The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-18
ARMENIA'S WOE.
Mass Meeting in This City
Last Night.
An Eloquent Appeal by Rev. Frank
3. vrooman.
He Told the Pitiful Story of Turkish
Persecution Of the Christians.

There was a meeting at Grace Church
Chapel last evening In behalf of the per
secuted Christians of Armenia. 1t was
held under the auspices OF the Union for
Practical Progress and was attended
principally by the Armenian residents OF
the city.
Rev. Floyd w. Tomkins OF Grace
Church welcomed the few representatives
of the unfortunate people that people
all over this country are now expressing
sympathy with, and claimed that the mani
festation of such sympathy was not only
proper, but the duty OF Americans as a
Christian nation. 1t Is the policy, he
said, of the United States not to interfere
with foreign affairs, but nevertheless her
citizens may with strict propriety appeal
TO England to go to the rescue of the
victims OF Turkish brutality and licen-
tiousness, and TO make such an appeal
and to do it effectively is the object of
the campaign which has been made gen.
eral throughout the country under the
auspices OF the National Union for Prac-
tical Progress and its local branches. II Is
not question OF Turkish politics or the
balance OF power. IL is the question of
mans right to worship God in accord
ance with his own ideas, and IL there is
spot on earth where that right is denied
whether or not Christians shall assert
themselves In protest.
Mr.. Tomkins then introduced Rev.
Frank Burlington Vrooman, of Boston,
foreign secretary Of the union.
Mr.. Vrooman is a forcible and most sim
cere speaker, and by his graphic descrip-
tion OF the frightful conditions To which
the Christian villagers of Armenia are sub
ject easily aroused the sympathy and
the indignation of his hearers, Ameri-
cans and Armenians alike. He gave re-
sumo OF the political crimes which had
made the social horrors possible, and OF
Va nd no m
ually afforded the Sultan in his nefarious
system of misgovernment. The latest
scheme for reform, Mr.. Vrooman said,
was practically worthless. II calls for
the appointment OF a Christian governor
by the Sultan himself, with the consent
of the European powers. After the APP
polntment, this governor Is responsible
only TO the Sultan, and the powers are TO
have no further authority TO remove or
interfere. That is not enough. Not only
q Christian governor, but Christian
government must be secured. The vital
necessity OF the whole matter has thus
been left out. A governor without sup
port would be powerless. and Turkish
promise without guarantee would be
useless-and that guarantee has never
been asked for. The Liberal government
proposes another scheme by which the Sui
tan shall appoint a high commissioner
and a vice-high commissioner, one to be
Christian and the other Turk but the
scheme ends there and il carried out
would amount to nothing.
AS Mr.. Tomkins has indicated we pro-
pose TO appeal to England and he tells
you why.
The British Government Is responsible
Tor the Armenian massacres, and the
shame and outrage Of the last five hum
dred years. There are two Englands,
commercial England, whose watchword
Is the furtherance OF British interests,
and Christian England, that believes in a
political conscience.
will cite first the Crimean War. RUG
sia had set out to protect Christians
from Turkish persecution. England and
France combined in war against Russia
TO deny her the right to offer such protec-
tion. The treaty OF Paris which followed
in 1856 was crime, because by its pro-
visions England compelled all European
powers 10 declare that they had no right
to interfere between the Porte and its
subjects, and the relationship between
them was that of master and slave.
The outrages continued, other schemes
were adopted and more promises made by
the Turks and broken. Finally there was
an agreement which provided something
OF a guarantee TO the effect that unless the
promises were kept, more stringent
methods would be resorted to by the
Christian powers. 1t was Christian En-
gland that compelled that provision to be
stricken out. IL was Christian minister
from England who implored the Sultan to
put down the insurrection OF Christians
in Bulgaria, and you all know how il was
put down. IL was the same English
statesman who afterward declared that the
matter OF killing ten or twenty thousand
persons should not interfere with En-
glands foreign policy when the further
ance OF her commercial interests is i'm
volved. That was Lord Salisbury's gov
ernment
The Sultan OF Turkey was being lionized
and feted at London and Windsor while
his soldiers were reveling i'm Christian
blood and outraging Christian women at
Crete, and when the right OF asylum to
the fleeing Christians was being denied by
the Christian commanders of British
ships.
There was the treaty OF st. Stephano, OF
which article 10 provided that the Russian
army should not leave Turkey until the
promises OF the Sultan had been fu d.
Lord Salisbury struck out article L. ..nd
added another promise without a guar
sntee. He robbed the Christians i'm the
face OF the facts OF 800 years OF perfidy
and torture. That is history. And his
tory does not tell US all, for the records
have been suppressed. One of these docu-
ments, however. showing the everyday
lite in nm Armenian village was brought
to light and published In the London
Telegraph. cit contains the open boast OF
the Turk that he would annihilate all
Christians. II was the promise OF the
coming OF the awful atrocities which were
actually perpetratcd by the Kurds and
the soldiers two years later.
In one village young husband had left |
his home to assist i'm the burial OF n priest |
md 10 a h. .1xsl ls.x T.