The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-05
Situation in Armenia and Constanti-
nople Discussed by One Who SYM
pathizes with the Oppressed.
ATROCITIES OF THE SOFTAs
CHRISTIANS BUTCHERED BY MUS
sELMANs IN TURKEYS CAPITAL.
Hundreds Killed and Wounded Dur
ing the Riotins, and Over 1000
Armenians Imprisoned.


NEW YORK, Oct. A. ]. ]. Rooney, ex-
chairman of the Phil-Armenian As
sociation of America and member Of the
custom house brokerage firm of II. F.
Downing & Co., discussed with an Associa-
ted Press representative to-day the SUBJ
ject of the riots. of the last few days in
Constantinople
IT, he said, 1.-The American people can
sympathize with the struggles of The in
surgents in Cuba they surely can extend
n helping hand to the Armenians, whose
position for centuries has been infinitely
worse than that of OAbans Their fidelity
to their faith has been the chief source of
their many Affections. They received the
Christian faith in the second century and
have held fast TO it through all the years
in spite of incessant persecution and many
general massacres. They have a nlagnif-
cent literature and great history, and are
surely too noble and intelligent a people
to be wiped from the earth by the rnspeak-
able Turk. All the Armenian people ask
is protection for life, honor and property,
and surely such demand should meet with
the sympathy of the American ,,eope
1T is said by enemies of sArmenians
that this outbreak is The result of a secret
revolutionary movement. and tnat 1T was
specially designed to provoke bioodshed in
order to attract the attention and interven-
ton of Europe. The conclusive al swer to
this charge is that it is not necessary, in
view of all the acknowledged facts, to
place any more bloodshed in evidence be-
fore Europe and the civilized world. But
it is necessary and yitally important that the
horrors of the recent and existing sitIa-
ton in unhappy Armenia should he brought
home to the conscience of humanity by a
peaceable petition. This is what was done
at Constantinople on Monday last, and you
know the result:
Moreover, a revolutionary movement in
Constantinople would not be deemed neces-
sary or advisable by the Armenians them
selves the issue is now squarely be-
tween the Porte and the three powers
Great Britain, Russia and France. The OBJ
legations of these powers towards Ar
menia are clearly defined in Article 81 of
the treaty of Berlin. These obligations are
publicly acknowledged by the three powers,
and we, the friends of the Armenians in
the United States, are glad to say that the
British Premier has acknowledged the
addressed the Marquis of Salisbury petit
ton voicing the sentiments of the Ameri-
can sympathizers of the unhappy. Armen-
ians. We asked him to uphold the cause
of suffering humanity In Armenia and the
position assumed by Great Britain in sign
ing the Berlin treaty. This can best be
done, we suggested, by the appointment of
an European governor for Armenia who
has not been a subject of the Porte and
who will be responsible to a European COM
mission. We represented that no amount of
promises from the Porte would avail--that
already has long been proved a dismal
failure. Over fifty years ago, under some
what similar circumstances, a liberal con-
stitution. equal almost TO the United States.
was solemnly granted to Armenia by the
then Sultan. 1t was dead letter from
L. e - hs~~<l- 1Ax hArx. IL.
lively shown that the policy of the Turkish
government has been to end the Armenian
question by ending the Armenians The
three days has acknowledged the receipt
of our petition and has promised to give
it consideration.
menian situation became very strong
soon as the facts of the massacre had been
established beyond doubt Public men
everywhere, including the Governors of
many States, expressed their sympathy
with the Armenians. Bishop Potter, OF New
York. and Cardinal Gibbons have been spe-
cially outspoken on the subject. To show
the value of American sentiment in bring
ing about a remedy for Armenia, / need
only cite the following letter addressed to
in washington, by Mr.. James Brice. author
of THE American Commonwealth" He
wrote:
~ trust that the efforts which you and
other public-spirited men are making to
call the attention of the American people
to the unhappy condition of the Christians
of the East will be successful Your peo-
pie are always ready to respond to the cry
of suffering humanity, and no event of
recent years has better deserved their SYM
pathy than, the. misery of the ancient and
once famous Armenian nation, misery
which has recently eliminated in the mas
sacre of Sassoun. A strong expression of
American feeling will strengthen the hands
who in England desire to measures
of reform introduced which may effectually
prevent any recurrence of similar horrors
Then, again, the first petition asking for
the appointment OF an European governor
of Armenia bears the signatures, among
others, of Justice David j. Brewer, of the
United States Supreme Court; Miss Frances
E. Willard. president of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union, and Richard
Watson Glider, editor Of the Century,