Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-10
Satisfactory End of Long Negotia-
tions.
DRAFTS sent BY MINISTER LEISHMAN
Lump Sum of $4,000 Turned
Over for Distribution.
OFFICIALS GRATIFIED

The long-pending claims of the United
States government against Turkey have
been settled. and the money has been re-
Ceived by Secretary Hay.
The money was paid by the Turkish gov
ernment to Mr.. Leishman, our minister at
Constantinople. was by him placed in the
Ottoman Imperial Bank and drafts remit
ted for the amount, which drafts have just
reached Washington. The State Depart
ment is now engaged in arranging for the
distribution of the money among the claim
ants. AS Is always the case the claims
in the aggregate considerably exceed the
amount of the indemnity actually paid, but
our government has expressed itself salts
fled with the payment. 1t assumes full re-
spOnsibility for the distribution, the Turk
ish government paying down lump sum
Of $4,000 and leaving it to the State De-
partment to distribute this among the
claimants at its discretion and after its
own fashion. 1t is stated that as soon as
the department officials can prepare their
list they Will communicate directly with
the claimants
The Claimants.
These claims are principally based upon
losses sustained by American missionary
and educational Institutions in Turkey
notably those at Harpoot and Marash. but
there are a number of individual claims
such. for instance, that of the family
of the unfortunate bicyolist Lenz the
Pittsburg man who was killed by Turkish
soldiers while attempting to go around the
globe on his wheel.
The State Department officials feel the
greatest satisfaction at the settlement of
these claims Secretary Hay had been
told by diplOmatists skilled in the ways Of
oriental diplomacy and in the political con-
oltions OF southern Europe that he would
never be able to collect these claims Not
only was there extreme difficulty in bring
Ing any pressure TO bear because of the
remoteness Of Turkey, but we had to con-
tend with the jealousy of the great Euro
pean powers. most of which had claims
against Turkey vastly greater in amount
than ours, and whose total was beyond
the ability. OF the Turkish government to
meet.
The PrOtracted Negotiations
For more than decade the claims have
been pending. Minister Terrell initiated
them; DR.. Angel went over to collect them,
expecting TO be SO engaged about thirty
days, but he returned unsuccessful after
several years in Constantinople Then Min
lister Straus took them up and when he
resigned ne passed them along to young
Mr. Griscom- The latter only recently
passed along his heavy charge 10 Mr.
Iefshman, and, while to the latter minis
ter belongs the credit Of actually collect
Ing the money. 1t is said at the State De-
parlInent that each and every one of the
ofhcers named has contributed valuable
services toward the final settlement
Qualification of the Department.
Meanwhile the State Department natural
" feels gratified. not only over the receipt
or the money. but for the larger reason
that the Turkish government has, In max
inS the payment. given a most signal mani
Iestatlon OF the regard it entertains for
the United States. and has thus effectually
re-establfshed the very best relations be-
tween the two countries
VIII Remove Diplomatic Friction
The payment Of the indemnity coinci-
dent with the arrival IN Washington of the
new Turkish minister, Chekib Bey, is in
line with the understanding that Turkey
oeslres to inaugurate newer and better
state OF affairs with the United States
Chekio Bey stated, however that he had
no Information concerning the payment as
al the arrangements appear to have been
consummated at Constantinople The set
tIement viii have the effect of entirely re-
moving the diplomatic friction which has
existed for some years. and will make
more agreeable the service Of Chekib Rey
IN W Washington and of the American minis
ter at ConstantinOple.