The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-24
STANDS PAT.
Turkey Continues Firm in Her
Refusal
To Grant an Exequatur For a
Consulate at HarfOOt.
MR.. GRISCOM CALLS
On the Minister Of Foreign At
fairs For Action.
But His Efforts Have SO Far
Proved UnaVaiIing.
MR.. GRISCOM CALLS

Constantinople, Friday, Nov. 24.-Uni-
ted States Charge d'Affaires Griscom
called upon Tewik Pasha, minister for
foreign affairs, yesterday, to urge a set
tiement of the difficulty in relation to
the granting of an exequatur to DR..
Thomas H. Norton, who some time ago
was appointed by President Mckinley to
establish a consulate at Harpoot. The
porte however, is firm in its refusal to
grant the request for an exequatur.
NO MENACE INTENDED.
New York, Nov. 24-Trustworthy in
formation has been received from Con-
stantinople by the London correspond
ent of the Tribune, that the reports that
an American battleship will call at
Smyrna on her way to the far east and
that there will be something like ma
val demonstration for the purpose of in
fuencing the Turk are entirely un-
founded and no menace of this kind is
intended. 1t is expected in official cir
cies at ConStantinople that the Ameri-
can claim for indemnities for damages
to mission stations in Armenia will be
settled by the Turkish government as
soon as a practical method is found for
discharging those liabilities without es-
tabliShing a precedent for other cOun-
tries The Turkish government is anx-
1ous to get rid of the American claims,
but is bent upon doing it without COM
mitting itself to the general principle of
responsibility for the OutrageS which Oc-
Cured in Armenia and elsewhere. An
adjustment of the American claims will
be brought about in the course of next
year, it seems, and no naval demonstra-
ton will be required for enforcing it.
News comes also from Constantinople
that an agent of the Cramps has been
attempting to negotiate a contract for
the construction of a Turkish warship
in an American shipyard, and that Mr.
Carnegie's firm has not succeeded in OBJ
tanning large contract for the project
ed road from Syria to Medina and
Mecca.
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE.
New York, Nov. 24.-Oscar S. Straus
minister to Turkey, declines to say any
thing about the Portes action in re-
fusing an exequatur for United
States consul at Harpoot, declaring that
ali comment should come from the state
department.
Another American, who has spent
years in the diplomatic service. said:
The Turkish authorities look with
jealousy upon the appointment of con-
suls to interior points in the empire es-
pecially when, as in the present case, the
to a point where it has not had a con-
sui before.
The reason, perhaps, why the Turk
ish authorities more specifically object
to the appointment of a consul at Har-
poOt is that it was at HarpOot where
the American missionary property was
destroyed during the Armenian troubles
on the loss of which our claims for in
demnity are based.
America has no commerce at Har-
poot- It's interests there are only mis-
sionary, as in that city is located the
Euphrates college, besides several mis-
sion schools. and it is a center for the
American missionaries. But it can be
reasonably claimed by our government
even if we have little or no commerce
there now, that we may want to cult
vate it, especially as a number of our
citizens are resident there Heretofore
such consular business as the United
States has had at Harpoot has been con-
Quoted by the British vice consul there,