The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-12-04

own convention and was promptly recognized
 The long standing demand of Anto- nlo Mapimo Mora against Spain has at lastbeen settled by the payment, on the 14th of September last, of the sum orig finally agreed upon in liquidation of the claim, Its distribution among the par ties entitled to receive it has proceeded as rapidly as the rights of those claim ing the fund could be safely deter mined.
 The enforcement of differential du- ties against products of this country exported to Cuba and Puerto Rico prompted the immediate claim on our part to the benefit of the minimum ta- riff of Spain in return for the most fa- vorable treatment permitted by our laws as regards the production of Spanish territories. A commercial ar rangement was concluded in Jaunary last securing the treatment so claimed. Vigorous protests against excessive fines imposed on our ships and mer- chandise by the customs officers of these islands for travel or trivial errors have resulted in the remission of such l the complaint was apparent, though the veXatious practice has not been wholly discontinued.
 AFFAIRS IN TURKEY.
 Occurrences in Turkey have contin- ued to excite concern. The reported massacres of Christians in Armenia and the development there and in other districts of a spirit of fanatic hostility to Christian influences natu- rally excited apprehension for the safe- ty of the devoted men and women who, as dependents of the foreign missiona- ry societies in the United States, reside in Turkey under the guarantee of law and usage and in the legitimate per formance of their educational and reli- gious mission. No efforts have been spared in their behalf, and their pro- lection in person and property has been earnestly and vigorously enforced by every means within our power. re- gret, however, that an attempt on our part to obtain better information con- corning the true condition of affairs in the disturbed quarter of the Ottoman empire, by sending thither the United States consul at Sivas to make investi- gation and report, was thwarted by the objections of the Turkish government. This movement on our part was in no I sense meant as a gratuitous entangle- ment of the United States in the so- called eastern question, nor as an off, cious interference with the right and duty which belong by treaty to certain great European powers, calling for their intervention in political matters affecting the good government and re- ligious freedom of the Mussulman subjects of the Sultan, but it arose solely from our desire to have an accu- rate knowledge of the conditions in our l efforts to care for those entitled to our protection.
 The presence of our naval vessels, which are now in the vicinity of the disturbed localities, affords opportuni- l ties to acquire familiarity with the condition of affairs and will enable us to take suitable steps for the protection 1 of any interestes of our countrymen within reach of our ships that might be imperilled. The Ottoman government has lately issued an imperial trade ex- empting forever from taxation an l American college for girls at Scutari. l Repeated assurances have also been obtained by our envoy at Constanti- nople that similar institutions, main tained and administered by our coun- trymen, shall be secured in the enjoy- ment of all rights and that our citizens throughout the empire shall be pro- tected. The government, however, in view of existing facts, is far from rely
 
 of it's duty. Our minister has been vigilant and alert in affording all pos sible protection in individual cases where danger threatened or safety was Iimperilled. We have sent ships as far toward the points of actual disturb lance as it was possible for them to go, where they offer refuge to those obliged to flee 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 pro- tected on board those ships. On the demand of our minister, orders have been issued by the Sultan that Turk ish soldiers shall guard and escort to the coast American refugees. These or ders have been carried out, and our latest intelligence gives assurance of the present personal safety of our citi- zens and missionaries. Though thus far no lives of American citizens have been sacrificed, there can be no doubt that serious loss and destruction of mission property have resulted from riotous conflicts and outrageous at- tacks.
 By treaty several of the most power- ful European powers have secured a right and have assumed duty not on- ly in behalf of their own citizens and in furtherance of their own interests, but as agents of the Christian world. Their right is to enforce such conduct of the Turkish government as will re- strain fanatical brutality, and if this fails, their duty is to so interfere as to insure against such dreadful occur rences in Turkey as have lately shocked civilization. The powers de- clare this right and this duty to be theirs alone, and it is earnestly hoped that promised and effective action on their part will not be delayed.
 The new consulates at ErZoroum and Harpoot, for which appropriation was made last session, have been provision ally filled by trusted employees of the department of state. These appointees, though now in Turkey, have not yet .At.-