The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-05
TURK AND ARMENIAN.

| turkey anu the Arlueuldu dtIOClues
by the Rev. Edwin Munsell Bliss, with
map and fully illustrated, Hubbard
Publishing Co., Philadelphia, Pa. This
book comprises the observations Of a
observant reporter, of unbiased judg-
ment, and a profound thinker. The
author has not only brought TO mis-
work his own undoubted ability and
experience, but he has availed himself
Of all possible aids, historical and 9th
erwiSe in order to furnish the world
with reliable information upon a sub
| ject which still continues to command
public attention. He goes over the
| ground familiar TO him from previous
visits and notes carefully the changes
which have occurred, and in all his
statements his effort seems to be to
confine himself strictly within the
boundary lines of truth. 1t has there
fore much higher value and more i'm
portant interest than the common run
of books made up by travellers for
mere sensational effect, or written I'M
der the spur of religious or political
fanaticism. There are many enter
tanning descriptions of places and
much careful report of the social, pO
litical and religious conditions of the
various races and nationalitieS of the
Turkish empire. He has a great deal
to tell of the past and present woes of
the Armenians, and he boldly arraigns
the Turkish government of today for
its manifold crimes of omission and
commission against civilization, and
what these crimes have been and are,
he unfolds in all their inhumanity.
And all this he does without manifest
ing the slightest sign of malice or dis
position to misrepresent either Turk,
Pagan or Christian, but freely accords
TO each and all, the virtues TO which
they are justly entitled. All his crit
icisms appear to be measured by the
exact and unerring rule of justice, and
in this consists the chief value of the
book. The different oriental sects or
churches under Moslem rule are far
from being in fraternal relations with
each other. The Armenian, Chaldean
and Maromte, So-called-Christian
churches, hate each other as heartily
as everyone Of them does the Moham-
oden religion. The ArmenianS, howev-
er seem TO be more susceptible TO the
influence of the Protestant missiona-
ries Of Europe and America than any
of the other churches, and more in
clined to European civilization They
were the first people-we are informed
to adopt Christianity as a national
religion, which occurred as early as
A. d. sol.
The author tells us that by the trea-
~ of Berlin, the Sublime Porte was
bound 10 secure to the Armenians re-
ligious liberty and TO protect them |
against their old time enemies, the Cir |
cassianS and kurds. The Turkish |
government has not only failed to af- !
ford the protection it was pledged to |
extend 10 the ArmenianS, but accord |
ing TO the testimony of reliable eye
witnesses in some instances the late !
massacres which so shocked the civil |
lied world, and in other instances per-
mitted butchery where they could have
easily prevented IL II is impossible
TO estimate the exact number Of vic
tins who persisted at the hands of the
merciless fanatics, but from tabula
ted statement we learn that 5000
were slain, while il is quite possible
that 5000 would be more accurate
1t only needs the change Of a name TO
exclaim with Stepniak, all who are
for progress. for peace and humanity,
may unite in a moral crusade against
Turkish despotism.