The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-24
TURKISH ATROCITIES.

An Armenian resident of New Briton,
Connecticut, of the name of B. Ar
COS, is in receipt of a letter from
friend in Armenia which states that
between five thousand and ten thou
sand people have been massacred and
upwards of 100000 are starving. The
number thus reported as massacred
falls somewhat short of other reports
that have reached America, but it may
be that the friend of Argos only reports
for the locality where he lives. The
same letter declares that of 500 villages
fifty-four have been sacked and burned
by Kurds and Turks. and the remand
er are occupied by butchering soldiers.
It is further reported that twelve
American missions in the district have
been burned. and while the lives Of
American missionaries have been
spared, they are in great want, and
some are starving.
In view of the many reports that
have come from Armenia of like inn
port as the foregoing, and Furthermore
as the sultan has announced his deter
mination not to admit the representa-
tives of the Red Cross association who
] desire to go to the relief of Turkeys
! Armenian victims, it would seem that
our government is somewhat tardy in
going to the direct relief of Americans
4 in Armenia.
Turkey by the Berlin treaty of 1878
gave most positive pledges to the par
ties to that treaty. Great Britain, Ger
many, Austria. France, Italy and Rus
STA. that she would not only carry out
without further delay certain reforms
in Armenia, but guaranteed the main
tenance of the principle Of religious
freedom in its widest scope. By the
terms of that treaty Turkey became
amenable to the great powers of Eu-
rope, and especially to England for
the faithful performance of these
promises, but when the powers of Eu-
rope neglect to act, or refuse to do so,
it certainly becomes the duty of the
United States to take such action as
may be deemed necessary to protect
our own citizens from insult and in
jury.
We are pleased in this connection to
note the introduction of a series of
resolutions in the senate by Senator
Cullom, of Illinois, setting forth the
main points of Turkeys pledges to the
powers of Europe under the head of
internal reforms and guarantees of re-
ligious freedom. The resolutions re
cite the violations of those pledges, ex-
!
States at Turkish atrocities and bad
faith. and remind the powers of their
duty in the premises. The President is
asked to forward these resolutions to
the signitory powers of the Berlin
treaty and is pledged the support of
the senate and house in any vigorous
action he may take for the protection
and security of American citizens in
Turkey.
1t is to be hoped that the action of
congress will be prompt, the action of
the executive equally prompt, and the
sultan taught the lesson that while he
can delay the fulf1llment of his pledges
to European powers, and murder Chris
tians with impunity even while fleets
of European warships hover about his
ports, and that in violation not only
of common humanity but also in vio-
lation Of expressed pledges solemnly
given to the great powers of Europe,
there is one nation with sufficient self
respect and courage to demand irnmu-
nifty for its citizens from religious per
secution, and reparation for wrongs
inflicted upon them.