The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-23
The SIassacres Continue.

The Massacres Continue.
When the sultan's letter to Lord Sails
bury was published the other day the
whole Christian world thought that the
massacres of Christians in the sultan's
domains would cease at once. II our dis
patches this morning contain correct in
formation they have not ceased. At Ma
rash q thousand dwellings, and two thous-
and stores have been plundered and a
thousand men, women and children have
been killed. The sultan said in his letter
that lie would put stop TO the outrages
at once, and that he would make all the
reforms which the Christian powers de-
manded. lie seemed aarieved that Lord
Salisbury, in a recent speech. had made
him appear to be such monster of evn,
/ and begged that something be done at
once 10 place him before the world as
wise and humane ruler.
IL is apparent that Christian govern
ments cannot trust him TO protect the
Christians within his jurisdiction. He
lacks either the power or the intention TO
10 what he promises. Our dispatches
say that the Turkish soldiers We're the
that the outrases We're committed under
the eye OF the Turkish governor. Do not
the soldiers obey the sultan? If so he
evidently has taken no steps TO put an
end to the slaughtering of the Christians.
If they do not obey him, then it is use
less to waste more time in trying to in
ducc him to give his Christian subjects
adequate protection. Indeed. it looks as
if it were folly to place any dependence
/ in anything the sultan promises in refer
ence to his Christian subjects. The time
| for the Christian governments to act has
| come They must make the sultan I'M
| derstand that he is not free to do as he
pleases in matters in which the whole
/ Christian world is deeply concerned.
The Turks are fanatics in all matters
/ pertaining to religion. In numbering
! Christians they believe they are doing
the cause of their religion real service
! Indeed, not only the civilians but the SOL
diers are taught to believe it is no crime
to rob and kill Christians. When they
! have no valid excuse for killing them they
/ try to make a pretext for doing so.
We notice now and then in the dis
patches that at certain places the Chris
tians were the aggressors. No doubt the
statement that they were is true. The
Turks wanted an excuse for attacking
them. and so they made it by placing
upon them unnecessarily heavy burdens
and by indignties which they expected
would be resented, and which were re-
! scented. As soon as the Christians showed
/ a disposition to insist upon their rights
I they We're charged with being in rebellion
against the sultans rule, and the Turkish
soldiers proceeded to rob them of their
property and kill them.
The government of the United States
would hardly take part in any effort Of
the governments of Europe to make the
sultan live up to his treaty pledges in re-
spect to his Christian subjects but it viii
see to it that American missionaries in
/ Turkey are amply protected. The cruiser
San Francisco is already near CONSTANT
nople and the Minneapolis has been or
dered there Those two cruisers viii be
sufficient in an probability, to insure the
safety of American missionaries who are
still at the mercy of the sultan and his
soldiers. Perhaps the easiest way to set
tie the differences between Moslems and
! Christians in Turkey is to destroy Tur-
kcy-blot it out-and divide its territory
among the Christian nations of Europe