Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-12-06
turks AND AgaLNIASs.

TURKS AND ARhENlANa'
A writer In n London magazine
pictures the Armenians A. hali.civ-
iiizsI people, living In burrows In the
earth, passing their lives In sgricul-
lure or ia petty trade, or, when rich
enough, londing money ct usurl1us
rates to the KutIs, Of whose dopreda-
tons they complain. They are said 10
be uueduoated, tana,ioal and immoral
In tue highest degree, praolioiug vicVs
generally ascrlbed 10 the Mohammod-
aus.
Il lie evident that the author has u
purpose, but n his intention Is to soften
the sentiment against the Turks by
emphasizing the dark shadow. Of social
life among tho sufferers OF Armenia,
hs must fail for the reas)n that the
responsibility for that condition chiefly
rests with the ruling clas,-the Turks.
The Armenlans met with everywhere
In tao coast cities OF Asia Minor,
whore laws OF civilization are OF neoes.
slly recognized 10 some extent and
where, consequently, the Characters.
tics OF the RAGS are given some Tree
dom OF development, these Armenians
As rule are diligeni. hard working
Ald beaming forth the keen intolii-
genoe peculiar to Ofiontals. Their lin.
guisllc skin ia simply wonderful. They
are progressive as far as circumstances
will permit, longing for place among
tho civilized nations. Their past his.
tory and their traditions inspire them
with hops for the future. The RAGS
must be Judged from the qualities thOy
exhibit under favorable circumstances
and not from the condition Of the
rural population In the relentless
grasp Of the monster Of oppression
which for centuries has wound IT,
tentacles around them.
IL In almost impossible for pe0.
pie living under the blessings Of
free government TO realize what
despotltm really IL. Freedom Of
thought, OF speech, Of action beoomss
20 natural that different condition
seems almost inconceivablc. Even tho
groans from tue dep,hs OF the abyss OF
oppression arc likely to DO mlsinter.
preiod as the rebellious utteranoss "
malcontsnts, OF which tho world IL
full. One must have eeon the misery
In order to understand II. Fancy
country In whiuh officials are author.
lied to seize every book, even Bibles,
that have not a government zap.
proved" stamped upon II; country In
which the villagers hide al the ap.
proach Of a stranger, because they fear
no has come 10 gather taXet; where
officials with immunity lay hand on
everything that II valuable, and whore
there, consequently, Ia no NEGATIVE TO
work for the sake Of obtaining oompe.
tenoe;w here evsryth hing boy nd the bare
neoessities OF u lifo In poverty must be
hidden In caves or otherwise; where
you cannot travel from one city to an.
other without official permission;
where you cannot trust - postmaster
with one-csnt stamp, but must watch
him until he has cancelled II and ten.
dered II not worth while stealing. But
these conditions prevail all over the
Turkish empire. And worse still,
neither the llio nor the honor Of the
women IL safe IN the tracks OF many
OF the bands that traverse the proviu-
ess for the purpose Of gathering tevs-
nue. for the central government. Both
Aohammoians and Christians are
constantly subjected 10 these methods,
and when they are considered, II IL
clear that whatever spark Of civilian.
ton or tendency towards progress eth
remains, lisa strong indication OF the
Possibilities Of a marvellous develop.
ment under favorable circumstances.
ThesuliAn, only few days ago, In.
tlmated that he was satisfied with thA
mode OF ruling, and this 10 probably
true. The Turks know well what they
are doing. Tho fact Is that the Olte-
mans, for some reason OF other, DO not
Increase In proportion to the Armenl.
ane. They would soon bee mo q helm.
lesss minority but for the constant
raids by the Kurds, who are decimal.
ing population deprived OF the right
OF possessing arms for their own de.
iente. No one acquainted with the
situation believes shat the Armenian
are Innocent OF atrocities, but tns
provoeaIlon Is such that Ia any other
country, general uprising would
Iongsgo have taken place.
n now stage Of tho Turkish
question Is locked for tomorrow,
Saturday, December 7, when the sui.
tan must give definite answor
10 The demands Of England for a Der.
mil to send au extra gunboat to Con.
"Anunople. wan the sultan dars to