Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1895-06-14
THE SULTAN REFUSES
Will Not Agree to Demands
of the Powers.
PROPOSED REFORMS IN ARMENIA
1t Is Relieved Great Britain, France
and Russia ave Determined to
Force Turkey to Comply.

Constantinople, June 6.--The reply
OF the Turkish government to the notes
Of the representatives Of Great Britain,
France and Russia, regarding the pro-
posed reforms in Armenia, has been
delivered to the envoy. The porte's
answer is not satisfactory. Turkish gov
ernment does not agree to the principle
Of the control Of the proposed reforms
by the powers. After receiving the re-
ply, the envoys Of the three powers
held meeting, at which they decided
to refer the whole matter to their re-
spectiye governments. The situation
is serious, as last week the British en-
bassy informed the porte that Great
Britain had decided not to accept any
notifications Of the proposition effect
ing reforms in Armenia, and the rep
resentatives of other powers have made
the same declaration to the porte. The
reply Of the Turkish government causes
surprise. It is thought such answer
would not be given without encourage
ment from some European power, but
the presence of the British Mediterran-
can squadron, consisting of seventeen
ships, at Beyrout, points to an agree.
ment between Great Britain, France
and Russia to force Turkey to comply
with the demands Of the powers.
Consequently, interesting news may
soon be flashed from Beyrout, Syria,
where it is believed the British feet
will be called upon to support the de-
mands Of the three powers. The meas
ures which Great Britain, France and
Russia insist upon as preliminary to
the reform, include the appointment Of
high commissioner from Armenia,
general amnesty and release of all po-
litical prisoners, the revision of certain
judgments and the appointment of a
commission 10 sit at Constantinople,
charged with the application of the re-
forms and working in connection with
the high commissioner.
1t is also demanded by the powers
that the governor and vice-governors
Of Van, Erzeroum, Sivas, Bitlis, Khar-
toum and Trebizond be Christian or
Mussulmans, according as the popula-
tion of the places is inclined. In any
case, however, either the governor or
vice-governor of the places named is to
be a Christian, and the appointment of
these officials is to be approved by the
powers.
Taxes are to be collected by local and
not by state officials, and enough is to
be retained before the money is for
warded to Constantinople TO provide
for the cost of local government, as
under the present system all tax money
is first sent to Constantinople, and but
little of it returns to Armenia.
The powers propose to compel the
porte to make radical changes in the
judicial system, in order to insure fair
trials, the surveillance of prisons and
the abolition of torture, and the police
is to be composed of Turks and Chris
tians equally. Finally, the Turkish
government is to be compelled to strict
ly enforce the law against compulsory
conviction of Islamism.
As already cabled, when the sultan
read the note of the representative pow
ers, outlining the proposed reforms, he
was not unfavoralby impressed. He
had several conferences with the for
eign ambassadors, and the Austrian
ambassador urged him to accquiesce to
the demands of the powers. But it
was added at the time that the sultan
appeared to be counting upon the moral
support of Emperor William of Ger
many, to whom he is known to have
sent an autograph letter on the sub
ject
No Coal Strike.
Johnstown, Pa, June 8.-The Cam