New-York tribune., 1900-05-06
TURKISH DIPLOMACY.
SULTAN ABDUL HAMED'S METHOD OF
DEALING WITH FOREIGN NATIONS
COW PRESIDENT MKINLEY is HAMPEitED IN
BRINGING HIM TO TERMS-THE EXPERT
ENCEs OF EUROPEAN NATIONS,

ENCES OF EUROPEAN NATIONS
popular sentiment in America is undoubtedly
In favor of drastic measures against the SUD
lime Porte in connection with the latters retusai
to effect settlement of the claims for damage
sustained by American missionaries at Harpoot
and elsewhere in the Sultan's dOminions. ABDUL
Hamed has manifested a disposition to adopt
toward this country the same policy OF procras-
tination and of contemptuous indifference about
the fulfIment of his engagements and oblga-
tions that he has employed with so much sue
cess in his dealings with other Christian POW
ers This has naturally excited widespread re-
sentiment here, where the attitude of the Sultan
has been regarded in the light of an affrCnt 10
the honor of the United States calling Tor actioh
sufficiently vigorous to prove to the faolshah
that he cannot afford to defy Uncle Sam Win
tho same degree Of impunity that he has en-
toyed at the hands Of other great Powers There
i. no doubt that a naval demonstration pe1ore
some important Turkish city, such as, for in
stance Smyrna, possibly the bombardment ana
seizure of a seaport, would have been exceed
,nglv popular with all classes of people on TINS
side of the Atlantic especially with those who
ora interested in missionary work, and the
termination on the part of the Administration TO
conform to public sentiment IN the matter hius'
have been great
That the United States Government sholid
have resisted the temptation and should nave
adopted course of moderation, virtually IAN
ing into line with the other great Powers con-
stitutes not merely manifestation of state
craft but likewise the possession OF d coilSuiii-
mate knowledge of international, and partcu-
,arlv Oriental diplomacy. 1t has given evidence
of a comprehension of the obllga'lohs ol III"
narialisrn in the best sense of the word, without
tho usual and questionable accompaniment oi
jingoism
REASONS FOR MODERATION
:. ,, ha we'll to draw attention 10 some OF
.ho considerations which doubtless are prompt
,n., President Mckinley to moderation Iatilei
than to immediate and vigorous actoh ashii'9'
the Sultan. In the first place 1t must pe ie
membered that there is an immense hul'i0ei
of American missionary stations scd''eieu
throughout the length and breadth OF turkey
some of them in the most remote quarters Oh
the ottoman Empire. There IS not d Single oiie
of these missions which would not De ehuah-
,arad nv any display of force against the Sub
lime Porte on the part Of the uhlted states
and the destruction of the property ana hVes
% tho missionaries and their families, as we'll
as the undoing of all the excellent WORN "iiiC"
it has taken them years to accoihpiiS" "ouiu
IN all probability follow any American attempt
to coerce the Commander of the Fihthlul' Inc
outrages in question would be nlSUsd'eu anu
even or2aniZed by the IhpellII au'ilOllN'O7' -DNS
II would be impossible to secure absolute PROOF
Of this and to any demands for redress the
Sultan would be able reply that his prestige
and his authority had been so damaged by the
course pursued by the United States that he
was unable to restrain the fanaticism of those
of his subjects who saw in affront TO the
Caliph a Christian indgniy offered to their
faith
The claim which is the of the present
difficulty between President Mckinley and Alb
dul Hamed does not exceed $l0OOOO. The prop
erty owned by the various American missions
in Turkey amounts to than twenty times
that sum, while ii is Impossible to estimate
either the intrinsic value of the world famed
American College at Constantinople the X
of the which it has achieved in
spreading ideas Of enlightenment and civiliza-
tion throughout the East. 1t would be indeed
foolish to mperl much for the sake of so
little.
DANGERS IN THE DARDANELLES
II may be questioned too whether any naval
demonstration before Smyrna, or even the seiz-
ure of any Turkish port by the United States
would be sufficient TO bring the Sultan to terms
Like most Oriental rulers he is relatively in
different TO anything that does not Immediately ,
affect his own surroundings. Thus the Emperor
Of China was quite Unconcerned when the Eng {
lish and French fleets bombarded a number of