The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-10
THE ARMENIAN oUTRAGEs.

1t is just possible that serious results
may flow from the recent occurrences in
Armenia. When the first news of them
reached the political centers hot indigna-
ton was manifested in Christian circles,
and panic broke out at Constantinople.
By the treaty of Berlin the Sultan con-
coded to the Christian powers the right OF
watching over the Christians in the Turk
ish dominions, and it was just such oc-
currences as those which took place In
Armenia which were contemplated by the
provision. According to the information
which was allowed TO reach the Sultan
ana his Cabinet the affair was nothing
graver than a local rebellion growing out
of the immemoriai feuds between the
Kurds and Armenians. which had been
suppressed by the Intervention of the SOL
diery after a battle in which blood had
been shed on both sides. In the firm con-
viction that this was true statement of
the case, the Sultan appealed to the Presi-
dent of the United States To send a COM
missioner to the scene of trou BILE, and to
lay the facts before the world in order to
aIlay excitement. Mr.. Cleveland refused
on the ground that the United States had
no right to interfere in complications in
which their interests were not involved.
This led to a pressing entreaty from
Great Britain begging the United States
to take part in the investigation which the
European powers were about to under
take. This put new face on the matter
and the President agreed that an Ameri-
can chosen by the Embassy at Constan-
tinople should accompany the Europea n
No, nfcoi
he should not join in any report which
they might make, out should report d.
rectly to the State Department. The
Embassy selected Mr.. Jewett, United
States Consul at Sivas, a native of
Turkey, but a citizen of the United States
being the son of an American missionary
who had been educated in Massa-
chusetts. By this time Mr.. Jewett is
doubtless On his way and we may presently
expect from him a reliable account of the
occurrences of November.
1t is not necessary to be seer to pre-
dict that that document will remind the
reader of the reports which were published
thirty years ago of the atrocities which
took place when the Turks overran Bull
garia and Mr.. Gladstone invented the
phrase OF the "unspeakable Turk" The
Turkish soldier has always been a.
savage; when he is let loose on country
to reduce it to submission his methods
are murder, outrage. rapine and cruelty.
1t was impossible for Mr.. Schuyler to tell
the story of the things he saw and heard
in Bulgaria because he could not describe
them in language tit for publication.
Mr.. Jewett will probably be hampered
by the same limitations. Though Ar
menia Is fertile and has been at times a
large producer Of grain and wine, the
valleys have now been converted largely
into pasture lands and the country
people live in squalid misery. The
kurds raid them whenever food and
forage fall short in the mountains.
Between the two races mmemorial feuds
nave RACED since the beginning of history.
What embitters the strife is the re.
ligious differences between the two PEG.
pies. The Kurds profess many religions
but the bulk Of them are followers o.