The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-22
TURKS AND ARMENIANS-B0TH
SIDES.

gave some favorable 1actS aDOuu Cne
Turk, and last week Mr.. Marion Craw-
ford, the novelist, as interviewed by
Mr.. Frank G.. Carpenter. gave some
account of the Armenians in which
the latter do not appear altogether in
the amiable light in which they are
usually presented since the present
prosecutions against them began. Mr..
Crawford thinks all the truth about
| the Armenians has not been told.
For one thing he thinks the story of
the massacres has been greatly ex-
aggerated. There are only about
100000 Armenians "and these 600,-
0O0," says Mr. Crawford shave, it
seems to me, been massacred dozen
times over during my personal recol-
lection" Possibly it is Mr.. Watson's
line about "thrice hundred thous-
and martyrs" that Mr.. Crawford was
thinking of when he made this state
ment. armenia is, you know" he
continues, "very close to Russia. Ii
matters are really SO bad as they are
painted, it would seem to me that
the Armenians could flee across the
boundary. The Russians are glad to
get them, and the Armenians prosper
| among them" Mr.. Crawford spent
some time in the East in Armenia and
Turkey, and apparently the Armen-
ians did not make a good impression
upon him. He doubts whether they
are the innocent, confding, unoffen-
sive Christians that the American
people believe them to be-" According
to Mr. Crawford's experience the
Armenians are the sharpest, shrewd
est and trickiest of all eastern people.
In Turkey it is common saying that
it takes ten Jews to equal one Armen-
ian, and five Armenians to equal one
Persian in sharp business dealings,
saying, however, which however
much it may commend itself to Mr..
Crawford will hardly find credence
elsewhere. Mr.. Crawford's suggested
explanation is that the Armenian
massacres have been shrewdly exag
gerated by able Armenians in hopes
that the Powers will intervene and
Armenia be freed entirely from Turk
ish rule.
OF course Mr.. Crawford is entitled
to his own Interpretation of recent
events in Armenia and his travels in
the East entitle his opinion to re-
spectful consideration. 1t must be
remembered, however, that other
equally intelligent and impartial OBJ
servers and travellers, such for in
stance as Mr.. Henry Norman. assist
ant editor of the London Chronicle,
take wholly different view, and de-
clare that all the truth about Turkish
atrocities and massacres has not yet
been told. 1t might also be suggest
ed to Mr.. Crawford that such thing
as population of 100000 people for
saking their country en- masse would
be an unparalleled thing in history,
however agreeable it might be to the
Turk who seems to have entered up
on a career of determination.
In regard to morals, also, Mr..
Crawford is inclined, like Mr.. Stod-
dard, to side with the Turk as against
the Armenian. II assure you" says
Mr.. Crawford, II would rather trade
with Turk in any part of the East
than with Christian. l have the
highest respect for Christianity, but
the Christians of the East are not
like u.s." The business men among
the Armenians he regards as to a
large extent set of sharpers and
adds that to Eastern travellers the
term "Oriental Christian" is almost
synonymous with that of thief.
AS to the Turks Mr.. Crawford says
they are in many ways very decent
people; they are very devout and are
rigid in the practice Of their religion.
They are not ashamed of their faith,
says Mr.. Crawford, and you see many
merchants sitting and reading the
Koran in bazars during the interval
of trade. They will also say their
prayers five times day at the regu-
lar hours no matter what is going on
about them. These are admirable
traits in themselves, it must be adj
mitted, but there are certain facts in
regard to these massacres and also in
regard to the Turk, that Mr.. Craw-
ford does not mention. The fact of
massacres, and that on scale that
has shocked Christendom, is attested
by missionaries, travellers, English
and American and others, so that
there is no question as regards the
brutal atrocity of the Turk in the
present as in so many other similar
instances in the past. 1t must be
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