The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-09-22
HE SULTAN NEEDS A SCARE
|st Is the Only Nay to Make Him
Pay American Claims.
IS A CONSuMMArE POLITICIAN
|nims He Is Not Responsible for
the Destruction of Property md
Lives of the Americana.

New York, September 2l-The Tribune
ys: President j. B. Angel of the Uni
rsity OF Michigan, who for more than a
ar has been the United States minister
Turkey, was among the passengers on
e Teutonic yesterday. Mr.. Angel, who
IS been succeeded in Turkey by Oscar
Strauss. resigned his position to renew
s administration of the university, OF
hich he is the head.
"A Mr.. Angel WAS unsuccessful in securing
De payment OF American claims on tho
xlrkish government, but on the journey
eross the Atlantic he was frequently Ia
1nversation with Colonel Hay and took
4vantage OF the opportunity, undoubtedly,
inform the secretary OF state OF the
ambitions existing In Turkey. II is we'll
Gown that 1t is the desire Of the prssi
ent that the claims against the porte shall
Il settled as promptly as possible and
DC information which Mr.. ANGEL viii be
pie 10 impart to the government will lie
extremely valuable in the effort to conf
III the sultan to make good the damages
afflicted on Americans living in Turkey.
q In the courss OF conversation With a
Eribune reporter, while the Teutonic was
Making her way up the bay, DR.. Angel
Did: There is little new that can
8y regarding the situation in Turkey.
10 massacres occurred in Armenia nor the
balkans while | WIS there
Il Was it true that the United States in
ENDS to enforce the payment of its claims
~ demonstration OF force?" Mr.. Angel
Mas asked
~ Il have not heard of it. he replied 1--WE
made these claims as did the other powers
fpr damages inflicted by the Turks upoa
eur missionaries. The sultan, however re-
Ipsed TO recognize these claims ana denies
his responsibility on pisa that WAS unsat-
3factory to the powers and to the United
Mates. When moral pressure is brought
70 bear on him, the sultan declares the
manages were the result OF mob riot and
Mat, therefore, he is MOI responsible. In
4eed, he has actually told the European
bowers that instead OF making claims
4gainst him he Is enstlei to indemn,t, es
Rom them because Europeans shot and
killed Turkish soldiers from Their houses.
n "One thing I would like to lay stress on
y that our claims are different from the
European demands. The Europeans SUI
fersd their losses In .he course OF general
fiots by the mob, but our claim, for dam.
aees rest upon a much stronger basis. The
property OF the Americans was destroy ed
Not In a general riot but by the soll rs
Who were put to guard that property and
Who were. consequently. the agents of the
government | placed that view before the
tnltan strongly, but the answer ne gave me
MAS the 50 &c rs he did to the European
bowers. Ii seems to mo that an armed
demonstration is the only means whereby
the Turkish government can be made TO
make the restitution asked for"
n what will be the outconla OF the Gre
fpn massacres?
q "Ah the powers only wish you could tell
4hem," replied Mr.. Angel. but | observe
Mat the SULTAN is yielding to their re-
Quest. Whether Turkey will lose Crete or
Hot, 1t Is impossible to say now. but il the
Bowers say she MIST she will have to re-
|hnquish It"
g While he was in Turkey Mr.. Angel ire
lQuently saw the sultan. Describing him
be said: THE sultan Is a man OF decide
ability possesses great shrewdness and
plays his policy we'll after pittng the ieal-
busy Of one nation against another. Every
One comedies that he is an able man. He l.
fhe governor of his people and the most
absolute despot in the world 1t Is he
Who rules in his cabinet Since the Greek
Iwar his power over his subjects has In
Creased tremendously. He is considered By
bis people to be the religious head OF the
nation as we'll as the heal OF the army