The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-14
PR0BLEM4FoR UNCLE SAM.
How to' Force Turkey to Pay an In
demnity to- Missionaries.
WASHING TOM BUREAU ST. PAUL GLOBE. }
C0RGORAH Bull DING. {

Special to the Globe
WASHINGTON. Jan. 13-Representatiyes
CT the American Missionary associations have
been besieging the president of late to try
70 induce him to take vigorous action against
turkey to compel her payment of the in
demn1ty demanded for the American mission
aries who suffered a few years ago at the
hands Of Turkish mCbs. In dealing with
this question, however, the administration is
faced with some difficulties not of its own
making.
There are three ways. in the judgment of
public men here most familiar with our for
eign relations: in which our government
could try to enforce its demands upon Turkey
1t could cut off all diplomatic relations be-
tween the two countries; it could blockade a
Turkish seaport, demand tribute and until
the tribute was paid cut off all local COM
merce; or it could seize the same port by
force, and take possession Of the government
revenues till enough had been collected to foot
the outstanding bill.
The first resort. it is feared, would be in
no sense punitive measure. Turkey would
probably be glad to get rid of relations which
are now a sore trial to her comfort More
over, if even the small restraint imposed by
the presence of an American minister We're
Withdrawn. American citizens in Turkey
would be hopelessly at the mercy of their
local prosecutors, having not even the shadow
of protection.
The second process, if the blockade were
effective, would be good deal of an under
taking for our present navy; and its imme-
date effect, it is thought, would be to pun
lsh, not the hostile Porte, but our friends
the French merchants-the richest classes of
the local population, who would have to pay
the governments debt out of their own
pockets in order to relieve their trade of
Its fatal embargo. ~
Finally, the outright seizure of a port and
the appropriation Of its revenues would, it
is claimed require two things for which just
now We are tl-prepared. First, we should
have to- drive the larger part of our North
Atlantic squadron to Turkish waters, instead
of leaving it to do what it is now doing
effectively, though quietly-waching the
Spanish navy with the intent of intercepting
and destroying any fleet Spain may send to
yersy. The relations Of Spain and the United
States, while kept outwardly on a peaceful
basis are as is known in diplomatic quarters
at very serious tension. The temptation is
even present with the Spanish government to
pick quarrel, with JUS as an excuse for
1t is liable suddenlyisto become uncon:roll-
able, and sweep away all the natural barriers
of caution. 1t is then that our navy is ex-
pected to put in the quickest work it has
ever done, and Bring the incident to cor
clusion as sudden as ITS beginning.
This last difficulty is the most serious of
the three, in the judgment of some Of the
presidents friends. 1t is said by local au-
thorities on naval matters that the full
strength of our North American squadron is
needed for its present work, and that to di-
vide it would be highly perilous while
listing conditions continued. Moreover, the
trouble would not end with this. We should
the port prepared for a struggle with what
ever Turkish ships were sent as a defence,
but We cou.d not expect to take the city with
out putting large enough body of men
ashore to overcome any land force the
Turks might have ct command