Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-04-23
"A CRITICAL STAGE.
SULTAN Failed to Pay the IN
demnity Claims of 100000.
Diplomacy Has Failed to Make Gun
speakable Turk Keep His Word.

WASHINGTON, April 20.-The diplomatic
relations between the United States ana
Turkey are in a critical state, growing
out of the sultans bad faith. He prom
ised to pay the indemnity claims of the
American missionaries for the destruc-
ton of eight buildings of the Euphrates
college at Harpoot and several buildings
belonging to the American missionaries
at Marash during the Armenian massa-
ores of 1895.
Mr. Straus, United States minister to
Turkey, is at present here on leave OF
absence. AS has already been an
nounced, he presented his resfgnatlon'
but the president, regarding the services
Of Mr.. Straus as indispensable, 1noen-
nitely extended his leave, subject to the
call of the secretary of state, whenever
circumstances may necessitate his re-
turn.
Diplomacy appears to have exhausted
itself at Constantinople, the sultan nav
ing promised to pay the indemnify
claims, amounting to some $4,000 Wh1cn
promise was again renewed prior to Mr..
Straus' departure, and although 10
months have elapsed since the promise
was first made, that promise still re-
mains unfulilled. What action the gov
eminent
ssultan's promise is not definitely known,
but as the situa ton is critical, it may re-
suit in Secretary Hay sending the Turk
ish minister at Washington his passport.
The question involved between the two
countries IS no longer one resting upon
disputed points of International law, but
upon the sultan's broken faith. This Is
not his only promise, he having stated to
our minister that he would give his per-
nit for the reconstruction of the Ameri-
can college and school buildings, yet up
to the present the official permit, upon
one excuse and another, has been with
held
When Dr. Angel resigned in 1898 the
relations between the two countries were
critical by reason of the inaction of the
Turkish government, and it's refusal t.
entertain the indemnity claims. Mr..
Straus by reason of his successful previ-
Gus mission and his past experience, was
summoned by the president to take up
the mission as best qualified to ADJUST
the pending questions in manner salts
factory to both countries. Shortly after
his arrival at Constantinople, In Septem-
Der, 1898, several matters yielded to
negotiation.
He then addressed himself to the main
questions, the compensation for mis-
siona1y buildings destroyed, and for
property looted and for the permit for
their rebuilding. The Turkish govern
ment shortly before the departure Of
DR.. Angel, sent a reply denying all liza
bility for the buildings and property
destroyed. A similar reply was sent to
the bassadors of En- gland, France and
Italy, having like claims.
Mr. Straus took up the question anew,
basing his argument upon the well
recognized principles of international
law, with the result that at an audience
with the sultan on Dec. 8, 1898, the sultan
promised to pay the claims. The claims
were examined with great care, 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 have been kept.
The situation is practically this: Our
minister has succeeded in obtaining
judgment by confession upon the claims,
which confession was made by the sui
tan himself, but the execution remains
unsatisfied. Mr.. Strauss has, under the
guidance Of Secretary Hay, done every
| thing diplomacy could accomplish to
bring to the sultan's attention the seri-
BUSINESS of the situation. Our minister,
as well as our government, hoped that
| the sultan's promise, though delayed,
| would be fulfilled.
| During the continuation of Minister
| Strauss leave of absence the legation is
| in charge of Lloyd G. Griscom, the Sec
| rotary of legation, who is fully con-
| yersant with the business.