The Princeton union., 1896-10-29
SERIOUS r IN TURKEY
AN OUTBREAK MAY OCCUR AT ANY
MOMENT. r.
q s Ice
seeing That the Powers Are Really
In Earnest and That an UNDER
standing Between Russia, France
and Great Britain Means Dec1stve
Action, the Porte in Desperation
May Order a Wholesale Massacre!t


that trouble Of a serious nature is
brewing here has so often been sent
out that any fresh announcement to
that effect is looked upon as having
little or no foundation in fact But in
spite of this, it is but right to state
once more that everything points to
further and very serious trouble pre-.
pairing on all sides throughout the
turkish empire. The ball was set roll!
Ing on Wednesday last, when the sui!
tan signed two trades, levying a poll
tax OF 8 piasters per head on all Mus!
sulmans and increasing the taxes on
sheep, public works and education by
l to IL per cent, the funds so raised
to be devoted to military purposes.
This caused the representatives of
the powers to send a collective note to-
the porte, couched in the strongest
language, calling attention to the
danger that the arming Of the Mus
sulmans was certain to create. and
pointing out generally the critical sit
uation of affairs in the Turkish en-
plre. The large purchases of arms
have already been made and the
danger Increases hourly.
The porte to-day sent reply to the
collective note Of the ambassadors. AS
usual, however, it was an evasive an
swer, and in substance simply stated
that the money derived from the addiI
tlonal taxes was only intended to CON-
plete the armament Of the mustaphfus
OF landstrum, the third and last class
OF the Turkish army reserves, and to
strengthen the armament of the other
land forces of the sultan, which con-
slst OF the nizam, or regular armyi
and Its effective reserve, the redif, or
landWehr, and the mustaphfus already
referred to. Conscripts in Turkey
serve six years in the nizam, four
with the colors and two in the reserves:
they then serve eight years in the re-
diff, four in the first-class and four inl
the second. Then they complete their
twenty years service by serving six
years In the mustaphfus.
A Chisis Near
The action of the Turkish govern
ment in completing the armament Of
the mustaphfus indicates that the em}
pire is facing a situation which may;
necessarily call forth all the military
forces at its disposal, and it also indi-;
Gates that the situation is the gravest
lsince the Russo Turkish war. Under
these circumstances, it is but natural
that considerable uneasiness prevails.
Of course there is always in view the
probability at least that the sultan by
these movements is simply seeking to!
detract the attention Of his subjects:
from the actual state of affairs;
brought about by his maladministra-
tion, and that seeing that the powers
are really in earnest and that an un-
derstanding between Russia, France
and Great Britain means decisive ac-
tion, he is by these armaments practi-'
cally threatening 4 wholesale massa-
ere Of the Christians and announcing
that Turkey will resist to the utmost
any attempt at armed coercion.
Happily there is one feature Of the
crisis which has a soothing influence
upon Abdul Hamid. This is the finan-
cia1 situation. 1t is about as bad as
1t possibly can be. ALI negotiations
upon the part Of the Turkish govern
ment for temporary loan have failed,
and the condition Of the treasury is
one of utter helplessness. On top Of
this, the price of bread has risen 40
per cent and bids fair to rise still high
er as the price of wheat goes up. This
has decidedly aggravated the prevail
ing distress and it's consequent discon-
tent. The police continue making ar
rests and it is understood that many
more bombs have been found
In Armenia the greatest apprehen-
sion exists. The echoes of the recent
massacre in the city Of Egin are just,
reaching here in spite of the efforts
made by the porte to suppress any
thing but the official news.
The Latest MassaC1es.
Boston, Oct. 2S.-Advices from Har-
poot, Eastern Turkey, received in Bos-
ton confirms dispatches to the Associ-
ated Press in regard to the extent and:
barbarity OF the recent massacre at
Egin. These advices state that many;
of the dead were left in the streets
for days as the food for dogs, and,
large numbers were thrown into the
Euphrates. The bodies were. seen;
floating down the river forty and fifty
miles below the city. In some cases,
whole families We're obliterated. Ex-
act statistics, of course cannot be-
given now, but it is feared that 1000
is an underestimate. All the testi-,
mohy at hand concurs in showing that
the massacre was official and that it
was wholly without reason.
II Is& Bran for Fuel.