Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-02

house and they put out the American
aar, - show that the house was &C.
cupied by Americans. This did not de-
ter the Turkish mob. however. as they
entered the building. looted It. tore
down the American flag and killed the
servant they caught. DR.. Hamlin has
heard of no demands for indemnity for
that. He has heard Of no English
property being destroyed. He says:
I'VE can show Mr.. Secretary Olney
where property Of ours has been de-
stroyed, though it was under the
American flag. and protection was
ignored by the Turkish soldiers"
He went on to cite instances where
buildings were burned by Turkish SOL
diers where the flag floated over them.
1T is true" he continued. that no
American missionary has been killed,
but American property has been de-
stroyed and the lives of American cit
liens placed in jeopardy. yet no in
demnity has been asked" Let
the public judge who tells the truth
DR.. Grace Kimball or this man who
writes this. At Harpoot everybody
fed from the buildings at the coming
of the mob and Mr.. Wheeler, who was
paralytic, was carried out.
Il should like to ask If Mr.. Olney
calls the case at Scutari protection.
when protection was asked for an old
family servant in the girls college by
mi,
took him and carried him off and he
hasn't been seen since. l should like
to ask If our minister, Mr.. Terrell pro-
tected that servant. though he was
asked to do so. They demanded OF
Minister Terrell that the servant be
sent back and he would do nothing.
He says here" said the doctor. read
ing. 1--WE have lost by incendiary fires
at but two places, both far in the in
terror. now this is the point, the value
being much less than the claims OF
England. France and of Italy for
monks and priests killed. churches
burned or houses pillaged, and for
which no indemnity has been paid.
Il want to say right here that what
he says is all bosh. One priest was
killed. and a great consultation fol-
lowed at once. When the Sultan found
that a minister of the Catholic church
had been killed he promised all due
reparation at once. l would like to
ask Mr.. Olney to name what Engilsh
property had been destroyed, or what
property of monks and priests has been
destroyed, and what houses have been
pillaged and no indemnity has been
paid Some houses have been looted
and indemnity has been Immediately
paid to them. 1t was to France.
He says every peaceful American
arrested or detained has been released
on demand of the American minister.
I would like to have the history of the
Rev. George Knapp at Bitlis given TO
the public right there Mr.. Knapp is
an American missionary, the son of
missionary, and an American citizen.
The plain fact of his offending was
this. that it was through his efforts
in getting letters round by way of Rus
,ia and Persia that the Christian
world was given the first knowledge
if received of these barbarous massa-
ores in Turkey"
We have no doubt Secretary Olney
has striven to do what he deemed best
and we are not prepared to believe
that Mr.. Terrell has been Intentionally
remiss in duty. 1t is not difficult to
understand that the task of protect
ing our missionaries and their SER
wants from all danger has been well
nigh impossible: it is reasonable to be-
lieve that it has required no slight
effort to protect the life of every
American citizen, as appears to have
been done This has been all the more
difficult because the State department
has had one very vigorous affair on its
hands and naturally felt that one
thing at a time was sufficiently bur
densome. Secretary Olney's denial
shows Enthusiastically that he has keen
ly felt the sting of criticism, not en-
tirely undeserved But it is the plain
duty of our government to insist upon
indemnity for every dollar lost. respect
Of the flag, preservation Of the rights
and lives Of American citizens. 1t may
be- that we can't have all we want in
this respect instantly but unless the
government does it's utmost to that end
it is omen to criticism and we DO not
think that Mr.. Olney's denial sufiices
to do away with the idea that our gov
ernment might have shown more vigor
in it's attitude toward the Sublime
Porte. We should exact the pound of
Qesh from that cut-throat Sultan and
it is but natural to wish we could take
the heart along with it.
The Annual Ennkhat1 QArmnn