The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-02
ENGLANp,s REsPoNsIpILIrY.

When Lord Salisbury suddenly
turned from the discussion of the
Venezuela question to Armenia affairs,
in his speech before the non-conform-
list association the other night it was
to become the apologist of Turkey,
and the defender of British inactivity
in the Armenian matter. The sugges-
ton for reforms the sultan had lately
accepted, according to the premier,
although very good reforms, could
not be expected TO produce good
government in two months; they would
REQUIRE time to work out: they would
REQUIRE time to work out even IN
civilized country, much more in say
age and fanatic community; the pre-
mier hoped they would have a bene-
ficient effect as time progresses! Mean
time by spreading among the Turks
the feeling that their dominion is
threatened has led to the preparation
of horrors which can only be compared
to the days of Gonghis Khan and
Tamerlane While many influential
people aver that this was done by
the sultan and his government with
set purpose. the premier thought it
idle as a dream to imagine he had or
dered those cruelties. The sultan's
government was weak. wretched, i'm
potent. and it was race faction and
creed faction driven to the highest
point which brought upon the wretched
Armenians their terrible sufferings.
nj To nff
changes. Such was the substance of
the premier's utteranees as appoligist
for the unspeakable Turk. Now hear
him plead the justification for Eng
lands inactivity.
It is a mistake to suppose that
England had bound herself in
honor to sucoor the Armenialns,
which means TO go to war
with the sultan in order to
force him to govern the Armeuians
we'll The Berlin treaty merely bound
the signatory powers that if the sultan
promulgated certain reforms they
would watch over the execution of
those reforms: that could not be in
terpreted as meaning to go to war.
The Cyprus convention. which it will
be remembered was a sort of supple
nlantal treaty to the Berlin treaty be-
tween England and Turkey-the Cy-
prus treaty contained no trace Of an
understanding to interfere in behalf of
the subjects of the sultan. Nothing
could have induced Lord Salisbury to
pledge his country to such a desperate
undertaking. Should England in
terfere she could only threaten an
noyances in the Selling of customs
here and there; it is deceptive to i'm
agine that England's arm. long as it
IS. could do anything in mitigation
of the Armenian troubles.
His lordship also turns apologist for
all Europe's inactivity in the Armen-
ian troubles, although not bound to
answer the question why Europe does
not interfere. None of the powers
wish to interfere The suItan's pres
tige is the only power left in the coun-
try; with patience 1t will ultimately
establish order and allow commerce to
take its usual course.
Can it be that the people Of England
will be pleased with this apology for
Turkey and this confession of Eng
lands weakness? Especially we would
ask, can 1t be that the Conservative
party of England-the jingoers of that
land-be pleased with the premier's
apologies and confessions? If so, that
party should henceforth cease to boast
of England's grea tness and dominat-
ing power: for the England that Lord
Salisbury presents to us in his speech
is a sorry spectacle of weakness. Nor
can it be that his lordship is quite sin
cere in his remarks; or, if he is, then
the world must revise it's views of the
binding force and obligations of trea-
ties. BY the Berlin treaty the sultan
pledged himself to carry out without
delay the ameliorations and reforms
demanded by local requirements in the
provinces inhabited by the Armenfans.
and to guarantee their security against
the Circassians and Kurds. The sultan
also promised to make reports to the
powers Of his progress in working out
these reforms. The sultan was pledged
by the same treaty to guarantee the
principle of religious liberty and give
20 it the widest scope. In a subse-
quent treaty between England and
Turkey. the latter power gave up the
island of Cyprus and the former guar
anteed the integrity of the Turkish
Empire, by which England became in
a manner the guardian of Turkey, the
power first Of all that must insist upon
the fulfllment Of Turkeys engage
ments in the Berlin treaty. But Lord
Salisbury says that England is not in
honor bound to go to war with Turkey
N order to force the sultan to govern
the Armenians well. Put the question in
another form. Is England in
honor bound to maintain the
treaty stipulations entered into
| at Berlin, even if it should
involve England in war with Turkey?
If not, of what binding force are
treaties? What virtue is there in trea-
ties if the whole strength of the ma
tons entering into them does not stand
behind them to enforce their obliga-
! tons? Turkey is not carrying out her
Berlin treaty engagements. religious
| liberty is not secured to the Armen-
ians. they are not protected from the
/ Circassians and the Kurds. Their
towns are laid waste. their homes are
made desolate. through long, weary
months unrestrained murder has run
rampant through the provinces inhab-
ited by Armenians. until red-handed
massacre has numbered its victims