The record-union., 1896-10-20
Proposes to Negotiate a Treaty With
the United States
Naturalized Citizens of This
Country of Armenian Birth Shall
be Given the Same Protection AC.
corded All Other Persons Visiting
the Turkish Empire With Pass
ports From the State Department.

NEW YORK, Oct. 2O.-A Suns"
special from Washington says: Pos
sibly from apprehension that this Gov
ernment will not sanction further de-
lay in the settlement of the large in
IDENTITIES due for the outrages during
the Armenian outbreaks, and the fear
that it will be forced to invite the pres
ence of the Bancroft as a guardship,
rather than risk the humiliating spec
tacle Of witnessing the Dardanelles en-
tered with or without a firman, the Sub
lime Porte has acceded to an important
point contended for by the Administra-
ton, and regarded as one of the most
vital questions pending between the two
Governments. Whether it is due to
the presence of the little Bancroft and
Admiral Selfridge's fleet in the Medi-
terranean, or the stern policy pursued
by Secretary Olney in dealing with
Turkish affairs, the Porte has backed
completely down from an attitude main
tanned for years, in which it has the
earnest support Of Russia.
Secretary Olney, through the active
intercession of Minister Terrill, has
brought the Sultan to agree to nego
tiate a treaty whereby naturalized
citizens of the United States of Arme-
nian origin shall have full protection
accorded all other persons visiting the
Turkish empire with passports from the
State Department. Turkey has here
tofore maintained that our passports,
when presented by Armenians or Turks,
did not guarantee their protection or
the exercise of rights of Americans in
the Sultan's empire, and in this he has
been encouraged by Russia, now the
only European Power refusing to pay
proper Difference and respect to Amer
lean passports.
The question between the United
States and Turkey has been open for
years, and frequent and repeated efforts
have been made to negotiate a treaty
such as the United States has with lead
ing European Powers. Secretary Olney
has been in communication with the
Porte for several months, and repre-
sented last winter the necessity of recog-
Eizing American passports unless the
relations between the two Governments
We're to become greatly strained. The
Sultan has, however until very re-
Gently pointedly refused to treat Min
lister Terrills communications on the
subject with courtesy. 1t has been
known in Washington for some time
that this attitude of the Porte was due
almost entirely to the influence of Rus
sia, fearing request for a similar treaty
with her. The Sultan has now complete
ly reversed his policy, and voluntarily
asked the United States to enter upon
the negotiations of a treaty, under the
terms of which the Porte will give full
recognition to citizens of the empire
who have become American citizens
while travelling in Turkey with State
Department passports. The notifica-
ton came a few days ago, when the
Secretary Of the Turkish Legation here
called at the State Department and in
formed Mr. Olney that the Sultan has
instructed him to notify this country
| of its pleasure in resuming negotiations
begun several years ago, and ruthlessly
cast aside later by the Sultan's de-
mands.