Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-21
CRITICISM ANUT TOLERATED
TURKISH sUBJE CT MUST NOT SPEAK
ILL OF SULTAN.
Ii Not Safe Even In q Remote Foreign
Land-Wtll Hear From 1t IL
He Returns Home,


From the New York Evening Post
From time to time newspaper paragraphs
appear. relating, in barest outline, the ex-
periences OF some unfortunate Syrian or Ar
menlan, VINO, returned from this country to
MS native place, has been thrown into
prison on the elastic charge of conspiracy
against the sultan. One Arzouyian, an
Armenian, accused of melting riot, this
week had difficulty In proving the possess
sion OF an American passport, and narrow
ly escaped with his fife after a confinement
of several months, These incidents account
FOR the anxiety of the expatriates of lower
Manhattan to maintain a circumspect walk
and conversation, even where the elevated
trains rattle overhead and the white
wings of the street cleaning department
aooge the cable cars and beer trucks. 1t Is
nara lor an untramneled American to re-
allze that word spoken against the sultan
IN washington street must be said in an
undertone and with glance behind; but
careless man learned to his chagrin, re-
Gently that the publication of an article on
a Phase OF the quarters life in which there
appeared certain names chosen at hap
hazard from an Arabic newspaper, threw
the people into an unhappy state Of fear
and fretting until 1t was made plain that
no man or them could be connected with
the seditious utterances therein contained.
An! but you have not know our coun-
tree! said one Of the wise men-the men
of knowledge-of the quarter today to an
American who doubted the danger in call
ing the sultan names in Washington street.
You have not know what they can do In
syria. Onlee men will speak against the
sultan who have done something and must
run away. Ho-oh! They cannot go back.
They must not If one man speak with
loud tongue against Turkey his enemies
they mark it down, and if that man he have
go to his home his enemies speak quick In
the ear Of the high friends Of the sultan.
and the high friends of the sultan send one
letter to Syria to that mans home.
Quickly Arrested.
ARREST him? Surely they arrest him;
and they cast him into jail, and take for
themselves what he has. 1t is best to say
nothing against the sultan. Onlee. II one
man he have already offended, then can he
speak with no fear. Onlee If he care no
more to go to his home can he say that
which 1t Is in his mind-in his heart.
must say; excuse me. You have not UNI
derstand how this thing can be? Syria
and America they are different"
There used to be spies in the quarter, but
there are none now. SO far as any man
knows. The restaurant walls have ears,
however; and in some mysterious way all
the seditious talk is communicated to the
sultan's representatives. That which q
man says -, Is remembered against him
from the time when he takes ship for his
native land. Some men wish to curry favor
with the Turkish representatives; and, it
is said. they are quick to run with tales to
the conSul'S office. Every man, of course,
stands ready to Go his enemy an injury,
and every man stands ready to help his
friend to the means OF hurting his enemy.
Consequently. all the political discussions
are attended with some constraint unless
the whole party is hopelessly committed to
the side against the sultan; and, as the one
great subject of conversation is Turkish
politics. it may be believed that every man
Is frequently required to exercise no small
discretion. The consequences of indiscre-
ton may turn out ODE SO serious that
slip is a thing to live iR dread of; and many
men do go. from day to day. in fear Of COM
hitting themselves, until the Vaccinations
of their enemies Involve them in some fla
grant declaration. Then. like the country
schoolboy, they go it whole hog for they
might as well"
ToOma,s Experience.
P Tooma Ca fictitiot1s name) lives in the
quarter now, after having undergone an
experience in Syria that will, he says. for
ever keep him from his. home. Before he
went back he made Bitter enemy Of a
man who was well known as a good halter.
This man, he says, warned certain officials
In their native place that Tooma had
spoken evil 'against7the sultan. This letter
was sent when TooIua let it be known that
he was to go home for visit. 1t brought
no harm to him for some time: his family
was one Of some influence. and the authori-
ties were simply waiting for an oppor-
tunity to trap him. That chance came
soon after the murder of the brother of a
righteous Christian judge. The assassin
had mistaken the brother Tor the judge
and had shot him down in his own door
Way in the night. The murdered man was
a Christian: hence small effort was made
to apprehend the murderer; but the Chris
tians everywhere were indignant. and
nrfI mi m fn
revenge.
It CHANGED that Tooma had gone to Leba-
non to visit a relative Of his mother The
Christians there wefes especially indignant
One night in Beirua, man entered a to-
bacconists shop on.f the Damascus road.
He had his kaf1ia closely drawn against his
face; nothing but his eyes could be seen.
He spoke as Christian, the two Moham-
medians who were talking with the To-
bacconist marked that.
Subjects Watched by Ohicials.
When the stranger was about to be
served he drew a revolver and shot the to-
bacconist (who was suspected Of having
murdered the judges brother. and wound
cd. the other two. Then he fed. Tooma
had been a marked man: he was arrested
and thrown into prison, charged not only
with the murder Of the tobacconist, but
with some form Of conspiracy as well. He
languished eight months in prison. though
not a shred Of evidence could be produced
against him and much to the contrary was
offered Eventually he escaped and made
his way back to Washington street. where
the part his enemy had had in his difficulty
was at last disclosed
Many men live in Washington street for
whom the Turkish officials are keeping
watch They have written against the sui
tan they have spoken "a, against ain him. or
ton Of one of the revolutionary societies.
which are conducted with t great . secrecy
It Is said that American citizenship is
protection against outrage If 1t can be es-
tablished, and if the prisoner can commu-
nicate with an American consul; but they
say in Washington street that 1t Is has not
always been sufficient. and there are many
men who would not return to Syria trust
ing their lives to 1t.
Movements Of Naval Vessels.
The Wilmington and The Pompey arrived
at Manila today. HssbAttle ship Kentucky
left Colombo yesterday for Singapore. The
Monadnock has lett Annoy for Shanghai.
The Yankton hasa arrivsd at Lsvisa bay.