New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-03
4 FRENCH VIEW OF ARMENIA.


Amid all that has been written and spoken
| about Armenia during the last two years ei'her
in dcnuncation of or in defence and extenua-
ton Of Turkish rule IN that distresstui couii
trv. first place must unhesitatngly be given TO
the Yellow Book just put forward by the frehch
Government. 1t is entitled to such rank for
various reasons. For one. it bears throughout
tho air of exceptional thoroughness Of investga-
ton and information. For another. the frchch
Ambassador at ConstantInople in its opening
p1ges reveals himself as an observer or sucn
shrewdness as makes him seem well-nigh in
spired; his predictions concerning Armenia
made long before the crisis of the trouble there.
having been fuIhlled TO the very letter FOR
third. and perhaps most convincing reason, the
rttitude Of France toward the Eastern question:
is decidedly more impartial and disnterested
than that Of any other OF the Great POWERS pos
sibly excepting Italy. The other four may fair
ly be reckoned to be governed largely by se1hsh
considerations in their dealings with the Porte.
But France has no conceivable motive other
than regard for peace and for humanity.
As early as February 20, 1894. NJ. Cambon
wrote that two years before that date high
Turkish official had said to him, The Ar
"menian question does not exist, but we shall
create it," The Armenians were not rebelling
against Turkish rule. They had no especial de-
sire for independence or for foreign interven-
ton. They were perfectly willing TO remain In
the Ottoman Empire. They wanted merely de-
cont government and the reforms which the
Porte had promised them and which Europe
had guaranteed they should have. But the
Porte's inactivity discouraged their goodwill
The promised reforms were not granted. The
official extortons remained scandalous Justice
was not improved. The creation Of the Kurdish
Hamidieh regiments, intended as was alleged,
| to watch the frontiers, was nothing but the Of
fetal organization Of pillage at the expense Of
Armenian Christians.
Naturally the Armenians grew weary Of such
state of affairs They began, both at home
and in England and elsewhere, 10 discuss their
grievances and TO agitate in n peaceful and law
full way for redress and reform. Thereupon the
Turks, by their unintelligent system of persecu-
ton, aggravated the situation. 1t was not
enough for them TO provoke Armenian discOn-
tent They eagerly went on 10 magnify 1t by
treating the malcontents as revOlrtiOnists and
their peaceful protests as reasonable con-
spiracies. The result was natural. After being
told that they were plotting the Armenians act
ually took 10 plotting After being told that
Armenia did not exist, they came to believe In
its existence. Thus in n few years secret So
cletiAs were organized and great propaganda
was made IN favor OF national awakening and
independence.
The sequel was the awful series Of outrages
and massacres OF last year and the year before
which shocked the world. Responsibility for
this VI. Cambon fixes fully upon tho Porte
1.-The Porte" he says, "by its rigor consecrated
"a movement which now counts It's martyrs BY
Its obstnacy in maintaining in Armenia ver-
table system Of terror arrests, assassinatlons
land outragcs It seemed to take pleasure in
Fastening events" He thus confirms, with
authority. The substance Of all the worst
| charges that have been made against the
| Ottoman Government, namely. that It de-
| lberately and for n malicious purpose goaded
| the Armenlans into disaffection, and then out
ragged and massacred them wholesale. That is
| the official French view Of tho case, and that
it is to be believed. will be tho final record Of
| impartial history.