New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-08
FROM THE MAIL
NOT A RELIGIOUS QUESTION.
AN ARMENIAN WHO DEPREcATEs THE INTRO
DuCrIoN OF RELIGIOUS pREJuDICEs INTO
THE EASTERN pponIFM

MI QOE
AN ARMENIAN WHO DEPREcATEs THE INTRO
DuCTIoN OF RELIGIOUS PREJUDIcEs INTO
THE EASTERN PROBLEM.
TO the Editor of The Tribune:
Sir: 1t is to be regretted that class OF Mahon'-
etans from India living in London believe that te
widespread antipathy in Europe and in America
against the Turk is caused by religious difference
From this conviction they seem to consider II ",'.
sacred duty TO defend Their coreligonists' inc
Turks. in whatever great crime they may be iHoN-
Gated. Thus they active In an agitation aIno"s
the Mahome;ans OF India in favor OF the lurhs'
and they have more than once urged upon the DIV
ish Government the importance OF taking into COZ"
sideration the religious feelings and sentiments VI
The Moslems Of India in Its dealings with Turkey
1t is n grave error for Christians and cNli%eu
Moslems alike TO consider the Armenian prooie''
from religious point OF view, although there 10 ~
doubt in my mind that it is religious fanaucis"
that impels the seml-cvilized Mahometans OF Iu'-
key to perpetrate all sorts OF unspe1kable ou'asH
upon the Armenans We Armenians invoke the CIV
.llzed world to take the Turk TO account not De-
cause he is Mahometan. but because he Is COM
mon criminal; and We ask civilization to checki""''
the Turk, Christians. but as CIVILIZED men
Religious differences need not be taken into consld-
Grafton. They do not aid the solution OF the prop
lem. They only tend TO infame the bigotry anu
fanatcism OF the Mahometan masses without nav
ing any profitable effect upon the Christian "o'iu'
because the Mahometans are more jealous IN theh
religion than the Christians in their Christianity II
the fact proved that religious fanaticsm is acl
ang the Turk to do all this. IL cannot help 10 MANI
stronger case against him. Speaking on the sun
ject Lord Salisbury said. in his recent speech al the
Gulldhall banquet.
have great horror Of the Powers OF Europe aI
pearing in those countries a. the parushns o D
religion rather than the other 1t Is exceeGiiSn S
beliefs but governing a vast empire like that which
exists under the Queen have no other duty tnan
sired was absolute Justice as between man and man;
for both religions. that both MussulTans an ana
pursue their own Industry and follow their own
path OF prosperity in confidence and in peace
fully agree with the distinguished statesman II,
the above utterances We Armenans demand
nothing more than absolute justice between our
selves and our Mahometan neighbors. We do not
want to Cypress them and do not want them TO OPP
press US We do not prosecute them for their re-
llgion and do want to be prosecuted py theih
for our religion We have always been tolerant
people and in the pages OF our history one cannot
find the traces Of religious persecution on our part
with which the history OF most nations more or less
is stained federation has been our unwritteh
motto I take pride IN saying THAI religious toiera-
ton has been our instinct
II was with no little displeasure that read ~"
DAVIS ago an article signed by Armenian gentle
man OF this city. DIT. NJ s Gabriel. who styles him
self the president Of Armenian Patr!otlc Al
lance with an apparent desire TO give an a
be the value OF the writer's position president OF
a society, or the significance OF the body ne rep,
resents his words In full contrast with those ot
Lord Salisbury and tend TO injure the Armenian
cause rather than do any good the article a %
and in The Tribune of November %; In II t(r
GABRIEL essays to give the Armenian problem thS
coloring OF a holy war between Christianity ana
Nahomatansm DR.. Gabriel says: , .
at would be huge mistake to minimize the AT
reno-Trrklsh difficulty TO the proportions OF an
International question and to act accordingly II
is the crisis Of the great struggle when mas pecn
eoinq on for twelve Centuries between the kingio
Of Christ and that OF Mahomet. and It IS PTegnan
with tremendous possibilities for good or TOT Ell
And the United States IS the only power which by
a wise and prompt cooperation with Europe can
give the right direction TO the accommodating forces
sucb rash words In my opinion, serve no
other purpose than to agravate the situation and
awaken the religious zeal Of the whole Mahometan
world to confront the Powers in their movements
~ ARMAYIS p NARTOOGVIAN,
Not president Of any alliance or society
Nsw-Yo Nov. %, 1875