The Van Buren press., 1900-04-21
THE SULTAN MUST PAY UP.
Diplomatic Relations with Turkey strained
by Reason OF Broken
Pledges.

Washington, April 1s.-There is n
longer any question that the diplomat
ic relations between the United State
and Turkey are in a critical state
growing out of the sultan's bad faith
He promised to pay the indemnit.
claims of the American missionarle
foI the destruction of eight building
of thea Euphrates college at Harpoo
and several buildings belonging to th
American missionaries at Marash dun
ipp the Armenian massacres OF 1879.
Services Indispensable.
Mr.. Straus, the United States min
lister to Turkey, is at present in th'
Emitted States Stat ON leave OF & 5senee. \!
has already been announced. he pre-
seuted his resignation, but 'he presl
dent, regarding the services of Mr.
straus as indispensable, indefinitely
extended his leave, subject to the cal
of the secretary of state whenever cir
cumstances may necessitate his re
turn.
Diplomacy Exhausted.
Diplomacy appears to have exhaust
ed itself at Constantinople, the sultan
having promised to pay the indemnity
claims, amounting to some S9O,0OO
which promise was again renewed
prior to Mr.. Straus' departure, and al
though 16 months have elapsed since
the promise was first made, that prom
ise still remains untitled.
The Governments Next Step.
What action the government will
now take to enforce the sultan's prom
jse is not definitely known, but as the
situation is critical it may result in
Secretary Hay sending the Turkish
minister at Washington his passports.
The snItnn's Broken Pledges.
The question involved between tho
two countries is no longer one resting
upon disputed points of international
law, but upon the sultans broken
faith. This is not his only promise,
he having stated to our minister that
be would give his permit for the re-
construction of the American college
end school buildings, while, up to the
present, the official permit, on one eX-
cuse and another, has been withheld,
The Man for the Place.
When DR., Angel resigned, in 1898,
the relations between the two conn-
tries were critical by reason OF the IN
action of the Turkish government and
lis refusal to entertain the indemnity
claims. Mr.. Straus, by reason OF his
successful previous mission and his
last experience, was summoned by the
president to take up the mission as
lest qualified to adjust the pending
questions in a manner satisfactory to
both countries. Shortly after his ar
rival in Constantinople, in September,
1898, several matters yielded to nego-
tiation.
The sIain Questions.
He then addressed himself to the
main questions, the compensation for
missionary buildings destroyed, and
for property looted and the permit for
their rebuilding. The Turkish govern
n,ent, shortly before the departure of
Dl. Angell sent II reply denying all
liability for the buildings and prop
erty destroyed. A similar reply was
sent to the ambassadors of England.
France and Italy, having like claims.
The sultan Promised.
Mr.. Straus took up the question
anew, busing his argument upon the
wei-recognized principles of interna-
tional law, with the result that at an
audience with the sultan, on the sth
of December, 1898, the sultan prom
ised to pay the claims. The claims
were examined with great care and
scrutiny, based upon the principle of
indemnity for the actual value of the
property destroyed. The sultan also
stated that he had given permission
for the reconstruction of the destroyed
buildings. Neither of these promises
has been kept.
The situation nt Present.
The situation is practically this;
Our minister has succeeded in obtain
ing judgment by confession upon the
claims, which confession was made by
the sultan himself, but the execution
remains unsatisfed.
Diplomacy has exhausted itself, and
M. Struus has, under the guidance Of
Secretary Hay, done everything di-
pomacy could accomplish to bring the
sul,ans attention to the seriousness
Of the situation. Our minister, us well
as our government, hoped that the sui
Ian's promise, though delayed, would
be fulfilled,
In Good Hands.
During the continuance Of Minister
Strnus' leave of absence, the legation
is in charge Of Capt Lloyd c. Griscom,
81 cretary of legation, who is fully con.