St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-19
THE PRICE OF BLOOD.

The real influence which is behind
the indecision and weakness of the
powers in dealing with the Turkish
government is not uncertain or OBJ
scure The world may wonder why
nations which call themselves Chris
tian and civilized should look on at
the frightful massacres which have
been taking place not only in Ar
menia, but in other parts of the do
minfons of Turkey. and palter with
protests and empty threats when
they could put stop to the whole
business in forty-eight hours by
decisive exercise of force. 1t is not
the balance of power that stands in
the way. 1t is the love of gold, the
curse of the world, that hangs over
the wretched and helpless victims of
Turkish vengeance. 1t is the Europe
an bondholder who stays the hand
of governments and holds armies and
fleets back from the most righteous
enterprise in which the nations could
engage. The craftsmanship of En-
gland, France and Germany is di-
rected by moneyed interests which
would rather see a whole nation out
ragged, tortured and slaughtered than
to endanger the payment of interest
and principal of the obligations
locked in their strong boxes.
For a great many years now Tur-
key has been a most profitable field
for the usurer of all countries of Eu-
rope, with England at the head of
the list. The bonds of that dissolute
and decaying government have been
sold at low prices and carried high
rate of interest The prodigality of
its rulers has been encouraged by Of
fers to take such loans, and the whole
abominable system Of misgovern-
ment in the Turkish empire has been
bolstered up and kept in existence
by funds supplied by English and
other money lenders. for the sake of
the enormous profits involved. It is
the power of the owners of capital
thus criminal1y invested that holds
armies in check and keeps fleets
quietly at anchor, while the death
cries of men, women and children go
up to heaven. For nearly twenty
centuries there has been held up be-
fore the world as the great crime
of all the ages, that transaction in
which an innocent life was bartered
for thirty pieces of silver. Upon our
adherence Of that act Is based the
system Of belief which all the great
nations of today profess. Yet those
that dare to assume the name, and
claim allegiance to the creed Of Him
who was betrayed in that accursed
sale, are parties today to transac-
tlon so identical in most of it's as
poets, and so appalling in its magni-
tude, that they ought not to expect
a lighter doom than that which has
always rested upon the price Of
blood.
1t is plain, unvarnished fact that
the Turk has bought liberty to work
his will upon the helpless victims of
his lust and hatred by the obliga-
tions into which he has entered with
the bondholders of Europe. When
there was an imminent prospect of
European intervention, Turkish bonds
became practically valueless. There
was panic among the financial in
terests concerned. They feared that,
In any reorganization of the empire,
their claims would be scaled down.
They looked with apprehension upon
the possibility Of having to relinquish
O. penny Of the eXtortionate profits
for which they had contracted. They
made those loans knowing that the
money which they furnished would
be used to sustain the most iniquitous
and tyrannical government on earth.
They knew that it would be suuan-
dered partly upon the foul pleasures
OF Turkish rulers, and partly upon
means to further Cypress the SUBJ
jects of that infamous rule. They