The Portland daily press., 1896-12-08

WduUOu ueetFuCUluu OIL uOIE6S anu tHt
bloody butchery Of men, women and
ion of Christian faith.
While none of our citizens in Turkey
have thus tar been killed or wounded,
though often in the midst of dreadful
scopes of danger, their safety in the
future is bY no means assured. Our
government Mt honle and our IL mister nj
Constantinople have left nothing undone
to protect our missionaries in Ottoman
Territory, who constitute nearly all the
individuals resiiing therc who have a
right to claim our protection on the SCORE
of American citizenship.
Our Efforts in this direction will not
be relaxed, but the deep feeling and sym
pathy that have leen aroused among our
people ought not to so far blind thelr
reason and judgment as to lead them to
demand impossible things, The ous-
breaks of blind fury which lead to muir
der and pillage in Turkey occur suddenly
and without notice and an atUe mpt on
our part to foroe suoh hostile presenoe
there as might be effective for pre-
vention or protection would not only be
resisted by the Ottoman government,
but would be regarded as an Interrupt
tion of their plans by the great nations
who assert their right to intervene in
their own time and method for the se-
curity of life and property in Turkey.
Several naval vessels are stationed in
the Mediterranean as d measure of
caution ana to furnish all possible relic
and refuge in case of emergency. We
have made claims against ths Turks h
government for the pillaGe and destruc-
tion of missionary property at HHrpoot
and Marash during uprisinRs at those
places. Thus far the validity CT these
demands has not been admitted, thoGgb
our minister, prior to such outrages and
in anticipation of danger, demanded
protection for the persons and property
of our missionary citizens in the local.
ties mentioned, Notwithstanding
that strong evidence exists of actual
completely Of Turkish soldiers in the
work of destruction and robbery. The
facts as they now appear do not permit
us to doubt the justice Of these claims,
and nothing will be omitted to bring
about their prompt settlement. A mum
Der of Armenian refugees having ar
rived at our ports, an order has lately
been obtained from the Turkish govern
ment permitting the wives and children
Of such refugees TO Join them here. 1t is
hoped that hereafter no obstacle will be
interposed to prevent the escape of all
those who seok to avoid the perils which
threatened them in Turkish dominions.
Our recently appointed consul to
Erzsraum is at his post disoharging the
duties of his office though for some un-
accountable reason his formal exequatuf
from the Sultan has not teen issued.
do not beliave that tie present prospec,
in Turkey will be long permitted tr
offend the sight of Christendom. 1t SC
mars the humane and enlightened civil
ization that belongs to the close of ths
nineteenth century that it seems hardly
D possible that the earnest demand of gooC
people throughout the Christian worit
for it's corrective treatment will 1emaiI
unanswered.
CUBAN RELATIONS.
The insurrection in Cuba still contin
uos with all its parplexities. 1t is diff
thus far been made toward the 'paoifca
ton of tho island or that the situation
of affairs as depicted in my last annua
message has in the least improved II
Spain still holds Havana and the sef
ports and all the considerable towns, tht
insurgents still roam at will over at least
two thirds of the inland country. II The
determi mination of Spain TO put down the
insurrection seems but TO strengthen
with the lapse of time, and is evinced
by her unhesitating devotion of largely
increased military and naval forces tc
the task, there ip much reason to believe
that the insurgents have gained In point
of numbers, and character, and resourc-
es, and are none the less infiexible i'll
their resolve not to succumb, without
practically securing the great objects for
not yet reesta blished her authority,
neither have the insurgents yet made
good their title to be regarded as an in.
dependent state. Indeed, as the oontest
has gone on, the pretense that civil gov
ernment exists on the Island, except SC
far as Spain is able to .maintain 1t, has
beeu practically abandoned. Spain does
keep on foot such a government, more o,
less. ss.imperfeetly, in the large towns and
their i'm mediate suburbs. Bnt, that ex-
ception being made, the entire country
is either given over to anarchy or is sub
ject to the military occupation of one OF
the other party. 1t is reported, indeed,
on reliable authority that at the deEl and
of the commander-iD-c chief of the insur
gent army, the putative Cuban govern
meut has now given. up all attempts to
exercise it's functions, leaving that gov
ernment oonfessedly (what there is the
best reason for supposing it always to
have been in fact) d government merely
On paper.
We're the Spanish armies able to meet
their antagonists in the open or In
pitched hattie, prompt and decisive re-
suits might be looked for and the i'm
monse superiority of sths Spanish forces
in numbers, discipline and equipment
could hardly fail to tell greatly to their
advantage. But they are called upon to
face foe that shuns general engage
Inentp, that can choose and does choose
it's own ground. that from the nature Of
the country is visible OF invisible at
pleasure, and that fights only from am
buscade and when all the advantages of
position and numbers are on it's side. In
a country where all that is indispensable
to life in the way of food, clothing and
shelter is SO easily obtaiDable, especially
by those born and bre1 on the soil, it is
obvious that there is hardly limit to
this stime during which hostilities of this
aort may be prolonged. Meanwhile, as
in all cases of protrscted civil strife, the
nassions of the nnm hatanta RroW moro