The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-13

ward from Hermen. $50 miles toward Ara
rat. it was my melancholy privilege last
spring to drop aSear coon the graNS CT
our common ancestor, Noah The tomb
was built of marble and enclosed I'm a
building of stone. For lack Of space on
the hill. they told us. they were obliged to
bury him with his legs bent to the knees
in a well. Judging from the length of the
tomb, Noah was greater man than l
had imagined. From his knees up he
must have been 1870 feet high and provi-
IDENTIFY designed for deep water. From
this hill as far as the eye could reach no
human habitation could be seen, though
the soil is full of the potsherds of for
mer generations, and the mounds mark
ing the place of former villages abound
Faircst Land on Earth.
About Baullic, where are now but a
few dozen novels, once millions must have
lived in luxury and wealth. the fairest
land on earth lays waste, and the little
remnant of terror-stricken paupers, who
exc out a miserable existence on what
the rapacious taX-gatherer leaves them
from the cultivation of their fields. hide
themselves in the gorges of the noun
tains.
Wherever the bounties Of nature exceed
and overcome the ordinary rapacity Of
the Sultan. and the people increase in
numbers and property. he turns loose his
savage soldiery to rob and murder q
per cent. of the annual product of land
and hand his tax-gatherer takes. twenty
seven bushels out of every hundred raised
must be turned over by every producer
before he may take even handful to eat.
About one-half of this spoil OF the people
reaches the Golfers of the Sultan, but not
one cent Is spent for the benefit of the
public; 1t. all goes for palaces and pleas
ure ana the maintenOce of his army and
power.
There are no such things as public i'm
provements known in the Turkish do
main. except such as are necessary for
the keeping of the soldiers. and their
movement. His judiciary and civil or
scheme of plunder. The only test Of fit
ness for Office is the amount of back
sheesh offered for the appointment. So
it happens that as the tenure of office
Is at the pleasure of the Sultan. every
judge and official is in great haste to
,get his ba0ksheesh returned to him.
Every suit Is decided by the amount OF
the bribe received.
The social condition Of the cities of
Turkey is corrupt and vile beyond the
expression of civilized tongues. Were
to attempt to tell In their place what l
have heard about this, it would. break
up this meeting.
The Turkish rule Is in no sense n goy-
ernment. 1t has ever been. and Is now,
simply n military dispotism for the sole
purpose of plunder Founded upon and
held together by religious fanaticism, the
nation of dsbelevers. 1t has no sense of
humanity or mercy. 1t opposes the edu-
cation and elevation of the people; 1t
sustains no charitable or benevolent in
stitutions: no almshouses, hospitals for
the sick or injured, the deaf, or blind, or
insane. except for its soldiers. 1t Is a
relic Of barbarism which has no logical
standing In the present age. 1t has fed
upon it's own vitals until it Is grown 100
weak to stand alone. and cunningly pro-
hV nj n
jealousy of its neighbors to sustain it,
Former Horrible Atrocities.
Three times within my own short men,
Ory. since 1860, it has wantonly butchered
with Circumstances of horrible atrocity,
worse than that Of Apachee Indians. an
their poor novels and herds and the ra-
pine of the women and children. in Leb-
anon in Bulgaria and now during the
terrible months of the last year in Ar
menia. The so-called civilized national
neighbors stand by and permit the slaugh-
ter and pillage to 20 on.
Men and brethren. these things ought
not so to be. The hand that holds not
back the stroke of murder. even at the
risk of its own life, Is guilty Of blood.
or remote consequences. power has but
one duty in these circumstances. and
that is effectual exertion. IF the bystand-
ers are unable to restrain all who hear
the cry ntlp must TuSn 10 tne rescue.
Nations must be governed upon the same
principles as individuals and communi-
ties. II Russia, Austria, Italy, Germany,
France or England. who have been watch
ing one another Nike a line of football
players, all summer, about the mouth Of
the Dardanelles. none of them dare rush
In and stop their destruction OF Christian
Armenia. this horrid butchery which
shocks humanity. let the strong. right
arm of America shoot out across the At
a, NA1t pv,in hna 10 Nd
choke the life out Of this inhuman mon
ster and divide up his estate among his
legitimate heirs.
This Nations Duty.
This mighty nation of seventy millions.
organized by the descendants of the Pill
grims upon the principle of complete re-
ligious toleration, which filings Its mailed
the face of its nearest blood-relative and
most powerful enemy, in dispute about
the application of an indeiinite\ theory to
an imaginary line in the uninhabited
must be adjudged thrice cowardly and
guilty If II hesitates any longer to exert
all its power to save two millions of help
less Christian Armenians. Their dying
Shrek for help has pierced our ears We
cannot remain insensible to. this cry of
humanity. which browns all other con-
sideratons. Of Monroe doctrine, entan-
Cling alliances or what not, IL tradition
or policy. We are compelled to act, and
that at once
The voice of the people which rules in
this land must make itself heard in the
halls of congress and the white house in
tones Of command. Whoever Keeps silent
must bear the responsibility. This to me
seems the first duty of Americans in the
premises. The next Is to pour out LIBERAL
Iy of our store of money and provision to
feed the starving women and children
who are shivering and dying about the
.x,1 H.
graves of their murdered husbands and
fathers. - -
We cannot permit a people which has
preserved Christianity Independently in
its mountain Businesses since the year
after the crucifixion to he detroyed off
the face of the earth In cold blood at the
close of the nineteenth century. Every
man, woman or child who can spare the
price of loaf of bread ought to send
1t at once to save perishing people.
hut1urst iof Christian charity in this
country that our government would dis
patch whole fleet as a convoy to fleet
of merchantmen loaded with provisions
to Ezeroun within thirty days.
Whatever may be sent me for this pur-
pose shall be forwarded Immediately by
the surest channels obtainable.
Following Colonel Boies' speech and
in referring to it DIR. Mcleod told the
audience 1t was justified in its applause
of the speakers patriotic and Christian
words. "even In the house of God" he
added.
Judge Hand then spoke with a calm
ness and exactness indicative of his
confidence in the truth and wisdom of
what he said and If the wrapt attention
and plaudits of an auditory is any cri-
terion. the speakers standpoint was
vouched for. He said:
Christian World IOrrificd.
The Christian world is Mortified and
startled at the slaughter of the innocents
at the close of this nineteenth century.
Those who have named upon them the
name of Christ and are not already i'm
molated on the altar of Islam are IN
perils and horrors and starving for food.
Death to them would be sweet. They are
In the relentless grasp of the willy, cruel,
desperate unspeakable Turk. Our SYM
pathies. our Indignation. our anger are
aroused. But the question and. cry to AL
mighty God is what can we do? and How