The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-08

bly, even 90 outspokcn q critic of the entire
system as Mr.. f. HoPKINsoN SMITH, whose
honest indignation has been fred by his OBJ
servations Of the picayune Observation-Disclosures
Of n few representatives Of the second type,
would recognize the distinction here noted,
for this gentleman's candor is equal to his
courage. On the other hand. those we'll
meaning persons at home who assume that
the title and the calling Of missionary in
Turkey or elsewhere imply in every case
the absence OF worldly motives, Of vexa-
tious meddlesomeness, or even OF mercenary
considerations, know not very we'll the
complex world wherein we live.
Minister TERRELL's troubles seem to
spring wholly from his relations with the
politician missionaries, or rather from their
unlimited efforts to manage for him the
diplomatic business with which he is
charged by the Government Of the United
States. Mr.. T%RRRELL's experience In this
respect is not unique. Some of his
predecessors at ~Constantinople, IL not
most of them, have learned to their
sorrow that a commission from the Amer
lean Board Of Foreign Missions does not
always carry with 1t humility, sinRleness Of
purpose, and absolute freedom from malice.
There is a tradition that when the politician
missionaries in Co%nstantinople used to
bother the Hon. HORACE MAYNARD, Minis
ter to Turkey twenty years ago, MAY
NARD would invite them to join in
prayer with him, and would pray away
with true Baptist fervor until they were
weary Of the contention and retired dis
comflted. This method Of self-protection
does not seem to have occurred to the
gentleman who now holds the office; or, II
he has thought Of it, he does not regard
himself as qualified to exercise 1t.
The fact about Minister TERRELL Is that
in the difficult situation which has con-
fronted him during the past twelve or four
teen months he has been constantly ham,
pered and harassed by the volunteer
diplomacy Of politician missionaries In
Constantinople, who have undertaken to
direct his movements in matters for
which he Is responsible and for which
they are not responsible. These poll
tician missionaries and their friends in
innate that the blunt Texan has sometimes
sworn OF them. Whether that is true or not,
we do not know; we hope Mr.. TERRELL
has not been profane, even under extraor-
binary p~rovocation. But he has pur-
sued his own course and acted upon his
own Judgment. as was his right and
his duty; and. in consequence, he has drawn
upon himself the wrath Of the politician
missionaries at Constantinople, and the
milder Reproduction Of the well-meaninR per
sons at home who do not understand the
facts Of the case. or fail to discriminate
ok,,o. khn kx,1 htnl. - rnsa,topo riaa i,li-
above. Attacks on his character and
competency have been prompted through
various subterranean agencies. There
has been q concerted effort to represent him
to the American people "a q boor and a fool,
unworthy to hold his office; somewhat less
in fact, than the least civilized
in Rumelia or Anatolia. We shall
hear less of this sort Of thing since Secretary
OLERY's vigorous and unconventional re-
buke Of some of the exaggerations and mis-
representations of the Minister'S persistent
and ungrateful assailants.
We say ungrateful, for the American mis-
in Turkey (the real missionaries)
owe to the Hon. ALEXANDER w. TERRELL a
debt Of gratitude which they could not repay
In full should they spend all their leisure
IlLu0 ouEiIlB tu0 uoAI tch years III siuktuB
and shouting his praises. The American
fiag which has been intrusted to his hands
protected them from the beginning of
these Armenian troubles to the present day.
1t has protected not only the real mission
aries and their wives and children, IN
der circumstances Of unexampled difficulty,
but it has protected also the politician mis-
sionaries, even to the most pernicious among
them. These good people owe their lives,
under Divine Providence, to TERRELL's &c
curate perception Of his grave responsibility,
and his vigorous and fearless performance
of that duty. This fact is well understood
at the State Department, as Mr.. OLNEY's
statement shows. 1t ought to be quite as
we'll understood by real missionaries in
and by all their w~ell-meaning
friends in the United States.