New-York tribune., 1895-02-11
TURKISH CENSOKS POWL|h
REASON WHY NEWS OF ATROCITIE
FAILS TO REACH HERE.
JOHN s DIoNrAN TELLS OF TIE sUFFERrNGs q
ARMENiANs AND THE STAND OF T.

JOHN $. proNrAN TELLS OF TIE sUFFERrNGs q
ARMENiANs AND THE STAND OF T.
SULTAN TOWARD HIS coUNTRYMEN.
The Armenian residents OF NewYork are greatly
exercised over the correspondence recently published
which throws discredt the reports OF atrocities
committed by the Turks in the Sassoun district
John 8 Dionian president OF the Philharmonic So
ciety said Tribune reporter yesterday; IL
seems to be the intention of the defenders Of the
Sultan to make him out a righteous. tolerant, KIND
and reliable man. but doub, whether the intelli-
gent classes of this country will look upon him In
that light. We all know he added. that tho
Turkish Government Is a Government by grace Tne
disagreement Of the European Powers on the ques-
ton OF ts division and jealousy between themselves
Is the cause Of its existence to-day The sultan IS
more afraid o. ,he plbc opinion o.; Cnrlsendom
than the iron-clads OF England. for ne feels and
knows that united Chr.stendom can bot out Tus-
key from the map. This being the case Is II such
a wonder tha; the Sultan begs Of the Pope to come
70 the assistance Of his shattered throne ana crum-
bling empire? on the contrary, IL would nave oeen
a great wonder IL he had not done 50. II ne conde-
scends TO hire that wretched Ximenes TO brioe the
influential men and the heads OF the various organ
izations friendly the Armenans. whose avarice
for money is stronger than his sense OF honor ana
manhood is II a surprise that he should appeal to
the Pope?
The worst news we have from the district where the
outrages have been committed comes from missiona-
rles and from American consus. and for that reason
the defence OF the Sultan ard the effort TO dscredt
the reports insult 10 the American representa-
tives In that country The Turks stand in regard
10 Armenia is only in line with his action toward
Greece Damascus. Bulgaria and Crete. and the
massacres In those countries cannot be denied.
The enemies OF Armenia" continued Mr.. Dionian.
quote the Armenian Catholic students at Rome as
saying. Until now have not heard from any
OF our felow-countrymen a single word Of the Ar
.t.alk ~ p
menIan paper published in Constantinople. has never
given any OF the so-much- -talked-of atrocities
How could these people possibly know the true
state OF affairs Fancy getting news about ahairs
in America in a Roman Catholic monastery In
Rome. Even this would be difficult. although We
have censor In this country through whom all
letters and papers must go before being forwarded
to their destination. How much less reliable must
news be among these Catholic Armenian students,
shut out from the world. In the recesses OF
monastery? They have lost all interest In cur
rent events. they have means OF communication
except through the monks in short, they are dead
the world AMI It is from such a source that
our enemies seek IA confirmation OF our reports as
to the sufferings OF our people, and because these
students say they know nothing about IT, we are
put down as invent ~ atrocities and outrases'
People IN this country have idea OF the extent
Of the Turkish censorship. Even Bibles are con,
fscated unless they bear the censors stamp ana
the h bPehren Of those
dents do not dare mention a word in their letters
in regard TO the horrible atrocities FOR, IN case
their letters are opened by the Turkish Govern
ment which almos. always is the case, II means
sure death the writer. -. a.. ..
I'm regard to the statement OF the Armenian assnnaa
of The Tiirks | STATE that his policy has been to
W gain nj the fave OF the Sultan at any cost for his
sssiTsh NERVES His desire Is TO gain supremacy
Sy,s'" over the Armenian patriarch. the Very Rey
Uatteos Ismiran; but what do 100000 Catholic
arr,snanc amount among 600 Armenians?
There is not a single Armenian Catholic In the
dstrcts of Mousn and Van where these atrocities
are daily being perpetrated and II am not mis-!
taken. Monsgnor Azarlan has never visited the
tlon is based uRor the news he gets from the Sub
men in every nationality. and have several
among us. and undoubtedly MonsIgnor A3arian IL
one OF them" -. -. =.
Mr.. Dionian does not deny that the Armenians
will take all any means to free themselves from
the Turks power why not?' ne asks.
what would you do II you saw your wives.
daughters and sisters violated before your very
ewes your property destroyed houses burned and
those resentng such treatment either killed or i'm
prIsoned for life? Here Is the whole question In
a nutshell