Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-23
FROM TURKEY
The Dispute Still Open for Dis
cuSsion,
7 IS DECLARED lNCONCLUSIVE
Energetic Response to Be Made
to the Porte.
G EN-. ACES VIEW

The State Department has received
through Lloyd Griscom. the United States
charge al Constantinople. the reply of the
Turkish government to the latest represen-
tations of the United States touching the
American missionary claims. The communi-
cation was taken to the White House by
Secretary Hay. who laid 1t before the cabi-
net at the special meeting today.
The efforts to collect the claims were de-
scrbed by Secretary Hay. His statement.
/. is said, made the cabinet hopeful that a
settlement could be obtained at an early
date, although the members realize that the
problem is a hard one to solve.
MIR. Straus. the United States minister to
Turkey, who had come over from New
York for the purpose Of comforting with
the department affecting these claims.
called at the State Department in the MORN
ing and talked over the last Turkish note
with Secretary Hay before the cabinet
meeting.
No 0mcial Statement.
The department made no public state
nlent touching the Turkish note beyond the
mere announcement that it was inconclu-
sive and left the subject still open for dis
cussion. 1t was gathered that the very
brief outline of the Turkish response cabled
from Constantinople. to the effect that the
American claimants must take their posi-
ton along with those of other nations, does
not convey accurately the tenor of the
whole note; though IT is admitted that 1t
does set out properly one portion of 1t.
The opinion prevails in the diplomatic cir
Gle here that. assuming the Turkish govern
ment has insisted on including the Ameri-
can claims with the others, II has played
a diplomatic card of some strength. Such
an answer to the American demand might
be well calculated to deprive the United
States of the sympathy of the European
powers. as 1t places US in a position of
seeking to extort better terms from the
Turks than are to be accorded to the claim
ants of other nations, or at least attempting
to secure precedence over them, which
amounts to the same thing.
Reputation of Promises.
A reason which leads to the belief that
there must be some qualification attached
to the reported answer of the Turkish gov
eminent is the fact that 1t would amount
to total reputation of the promises al
legged by Mr.. Straus to have been made to
him by the porte: while the proposition to
the American claimants to throw in their
claims with those of other nations is equiv
alent to declination to pay, inasmuch as
the Turkish government has not for many
years paid any of these foreign claims so
far as is known here. 1t Is possible that
the porte has 1t in mind to create a COM
mission for the settlement of all these
claims and is seeking to prepare the United
States government for a submission of its
claims to such an international tribunal.
An Energetic Response
The State Department, however is deter
mined not to abandon the preferential posi-
ton respecting its claims that 1t has secur-
ed through the sultan's own promises. so 1t
is expected that an energetic response to
this last note will be sent to the porte
through Mr.. GriScOm. AS for Mr.. StrauS.
while he is giving the State Department the
benefit of his experience in conducting the
regulations ii is improbable that he will
ever appear again officially in the negotia-
tons. for. after the tension that has been
imposed upon the relations between the
United States and Turkey, as a result of
the minister's recital of what passed be-
tween himself and the porte, 1t is not
deemed polite that he shall return to Con-
stantinople.
Turkish Ministers' Belief.
Ali Ferrouh Bey. the Turkish minister
had another conference with Secretary Hay
at the State Department Saturday. He re-
fused to discuss what ensued at the con-
ference, beyond expressing the belief that
the matter Is fast nearing a satisfactory
conclusion. He also refuses to divulge any
Information which he has received from his
is regarded in Turkey, or any instructions
received by him regarding the course he
shall pursue as diplomatic representative
at Washington.
Gen. Wallace Praises the sultan.
Gen. Lew Wallace. who was minister to
Constantinople during the Garfield admins
tration, is in the city. In discussing the
present controversy respecting indemnity
for the destruction of missionary buildings,
Gen Wallace said to reporter: II think
am better acquainted with the Sultan of
turkey than possibly any other American,
and know that he is an honest man and
never knew him to break a promise Abdul
Hamid Is no more to be blamed tor the
gross atrocities committed and the property
destroyed by the khourds than William
Mckinley would be if the Apache Indians
should go upon the warpath and slay the
white settlers as they have done in times
Fast These acts were perpetrated upon
the Armenians. but no American suffered
the loss of a hair.
The Christians in Turkey are there under
the patronage of the sultan and without
his protection they could not remain. There
are some three millions of Greeks and per-
hapS four millions of ArmenianS who are
Christians, and the sultan regards them as
his subjects. Without them the Turkish
government would fall for they are the
tradespeople. The Turk Is warrior Not
Christian church is burned or a mission
destroyed but the sultan is the first man To
subscribe to rebuild know this to be so.
Abdul Hamid is d distinguished scholar and
diplomat If 1t were not SO the Ottoman
empire would have been crushed out long
ago. for the hand of every ruler in Europe
Is against him. He prevents them from act.
ing together, and thus preserves his throne
He was educated in Paris. and though a
Mussulman he has Christian ideas and
sentiments. All that Khourds, who are the
perpetrators OF these crimes against the
Christians. have in common with the sui
tan and the Turks is that they, too, are
followers OF Mohan1ned. They are pumer.
Gus on the eastern border of the empire
and have never been fully conquered by
the government"