The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-17
TAXATION IN ARMENIA.
A System Absolutely Monstrous in It's
Administration.

Letter in London Telegraph
ine system of taxation which prevails in
All the Armenian districts of Asia Minor is
incredibly unjust as set down on paper,
and absolutely monstrous as administered
In the concrete Why any definite principle
that utter disregard of all principle is the
rule observed, is one of those insoluble
enigmas in which Turkish administration
aDoundS. Tne 1.-THE, which is paid in kind
by the villager, but received in hard cash
by the treasury. should, it's name indi-
of the soil, yet it was first raised to 111a,
and later to 10 per cent. OF this total the
ically accounted for as set apart for
schools, and 11a for an agricultural fund.
If the reader will reflect that the 1.-THE is
farmed out every year to the highest bidder
of hard cash, who may dispose of it to
still more speculative and less scrupuous
praiser to delay his arrival in the village
until the corn has rotted on the stalk (the
peasants being forbidden to reap until he
has come and gagged its value); that
weights and measures favor the rich and
ruin the poor and that there is no appeal
from the exactions of the tax farmer, he
may form some faint idea-which a future
article may render more vivid-Of the odds
against which the Armenian in general and
the Sassoonian in particular has to strug
gle
The result is that vast stretch of coun-
try which once was and again might be
the granary of Asia Minor. is reduced
to the necessity of importing corn. 1t is
worse than useless to grow it. It is posi-.
of the many taxes that weigh upon the
Armenian and drag him down. He has like
t We op each head OF Sheep e that
sheep, would pay f47 1ss a year;
in an especial manner the. tax
on bees, which is two and half piastress
tax had to be paid which opens the door
to new series of grinding extoruons; the
Christians property being openly hiah ana t de-
the very same kind of land owned by
MosIem The next tax is that which strikes
rugged 1ul g mountain district of sassoun, where
grass is priced as a very special g1ft OF
the farmer pays three piastres year for
the right OF grazing.
1t is notorious fact that there are no
paths that can be traversed without dan
ger to life or limb. This IS a very serious
and d sheep to self at distant markets. Yet
the Turkish government adds insult to In
jury by compelling every ,1 male to pay
for the maintenance of roads. Every male
is subject to this tribute, even though he he
that of my friend Hebo's, where there
were thirty-five males, that means neither
large sum for people who scarcely know
the color Of gold, and must sell an al
together disproportionate G uan,Llty s. oI
is the military exemption tax, which strikes
Christians only, who not only disarmed
by law, but must pay an extremely heavy
price for this doubtful privilege. Every
male Armenian. be he 40 years or only
one day old, must pay, forty piastres each
miliar instance, Hebo's family. paid Loo
piastres. Ell S. year Numbers s,, OF p eo,.
fnng Years or whose life having become
aI unbearabIe emigrated to Rus
STA for good are still reekoned as members
of the community for tax-paying purposes,
and as the entire village is responsible for
the taxes of each of Its inhabitants, the
RI nav even for the exiled and the dead.
IF they-I dare not say refuse, for that
would argue stark madness-but hesitate or
argue their property is forthwith dis
trained and sold for sum far exceeding
the amount