St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-10
PAW OF THE BEAR
RUSSIA1S FINE HAND PLAINLY AP-
PARENT IN THE POLICY OF
TURKEY.
SECRET TREATY WAS MADE.
RUSSIA GIVEN A VIRTUAL PROTEC-
TORATE OVER THE TERRI
TORY OF ARMENIA.
COUNTRY is TO BE RUssIANIzED.
The Expulsion of the Christian Mis-
siOnaries Only the First Step
in the Plot.

CONSTANTINOPLE, April SIT is gener-
ally believed here that the expulsion of Mr..
Knapp is only the first step in the direction
of expelling all Protestants and Catholic mis-
Bionaries. well as the agents of the Ameri-
can Red Cross society, from Armenia. There
are various reasons given for the movement,
but they may be summed up in the state
ment that Russia and Turkey are alarmed at
the effect Of the work of the missionaries in
Armenia. 1t has practically been decided that
they are to be expelled under some excuse or
Dther in order to make way for priests Of the
Russian church. This is believed to be the
basis of the understanding, or secret treaty,
entered into between Russia and Turkey,
when the fleets of the powers had assembled
in the Bay of Salonica and the question of
cCercing Turkey by a display of naval
strength before Constantinople had been al
most decided upon. According to explana-
tions furnished here, the threatening atti-
tude Of the powers threw Turkey into the
arms Of Russia, and the latter, after dictat-
ing her terms, caused the break up of the
European combination against the Turkish
empire by refusing to take part in any such
demonstration, and by threatening to protect
the sultan by force of arms, if necessary. Rus
sia, it is asserted. took advantage of the des-
peTation Of the sultan to obtain a virtual
prctectorate over Armenia, but such step
openly taken would in all probability have
led to serious trouble. Therefore it was de-
cided to begin the Outstanding of Asiatc
Turkey by getting rid of the Protestant and
Catholic missionaries, and to substitute priests
of the Russian church for then1
A plausible pretext had to be found for such
an important move, and it was agreed that
the work of the missionaries should be pointed
TO as being OF disquieting nature, and as
likely to incite the Armenians to rebellion
Ihls was to be followed by closely watching
the most active and jealous of the mission
aries. During the massacre in Armenia it
was continually claimed that the uprisings
were the work Of the Armenian revolutionary
agents; lately, however, since the collapse of
the proposed naval demonstration, as a result
OF the secret agreement arrived at between
turkey and Russia, it has been whispered in
the flght quarters that the missionaries were
qt the back of the revolutionary agents; that
70 the missionaries should be traced the real
16use of the uprising, and that upon them
LIQUID fall the blame for the blood shed by the
Furks in "suppressing disorder"
such an arrangement is classed as being we'll
cunning, in general, and it could not fail to
excite the Turks against the missionaries
flnally 1t was decided to begin with Rev.
George +. Knapp who has probably been the
most Jealous of all the active workers in the
cause OF Christianity in Asiatic Turkey. and
ne was eventually openly charged with incit-
ing the Armenians Of Bitlis to revolt. The
United States interfered, and the hand of the
Iurk was stayed for while But. as now
clearly shown, Mr.. Knapp is being exneIIed
from Aslatlc Turkey and nobody here doubts
that thls is only the first of a series of sucb
eApulslons, which will end with driving all
the American, British and French missionaries
out Oh turkey, at the instance of Russia and
IN accordance with the latter's policy of be-
ginning the Russianzing of Asiatic Turkey.
The steps taken in behalf of the mission
aries in Asia Minor have had a benefcia1
erect The Turkish government TODAY. renIv-
ing TO the renewed representations on the
SUBJECT made by the British ambassador. Sir
Fhlllp Currie, and the United States charee
ana1res, John w. Riddle, assured the dipIo
nlats that the missionaries in Asia Minor
Woulu not be molested, so long as they con-
form with the laws of the country' But this
assurance does not carry with it the weight
which it would coming from any other gov
ernment, it is claimed, as there is no question
that the turkish officials have been trying TO
prove that the missionaries are not conform
Ing to the laws of the country" and it was
on this ground that the sultan prepared and
probably signed the trade providing for their
expulsion from the Turkish dominions The
publicity given to the matter in the press dis
patches has certainly caused hesitation at
the palace, and it Is now thought likely that
the trade will be withheld at least until Rus
sla has been further consulted on the subject
II Russia says that the missionaries are not
to be expelled, the trade will not be made
public. On the other hand If Russia thinks
herself strong enough to proceed with the
work of Russianizing Asiatic Turkey, the trade
may soon see the light of day.