioner.
IN LINE WITH AMERICAN POLICY.

CoNsTANTINoPLE, Dec. president
Cleveland has sent a cable message here
saying he had reconsidered his decision
not to send an American delegate with
the Turkish commission appointed to in
quire into the Armenian outrages, and
will allow the American legation here to
nominate delegate. The Turkish Gov
ernment has been manifesting a great de-
sire 10 show the powers that the United
States was the first asked to send a dele
gate with the Armenian commission, but
had declined. The Earl of Kimberly,
British Secretary of State for Foreign At
fairs, was also requested to nominate a
delegate and Immediately assented.
WASHINGTON. Dec. THE announce
ment By the Associated Press in a cable
dispatch from COnstantinople that Presi-
dent Cleveland had reconsidered his orig
inal Intention and decided to send an
American delegate with the Turkish COM
mission 10 inquire into the Armenian out
RACES was shown to Secretary Gresham
to-day.
The department has been much in the
dark. officially. as to the Armenian
troubles, but at last Information was re-
ceiVed that warranted action, and this has
been announced. The course of the United
States has been marked by great prudence
and desire TO refrain, as far as the die
tates of humanity would permit, from any
ENHANCEMENT In European politics.
As the signatOry powers of the Berlin
treaty at the close OF the Turko- Russian
war had bound themselves to look after
the welfare of Christians in Turkeys, it
would have been unwarranted interference
by the United States in the affairs OF those
countries had this country taken any steps
without solicitation from one or more of
these powers beyond caring for the inler-
ests of United States citizens in Turkey.
So when Turkey requested United States
Minister Terrill to name member of the
committee on inquiry, the request was for
polite reasons 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 Christians of Europe were all
under suspicion of having designs upon
Turkish integrity, and yet it was necessary
in order 10 stem the tide of rising indigna-
tion to place Christian on the committee
on inquiry if Its findings were to be con-
elusive upon Europe. The United States
having declined to join in the committee,
however, the Porte was obliged to yield TO
the extent OF permitting the European
governments to name commissioners.
Up to this point the Government had
been in doubt as to the reality of the re-
ported outrages. The Turkish Govern
ment had declared positively that the Ar
menian affair was nothing but rebel
lion and that it had been suppressed
in a legitimate manner. There had
been a battle, some sixty or seventy
Turkish soldiers had been killed and
the rebels had lost 500 OF 600 men. But at
this juncture came reports from trusted
agents discIediting the official reports of
the Turkish Government and affOrdng
reason for the belief that the Armenians
had been terribly outraged. Then Great
Britain appealed to the United States, in
the interest of justice, to insure a report
above suspicion and above contraVention
by the Turks themselves, to appoint a
member Of the committee of inquiry.
This appeal turned the tide and induced
the President TO reconsider his first de-
cision.
But to avoid any appearance of entan-
clement with other powers which might
In the end result in making the United
States an active party to a controversy
with which it is contended we have prom
erlv nothing to do, it was decided the
American representative should. while ac
companying the committee. act with abso-
lnte independence-should hear what he
could in Armenia. and instead OF Joining
in the conclusions of the committee should
make a separate report 10 the State De-
partEent.
Probably because of his nearness to the
scene of trouble aud also his antecedents.
Milo A. Jewett, United States Consul at
Sivas, was selected to act as the represen-
tative of the United States in making the
investigation.
Mr.. Jewett was born in Sivas. Turkey.
of American parents, his father being
missionary. lie came to the United States
in his youth and was educated in Massa-
chusetts. He was appointed Consul to
Sivas by President Harrison in 1892.