Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-28


cupies in the family Of nations. as
moral influence should be. and has
been. exerted to the utmost to put an
end to these atrocities of the Turkish
government.
1t may well be matter of pride that
here. in our great land of the free,
originated the first great practical
movement for the relief of the Armen
ian sufferers. We believe it to be the
duty of our government to protect the
rights of it's own citizens in every
land. and on every sea. Thus far there
need be, and, so far as we have observed
there has been, no difference of opin-
ion among the American people. Be
yond this we believe that 1t would be
dangerous and inadvisable for this ma
ton to go, however profoundly its
sympathies may be stirred. The great
principle laid down by Thomas Jeffer-
son, in his first inaugural address.
peace, commerce, and honest friend
ship with all ations,-entangling al
liances with none,s has been a rule
of action with this government through
all the eventful years of the Republics
life. and, in it's observance, we have
prospered and grown strong. 1t has
enabled us not only to work out our
own great destiny in our own way.but
to accomplish a measureless work of
good for liberty-loving people through
out the world. We cannot believe that
the time has yet come to abandon 1t.
The movement to furnish Armenians
with an asylum in this country did not
originate with the American Mission
airy society. 1t came from Lady Henry
Somerset and Miss Willard, the great
leaders of the W. c. T. U. Both are
ladies of the highest Christian charac-
ter, and both are undoubtedly ami
mated by the noblest and most unset
fish of motives. We believe, however.
that in this matter. they have allowed
their sympathies to obscure other, and,
it seems to us, very important consid-
erations. which should be carefully
weighed. by the American people before
they permit the establishment of a
precedent, involving so many and SO
serious dangers TO our republic.
Tn %, tbic oo,Irca wa haliaya
that these ladies are acting in their
own individual capacity and giving eX-
preston to their own individual views.
We are strengthened in this belief by
the following communication from the
w. G. Il. u. of Auburn, which appeared
in the Lewiston Journal of Saturday
evening:
To the Editors of the Lewiston Journal:
We as the Woman's Christian Tenn
perance Union of Auburn, do not wish
to enter into any controversy upon the
Armenian question. but ask you TO
please give us space in your paper TO
correct any false impression which the
public may have received from the per-
sonal ideas of any one. While our na-
tional president, Miss Willard, acted
| more from a personal standpoint,
guided by her own benevolent impulses,
than by the unanimous sanction of the
w. C. T. L.. we all must to a certain
degree suffer from the hasty move
ment. We, as a law abiding and home
protecting organization. do not wish to
antagoniZe the very ones on whom we
| would depend for support in our work
| of uplifting the fallen and caring for
needy and helpless ones in our own
community neither do we think it pru-
dent or right to do things in direct OPP
| POSITION to what our people are work
| ing against-pauper immigration. 1t is
| one thing to employ a workman who
has mastered his trade and is an indus
trious. law-abiding citizen. and another
to bring into our homes directly from a
| foreign country those entirely ignorant
of our language and laws and indus
tries, and pledge ourselves to care fo,
them until they can become capa Bile Of
taking care of themselves or. in Other
words. become self-supporting.
here are plainly Of such right at c,il
! own doors, who would be candidates
for just such positions, if we can find
the homes ready to open their doors tc
them. Charity begins at home"
NJ. r. McCALLUM. Pres w. c. T. u
ABBIE ]. BENNER, Rec. Sec
1t seems to us that there is a more
serious objection to the bringing OF
these Armenians to our country thar
any enumerated in the above commu.
nication forcible as they are These
people will only have to remain in this
country few years before they viii
have the right to be naturalized, and
become full-fedged citizens of the re.
public. Before they have learned t.
fairly speak, much less to read ant
write our language, they may have {
voice in determining the political des
TIMES of the nation. AS people, the,
have been VIGOROUSLY clannish in thi.
country, and while there may be not
able exceptions, the general opinion o
those who have had opportunities TO
observing them in this country appear.
to be that they are slow to come il
touch with the spirit of our institutions