Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-08


sistent demands. have obtained neithe
redress nor security. In the position II
which Turkey has placed us is Their
any course consistent with honor o
duty but to support our demands by al
adequate armed force?
The American government SHOULD
send powerful fleet to the Mediter
ranean, accompanied by sufiicien
number OF regular troops, and should
demand at the lannon's mouth wha
has been refused to milder requests. II
no other way can either redress 81
security be obtained. Unless we dt
this we expose our citizens to further
outrages,. and their property to de.
istruction.
BY this do not mean that we should
lombard Turkish cities. do mean that
unless redress and security are both
assured. we should take possession OF
Smyrna and other ports and collect
their revenues until indemnity for the
past is obtained and the cost Of our oc-
cupatiQn Is reimbursed. Moreover we
must place guard wherever American
citizens are in danger. We go to save
mems lives-not to destroy. That is
what Vattel and Wheaton designate as
| reprlsals and what they advise as an
alternative preferable to war. and to
| be adopted whenever just demands for
reparation meet with long continued
neglect or refusal.
1t Is SAID that this government has
no power to undertake anything OF the
sort The fleet we already have Is far
more than match for the Turkish
fleet. The army we now have is more
than a match for any troops that the
Turks could send against us The
whole Turkish empire is In state of
absolute unrest. In every part of it
troops are required to keep down the
native population who would be only
too glad to rise against their hated
oppressors: most of the Turkish troops
are mutinous and either poorly paid or
not paid at all
The American soldier or marine on
Turkish soil would not go as an enemy
He would not wage war, but preserve
the peace. He would not assaii the
Mohammedan religion nor seek to de-
throne the Sultan. He would go to
prevent violence which the Sultan has
always disavowed, and to give that
protection which the Sultan is either
unable or unwilling to afford. But If
1t were otherwise we should not hest |
tate.
one OF the richest and most powerful |
nations in the world viii never listen
for moment To the unworthy argi- |
ment that 1t has not the power to re- |
dress wrongs committed on its citizens |
/ do not think that an expedition of |
this sort would bring on war. | cannot
doubt that the Turkish government |
would yield at once to a show of force |
But until that force is shown II viii do |
as its Mohammedan cousins in Africa |
did at the beginning of the century. |
and despise our treaties and ourselves |
The next objection is that such a |
course is opposed To the traditional |
policy of our government not to in
terfere with the quarrels and internal /
affairs of the nations of Europe This |
is undoubtedly the policy of our coun- |
try, but 1t has never been construed 10 /
forbid our giving ample protection to I
the persons and property of our citi- |
zens residing in foreign countries or
doing business with them. On the |
contrary, when we We're weak and |
feeble sparsely settled states. scattered |
along the Atlantic coast we accom-
plished n task far exceeding in diff /
Guilty and magnitude what now |
propose. In 1896, during the massacre
at Van. our citizens obtained from
England the protection that our own
government failed to give
AT a time when the population of this /
country was small,its resources limited.
its finances scarcely recovered from tn.
Reorganization caused by the depre-
ciated currency of the confederation,
We had the courage to undertake and
the skill to achieve a complete deliver
ance Of our citizens from degrading
submission to the exactions of these
cruel and treacherous Mohammedan
powers. How any one should ever put
faith in their promises passes belief,
when it is remembered that it is an
article of their religion that the cheat
ing of infidels is the privilege of the
true believers. No adherence to treaties
can ever be expected from them except
as it is secured by ample force
The massacres in Syria by the Turks
upon the native Christians. and in
which French citizens suffered. induced
the French government In 1860 to send
a fleet of 5000 troops TO Beirut The re-
Gress which diplomacy had failed to
obtain vas Immediately granted The
Sultan sent Fuad Pasha, one of his
most energetic ministers. to Syria
Sixty of the ring-leaders in the mas
sacre We're put to DEATH The French I
obtained what they asked, and not only
did they obtain this redress. but the
Of their intervention has
given security to Syria and to French
citizens in Syria ever since
Another argument that has beer
brought forward, and which has in
fluenced the administration. is the an
rrehension that other nations would
prevent our Interference in the manner
suggested. What possible motive could
any European government have for in
terfering to prevent this exercise of our
just rights? To hold Armenia or any
other part of the Turkish doninions