The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-22
TURKEY MUST SETTLE UP.

Turkey is poor pay. The sultan's
promises are not well kept. During the
troubles in Asiatic Turkey in 1895 and
1886 missionary property amounting in
value to about 100000 was destroyed,
and there have been repeated calls upon
the sultan to make good the loss, Eng
land, Italy, France and Russia made
similar demands. for like claims, larger
in amount, however, than those of the
United States, and the demands Of
those countries have been rejected, as
were those of the United States until
Minister Straus, a trained diplomat,
was sent by this government to Con-
stantinople last year for the second
time, when he succeeded in obtaining
from the sultan promise to pay all,
or nearly all, of the indemnity de-
manded.
Mr.. Straus was minister under Cleve-
land. He was so we'll versed in Turk
ish politics that he was reappointed af-
ter the resignation Of DR.. Angel. He
knows every turn and twist of the
diplomats of that tricky and uncertain
government. 1t was believed that he
could secure a settlement if such a
thing were at all possible. And he did
succeed in getting an acknowledgement
Of the obligation. subsequently the
sultan made an agreement to pay the
claims
Intrinsically small, this matter has
been very exasperating. A great deal
of sharp correspondence has passed
between the two governments. Diplo-
matte relations were almost severed
when DR.. Angel refused to remain at
such a disagreeable post. At one time
1t was about decided to send several
cruisers to the Dardanelles with I'M
pleasant but definite instructions. And
for two administrations the conduct of
Turkey in international affairs has
been most provoking.
Another interesting feature of the
case is this: The sultan has heretofore
both acknowledged and repudiated this
claim. He has expressed willingness
to pay and pleaded an inability to pay
His promise carries, so far as the re-
port is concerned, no definite time for
fulfillment In view of his majesty's
chronic poverty for years past, great
leniency might be shown him in the
matter of payment But this affair, it
seems, is only the elimination of a
list Of similar MISUNDERSTANDING
The United States government was
very much put out several years ago,
Of ha
! in Armenia, by the refusal of the Turk
| ish government to grant exequaturs TO
| conSuls sent to Erzeroum and Harpoot
| to look after the interests of American
missionaries ard to protect American
property. This was a challenge of our
right to send consuls to those places,
and it had been refused until Mr..
Straus arrived at Constantinople. At
ter Withholding the exequatu for two
years and six months, they were grant
ed, but not until the patience of Min
lister Straus had been well-nigh ex-
hausted
Another point for which our diplo-
matte representative has carr estIy
contended is the issuance of a royal
| permit IOr the RECONSTRUCTION or the
American college buildings on the Eu-
| pirates. besides the indemnity de-
manded for the personal property de-
stroyed by the Turks. No action has
been taken, although the sultan's
promise has been repeatedly renewed.
Nor has this been the most difficult
international question which Minister
Straus undertook to solve during his
sojourn in Constantinople In asking
for recognition by Turkey of former
Turkish subjects naturalized in the
United States and returning to Turkey.
he ran against Turkish law and Gus
tom. In 1869 Turkey made a law of
nationality prohibiting foreign natur-
alization of Turkish subjects unless
those subjects first obtained the CON
sent of the sultan, which was very diff
fcult and always rendered a prolonged
task by many official delays. If grant
ed, it is accompanied by stipulation
on the part of the emigrant that he
will never return to Turkey. Upon the
return to the dominion OF the sultan
of naturalized citizens of Turkish ORR