The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-11
BETTEROUTLOOK
But Promised Reforms" Materialize
Slowly In Turkey
BREAKING OF TURKISH POWER
The Only Way to Effectuallyi
Assist Armenians.

BOSTON, Feb. IA letter has been re-
ceived. In Boston from Erzroom, Eastern
Turkey. under date OF Jan. Q It Is from
an American whose previous letters have
been widely circulated. The writer says
the situation here is greatly relieved.
Shakir Pasha, the high commissioner, is
working hard Mt reforms, and the gov
ernor, Raouf Pasha, is doing rs we'll as
any Turk could under the circumstances.
A commission of reform has been organ
lied. The efforts are rather amusing, but
tranquilizfng to the Turkish people.
The reform commission is trying to
carry out the provisions OF the scheme Of
reforms The material prosperity Of the
land, Improvement of roads, improvement
of stock, introduction of new cereals, etc.
are considered. Opium introduction will
bring wealth. This is Turkish reform. 1T
affords a topic of conversation less terror
izing than the L mning one of the last
three months.
The governor has put no obstacles in
the way, but rather has rendered assist
ance and expressed his interest in the sue
cess OF the efforts. Assistance has been
given for about three weeks, having four
objects In view. 1. Giving a daily dole Of
bread. 2. Giving fuel to the most des-
titute. 3. Bedding. 4. Assisting artisans
to tools, etc, that they may go to work.
For the week ending Jan. 5 there were
given out 42iS doles Of bread to l544 per-
sons ut n cost of 2l24 piasters gold. This
affords u little over one pound OF bread q
day to each individual ut a cost of q little
over a cent n day.
The eugerness with which this small
amount is accepted and the blessings pro-
nounced on the benevolent donors show
that every pound Of it goes to hungry
mouths. The numbers are SO very great
that we fear that the money will become
exhausted. One dollar will afford n dole
of bread TO ope person for three months,
or to nearly 100 persons for one day. A
small amount goes a long way. Erzroom
province will need Mt least $4,000 in re-
lief, much of which should go for bread.
Agents are at work In many of the out
districts. In ErzinGen about 600 were
being fed daily. Mr.. Cumberhatch, the
English consul here, is very successful in
dealing with the Turkish officials. His
efforts did very much to tighten the effects
of the threatening disaster here. and his
influence has kept many out of prison and
gotten most of those who were put in re-
leased.
General Exodus Probable.
II the way opens the Armenlans will
leave In crowds In the spring. II it be-
comes possible for them to leave they will
be foolish to remain. To-day an Armenian
woman went to the bath aud saw some OF
her ornaments, given to her as a bride.
adjoining the person OF n Turkish woman
with whom she had TO be pleasant and
treat her with respect rs her superior. 1t
IL most ruinous to character 10 lie forced
to play the hypocfite so continuously.
As long as the Turkish power stands,
Armenian aspirations for better thugs
will arouse Turkish animositles, and the
burdens OF the Armeninns will increase.
The victims OF thes, inassacrcs and this
oppression are those who have no other
fault than that OF desiring something bet
ter thar Accommodation.
They are trying Co destroy all foreign
Influence and force the Arinenians back
into hopeless scrvility. The wreck OF the
Armenian nation ought to have sympathy
and assistance, but until the Turk Is either
broken In power or changed In spirit that
wrctchcd subject race can never be effec-
tually assisted.
The Rod Cross society calls for $500, 900.
RlulllUlN IlAN Nv w VAh hllu ltht tilt
whole Armenian population TO America
and ont OF this hell, out Of harms way,
and then deal with the race question.
Erzrooin has had u light disaster rs com
pared with other parts of the country, and
yet ones blood boils. teeth ar set on edge
aud Indignation Is reused to the highest
pitch.
Yet tho Turk thinks he does Allah scrv-
Ice. In fnct tho Turks now say: Our
Allah is greater than the Christians God;
our Koran better thnn the Bible; our
radishah stronger than European empcr.
ors; today Is the triumph OF the true pro-
phet OF Allah"
Winter here has been so far very mild.
Tho streets IN the daytime are sloppy.
The whole Erzoom community has suf-
fered heavy financial loss. One man alone
claims TO have suffered 20 the extent OF
over sSfU0 In goods %plundered from the
shop he occurred and from other shops
where hc had placed goods to sell.