The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-12-03

fanatic hostility TO Christian influences natnr.
ally excited apprehension for the safety Of the
devoted men and women who, as dependents
| OF the foreign missionary societies in the
| United States, reside i'm Turkey under the
| guarantee OF law and usage and in the legiti.
mate performance OF their educational and
| religious mission.
NO Efforts have been spared in their behalf.
and their protection in person and propertv
has been earnestly and vigorously enforced bv
| every means within our power. regret how
ever, that an attempt on our part TO obtain
better information concerning the true ,condi.
| tion OF affairs in the disturbed quarter OF the
Ottoman empire. by sending thither the
Cnitsn states consul at Svas to make investi.
| CATION and report. was thwarted by the OBJ
| jections OF the Turkish government This
movement on our part was in no sense meant
| as gratuitous entanglement of the United
States In the so-called Eastern question. nor as
| an officious interference with the right and
| duty which belong by treaty TO certain Euro
| pean powers, calling for their intervention In
| political matters affecting the good govern.
ment and religious freedom OF the non Mussul-
man subjects OF the sultan, but il arose
solely from our desire to have an accurate
knowledge Of the conditions in our efforts TO
care for those entitled to our protection.
| The presence of our naval vessels which ara
| now in the vicinity OF the disturbed localities,
| affords opportunities TO acquire a measure Of
familiarity with the condition of affairs, and
will enable Us TO take suitable steps for the
protection Of any interests Of our countrymen
within reach OF our ships that might be found
| imperiled.
| The Ottoman government has lately issued
| an imperial trade exemptng forever from
| taxation an American college for girls at
| Scutari Repeated assurances have also been
| obtained by our envoy at Constantinople that
| similar institutions maintained and admins
tered by our countrymen shall be secured in
| the enjoyment OF all rights, and that our
| citizens throughout the empire shall be pro-
tected.
The government, however, in view OF exist
| ing facts. is far from relying upon such assur-
ances as the limit of its duty. Our minister
| has been vigiant and alert in affording all
possible protection in individual cases where
| danger threatened or safety was imperilled
| We have sent ships as far toward the points OF
actual disturbance as IL is possible for them to
| 60, where they offer refuge 10 those obliged to
| fee and we have the promise OF other powers
which have ships in the neighborhood that
our citizens, as well as theirs, will be received
| and protected on board those ships.
On the demand Of our minister, orders have
| been issued by the sultan that Turkish soldiers
| shall guard and escort TO the coast American
| refugees These orders have been carried out.
and our latest intelligence gives assurance of
| the present personal safety of our citizens and
| missionaries. Though, thus far, no lives Of
| American citizens have been sacrificed there
can be no doubt that serious loss and destruc-
ton OF mission property have resulted from
riotous conflicts and outrageous attacks.
BY treaty several OF the most powerful Eu-
| ropean powers have secured right and have
Assumed a duty not only in behalf of their own
| citizens, and in furtherance of their own in
| terests, but as agents Of the Christian world.
| Their right is TO enforce such conduct Of Turk
| ish government as will restrain faratical
brutality, and il this fails their duty is to so
| interfere as 20 insure against such dreadful
| occurrences in Turkey as have lately SHOCKED
| civilization. The powers declare this right
and this duty to be theirs alone, and 1t is earn
estly hoped that prompt and effective action
on their part will not be DELAYED
The new consulate 4-.@fOom and Har-
| poot for which appropriation was made last
session, have been Professionally filed by
| trusted employees Of the department Of state.
| These uppointces, though now in Turkey, have
| not yet received their exequaturs
The Consular Service.
In view OF the growth of our interests in
| foreign countries and the encouraging pros.
| poets for general expansion of our COM
merce the question of an Improvement in the
| consular service has increased in Importance
| and urgency.
| urge such action by congress as will per-
| NIT the frequent and thorough inspection OF
| consulates by officers appointed for that pur-
| pose or by persons already in the diplomatic
| or consular service. The expense attending
such plan would be insignificant compared
with its usefulness and | hope the legislation
| necessary to set it ON foot will be speedily
forthcoming.
The Financial Question.
As we turn from review of our foreign re-
lations 10 the contemplation OF our national
| financial situation, we are Immediately aware
| that we approach n subject OF domestic con-
| Tern more important than any other that can
| trg5ge our attention.. and ene at present IN
| kuch perpexing and delicate predicament as
| 10 require prompt aud wise treatment.
We may well be encouraged 10 earnest effort
| in this direction when we recall the steps al
| ready taken toward improving our economic
and financial situation and when we appre
| ciate how well the way has been prepared for
| further progress by an aroused and intelligent
| popular interest in these subjects.
| The compulsory purchase and coinage OF sill
Yer by the government, unchecked and un
regulated by business conditions and needless
| OF our currency needs, which for more than 10
| years diluted our circulating medium, under
| mined confidence abroad in our financial abil-
ity. and at last eliminated in distress and
| panic Mt home, has been recently stopped by
! the repeal Of the law which forced this reck-
] less scheme upon the country.
The things thus accomplished notwithstand-
| ing their extreme Importance and beneficent
| effects, fall far short of curing the monetary
| evils from which we suffer a result of long
| indulgence in ill-advised financial expedients.
The currency denominated United States
| notes and commonly known greenbaclxs was
! issued in large volume during the late civil
war, and was intended originally To meet the
! cxigencies Of that period. IL will be seen by
! reference to the debates in congress at the
t-ttFHe= the -isws=<xnre= passed authorizing the
! issue of these notes that their advocates de-
clared they were intended for only temporary
| use and To meet the emergency of war. In al
most if not all the laws relating TO them some
| provision was made contemplating their volun-
tary or compulsory retirement. Alarge guam
| tity of them, however, Were kept on foot and
| mingled with the currency of the country, SO
that at the close of the year 1874 they amounted
to 1881 ,93901J.
Immediately after that date and in January
1885, law was passed providing for the re-
sumption of specie payments, by which the
| secretary of the treasury was required, when
| ever additional circulation was issued, 10 re-
quire national banks to retire United states
notes equal in amount to ~ per cent of such
! additional national bank circulation until such
notes were reduced 90 skO,OJ0OJO. This law
f..el ..1..1 .tta lu..