New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-25
TILE TIRKISH QUESTION.

Mr.. Gladstone's speech contained not an echo
of his anti-Turkish thunderngs of twenty years
ago. 1t was chiefly a profession or confluence
I'm the present British Government ana con-
fesslon of the hOpeessness OF the SITUATION III
the East That was the rational speech 10 HIM.
There IS 10 occasion for going into spasihs over
the Turkish question. As Il matter or fact. there
is no Turkish question worthy Of consideration
Twentv years ago there was. Even one year
AGO there was There was occasion for inter-
est in II. not. as some say, through sickly sehtl-
mentality. but through good. honest, downright
human feeling. The question has now however.
been answered 1t was effectively answered
whom the alleged Great Powers Of Europe agreed
not TO interfere with the Turks doings except by
unanimous consent and concerted action or them
all. The answer was confirmed signed sealed
and delivered when Russia established n prac-
teal protectoratc over Turkey and gave the
world to understand that Turkey was 'hehce-
forth free to ravage Armenia to its hearts con-
tent All protests pleas and denunciatiohs sihce
that time have been n waste OF breath lhey
are now. The awful work goes on. Almost
daily the Turks are robbng. tOrurlng, vlvisec'-
ing and massacrng innocent men, women ana
children They are perfectly safe In doing 40.
No one will call them TO account. Russia Is pro-
tecting them in it. and no other Power dares 10
incur the Great Bears wrath.
But why is Russla>tbus making herself an ac-
cessory to the greatest crime OF the century!
For various reasons One. because RUSSIANS
seem naturally to hate Armenians just as they
do the Jews The Armenians are TO them aliens
I'm race and creed and national spirit and in all
those respects are offensive to them. Another,
because the Armenians are in Russia's way. she
wants their country for her own. but she does
not want them in H. They would be lnconvenient
subjects. always refusing conformity with the
Russian faith and asking for civil and religious
liberty 1t would be necessary 10 ship them all
to Siberia. or to maintain garrisons among thein'
1t will be so much better to have them all killed
off Then she can take possession or their couh-
try and fill it with her own people in peace anu
comfort third. because Russia wants Con-
stantinople and the whole Turkish realm, ana
knows the easiest way to get 1t Is to let 1t stahd
as it is until II collapses through its own rotten
ness GIVE thief rope enough and he'll hang
himself" is & good old motto, and Russia.-an
expert in such things-is acting upon It.
Why England does not act is easy to perceive
1t Is not because she fears Russia, or any other
Power or Powers in Europe nor yet because she
breads n general European war. 1t Is because
she fears an uprising In her own Indian Empire,
compared with which the Sepoy Mutiny would
be mere child's play. England has 6O,OoO,oW
Mahometan subjects in India. That Is the
pivotal fact. If she attacks Turkey, whose sui
tan Is the head Of the whole Mahometan world,
she will endanger the loyalty Of all that multi
tude More than that Russia will then ap-
pear. as she does now as the protector and
champion OF the Mahometan faith against the
Giaour and Will therefore be looked to by the
Mahometans Of India for aid in their revolt
against the English. 1t is the fear of Ma
hometan uprising in India. abetted by Russia,
whose outposts are already perilously near the
Indian border which restraints the British Gov
eminent.
SO the world may as well accept the situation
philosophlcally The Armenians will be de-
stroyed. no doubt Mr. Gladstone said yester-
day there was no ground for hope that the mas
sacres were ended. But there are not AZ many
Armenlans now as there wcre-perhaps not more
than 900 or 100000. Only 100000 or 100000
men. women and children to be outraged, vivi-
sccted. burned alive. buried alive. done TO death
with every conceivable refinement Of savagery.
Only a whole Christian nation to be extermi-
mated. That is all. What is that to he squeam-
ish about! At least 100000 have thus been dis
posed Of in the last year or two. Surely the
world ought to be so used to It by this time as
not to shrink from continuation Of the butch
ery. That will be better than disturbance Of
the European concert. will II not? And then,
when the last Armenian is killed there will he
peace. Or. II there is not peace, there Will be
something better to fight about than mere
matter of humanity.