The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-02-01
INTERPRETATION or BERLIN TREATY
Britain Not Bound to Succor the
Armcnians.
AN EXCUSE FOR NON-ACTION
Not Able to DO Anything In Mitigation
Except by Military Oc-
cupatton.

London. January sl.-The banquet of
tho Scn-Conformists' Union at the Hotel
Metropole tonight was the occasion OF
ar address by tho Marquis OF Salisbury.
crime minister and secretary OF state for
foreign AFFAIRS.
In the course OF his remarks he said
with regard to Venezuela: ~ have been
upheld as the dcnouncer OF the Monroe
doctrine As matter OF fact. although
tho Monroe doctrine Is no part or intcps
national law. my dispatch TO Mr.. oiney.
the secretary Of state OF the United States,
supported as n rule OF policy in the strong
est and most distinct terms. But when I
stated In that dispatch and reiterate now
that as rule OF policy we are the entire
advocates OF the Monroe doctrine. we mean
the Monroe doctrine as per Monroe,
(Checrs)
in that sense you will not find any
more convinced supporters than we are
Lord Salisbury then turned abruptly to
tho Armenian question and he rcproached
the religious communities with laboring
under mistake when they supposed that
England had bound herself TO sucoor the
Armenians which means to go to war
with the sultan In order to force him TO
govern the Armcnians well.
Tho Berlin treaty. Lord Salisbury said,
merely bound tho ,ignatory powers that
if the sultan promulgated certain reforms
thev would watch over the execution OF
those reforms. Nothing more.
He did not think any one could interpret
thnt as an undertaking 10 30 to war
The sneaker reminded his hearers that
reforms which the sultan had recently ac-
cepted although good reforms, could not
be expected to produce good government
in two months
"They require time to work out" tho
sneaker went on to say: "They would re-
ouiro time in a civilized community. 1
homo they will have beneficial effect as
time progreSses.'
Lord Salisbury then continued by say
ing: meantime. by spreading among the
Turks the feeling that their dominion was
threatened these reforms have nnfor-
tunately led to the preparation OF horrors
which can only be compared with the
days of Gongha Khan and Tamcrinnc.
am aware that many influential people
aver that this was done by the sultan and
his government with set purposes MY
own opinion Is that the snltan's govern
mcnt Is weak, wretched. impotcnt ana
powerIcss; but It IL n dream to imagine
cruelties.
"In my judgment there Ia no ground for
thinking so. IT was race faction ana
creed faction driven to the highest point
in their most corrupt and most horrible
form which brought upon the wrctchcu
Armenians these terrible sufferings.
"If you ask why we have not intcrferod
] can only answer for England that we
could have threatened what ] may call
annoyance In the SELLING Of customs here
and there, hut when you are dealing with
the rising OF a whole fanatical population
against population with whom they have
been at bitter cnmity for ages, and who
are situated IN mountains far removed
from the seashorc. you are dcceiving
yourselves II you imagine that Englands
arm, long as 1t is. could have done any
thing In mitigation. Nothing but military
occupation could have done II, and Eng
land does not possess the power Of mill
tary occupation Mt this distance.
"Mr Gladstone wrote a letter that we
could cope with five or six Turkeys. That
was a most iil-judged and rash assertion.
II the sultan would meet US on the open
sea undoubtedly we could cope with FIVE
or six sultans. but It is not worth arguing
the possibility of England occupying those
inaccessible provinces.
.I am not bound to answer the ques-
ton why Europe did not interfere. say
| confldentially that none OF the powers
| wished to interfere and believe their view
| IL that Win pat'HCe tue ruitaH > PitS-
| tige. which IL the only power left In the
country will ultimately re-establish or.
| der and GLOW industry and commerce 10
| take their usual course. That is their
view. and II Is our duty to give the sultan
| time. 1t is not for me 10 pass Judgment
| on that view, but no other remedy has
| been suggested. II Is some encourage
trent to lind that already some degree OF
order Is being restored.
III you do not act with the great pow
ers you must act against them anu pro-
duce calamities far more awful aud ter
| rible than the armenian atrocities"
In conclusion Lord Salisbury referred "a
tho recent patriotic demonstrations OF
the threatened foreign complication ana
said: II care not how much we are
| isolated, II we are united. An exampis
| IN. heen got which Will shad \ benedcenl