The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-02
THE ARMENIAN OUTBREAK.
The Turks Are BnrbaFous, but Not
Wholly to Blame.
Philadelphia Record.

EHllddelpnla RECORD.
Armenia in ancient days included the
upper valleys of the Euphrates, Tigris,
Aras and Kur, and was about 500 miles
long and between 400 and 500 miles in
centuries this territory has been distributed
between Turkey, Russia. and Persia.
The Turkish portion of Armenia com
prises the territory west of the Euphrates
the districts of Bitlis and Van and the
H fhrss nllaXet5 our or soysra ana biarb OF
kir. The situation of the Armenians under
Russia is vastly different. from their situa-
ton under Turkey. In the one case they
enjoy security of person and property, and
the honor of their families is protected; in
the other the late massacres and outrages
have shocked the civilized world.
But let US be just to the Turk. And, in
order to be just, we must consider his diff
tion, of the Armenians themselves; In
Turkish Armenia they were supposed be-
fore the late disturbances to number one
their race is dispersed, like the Jews, over
the face of the earth. This remaining por-
ton numbers a million and a half. Their
dream-their PASSIONS Armenian auton-
omy. They have their revolutionary COM
mittees in important European c~enters,
and their efforts are incessant to accom-
plish their object. They hope to coerce the
powers to intervene and to compel the
to the Armenian. These scattered Armen-
ians who stir the fires of revolution are
in all the great capitals of Europe and in
all the great commercial cities of the
Mediterranean The telegraph and the
press are open to them. With quick in
telligence and vivacious unscrupulousness
they fill the ear of the world with their
complaints and their descriptions Of
Turkish cruelty and misrule.
The Turk, meanwhile, is unheard. How
melted. how goaded with most sharp oc-
casions, which lay nice manners by" the
world knows nothing. 1t hears only of his
bloody impressions; of his quick and mer-
CHESS reprisals. The Armenian revolution
airy committees, at a safe distance them
selves, now call upon Europe to interpoSe,
and give their bleeding c-ountrymen free
dom.
Of course the Turkish administration is
bad, but it is not SO much the Turks di-
rectly as the Kurds and the Circassians
that have committed the atrocities which
have SO aroused our SynapathieS and our
Indignation. What deeds have been done
by the Arnlenians, melted thereto by their
countrymen in other parts of the world,
and what share those deeds had in bring
ing on murder and pilla ge, the world is
at Galata, and the seizure of the Ottoman
Bank by the Armenians shows the DISPOSE
ton and daring of their revolutionary
leaders. They could not expect to succeed
and they well knew the loss of life that
wouId surely follow their failure. But they
must attract the attention of Europe. They
must create a situation that would compel
the interpoSitiOn Of the powers.
That the ArTnenianS, a. people distinct
from the Turks in race and religion. with
a national character well nigh as marked
as that of the Jews. and tracing their his
tory hack to the time of Herodotus, or even
s%elf-rUle is easily understood. But it should
also be recalled that their country has
been a province of Turkey for ages and
that Turkey could not be expected to give
of the world is that she employs barbaric
and savage methods 10 suppress or avenge
disaffection, and that complaint has en-
listed the sympathies of mankind on behalf
nf haf IN