Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1896-09-30
PITIFUL PLIGHT
Hundreds OF Armenians in France
Homeless, Pemiless and
Suffering.
Have Escaped Violent Death Only
to Endure What Is Almost
Worse.
Attention Of the Relief Societies
Forcibly Called to Their
Conditions.

MARsEnLEs, Sept. 30.-There exists a
condition of affairs III this city at pres
ent which seems to be a disgrace 70
Europe and to the Armenian associa-
tions generally throughout the word.
Subsisting upon government, municipal
or private charity here, are 900 unfortu-
nate Armenians, men, women and chll-
dren. Young and old, healthy and sick
who have succeeded III escaping froIa
the bloody Lnassacres at Constantinople,
and who We're one and all buoyed up by
the hope on landing here of being able,
eventually, to reach the land of free
dom, the United States. But weeks have
already elapsed and nothing definite
appears to have been done for their re-
lief, much less towards finding them
homes, by any of the many associations
for the relief of suffering Armeniails
which have been organized III England
and America. These unfortunates,
however, seem to be the very class to
which the hand of charity should be
first extended They are homeless,
nearly all are penniless, many are en-
during the pangs of hunger, and yet
nobody seems willing to step in and
guide this band of refugees to some
place where they can begin life anew
and under more promising clrcum-
stances. Large amounts of money have
been raised in the past for destitute
Armenians, in Armenia, but the situa-
ton of the latter is not whit worse
than that of the half starving people
here, if as bad. The Armenians
in Armenia certainly had their CO.
religionists and fellow countrymen to
fall back upon, but the poor people here
seem to have no friends in the wide
world, yet they are as honest and indus
trious class as you can find on the
shores of the Mediterranean s
Some South American spectators, 1T
is true, taking advantage of this deplor-
able situation, have prevailed upon
300 of the American refugees to allow
themselves to be transported to the
Argentine Republic, there, in all posi-
bility, to meet the fate of thousands of
the Hebrews of Russia, who, thanks to
the philanthropy of the late Baron
Hirsch, emigrated to South America
only to find themselves, fguratively
speaking, tossed
From the Frying Pan Into the Fire.
1t is true that the climate of Argen-
tine is said to be more healthy than that
of the regions the poor Hebrews tried
to settle in But the end is likely to be
the same in the case of the Armenian
refugees, who are not class of people
likely to thrive in roughly founded col
onies.
Only about 18 of the 800 Armenians
who reached here have as yet been able
to start for the United States
These few emigrants are of the better
class of Armenians they are fairly
well supplied with funds, and will |
probably start for New York via South
ampton. But what is to become of the |
remaining unfortunate Christians, flee.
ing from the blood-stained Turks, who |
are living on charity here with their
eyes turned longingly towards the
United States? 1t would seem that
these poor people may be barred from
reaching the United States and they
May he Forbidden to Land There
even if they succeed in obtaining trans
portation to the shores of North Amer
lea. Surely if there ever was case in
which iron rules, necessary no doubt,
might be relaxed, it is the case of these
stricken people, flying from the perse
cutions and butcheries that have pre-
vailed in their own land. There is ma
terial here for the foundation of
strong Armenian colony and it would
appear that there must be some spot on
earth where these victims of the blood.
thirstiness and misgoyernment of Alb
dul Hamid, sultan of Turkey who ac.
cording to generally credited reports
must have caused the massacre of some
30 900 Christians during the last few
years. can earn an honest living.
AT Portland, Me-, John r. Gentry at
Rigby park, paced the fastest mile ever
made i'll harness and placed the worlds
record at 2 :001a
William Corbitt, proprietor Of the San
Mateo (Cal stock farm has decided tG
sell both Guy Wilkes and Sable Wilkes.
This virtually means his retirement
from the breeding ranks.
Position of Western League clubs at
the close of the season. Minneapolis
654 Indianapolis 59l, Detroit $50, st.
Paul 537, Kansas City 507, Milwaukee
443, Columbus 371, Grand Rapids 32S.
The American record -452 niles-was
broken by four men in the 24-hour BIZ
cycle race at Chicago Score at finish
Grim, 1856 miles, l,141 yards; Waller,
4S2 miles, 968 yards Schinner, 462
miles, 567 yards; Miller, 459 miles, 233
yards; Myers, 427 miles, 8S7 yards.