The Washington times., 1902-04-27
PROFITS OF BRIGANDAGE.
Outcome in Miss Stones Case If the
Criminals Go Unpunished.

Miss Stones release after a captivit,
Of five months, period unprecedented il
the annals of brigandage during the las
century, has been succeeded by a wild,
range of comment in the American news.
papers, nearly all of which misses tn.
real lessons of the case.
Miss Stone was captured in Macedonia. q
region little smaller than Massachu-
sets. Her place OF capture was three
days ride fIom the railroad which con-
meets Constantinople With Vienna, and she
has never been more Than two or three
I Gays ride from large garrisons of Turk
ish' bulgarian, and Serviap troops. Her
, capture, Imprisonment, and the extortiou
OF ransom OF between $50. 600 and s6O. 600.
under the conditions are only possible
through the connivance of, both the Bull
garian and Turkish authorities with the
WORK OF brigandage. Secretary Hay may
Z be trusted to deal promptly and eneryeti-
caily with this case. insisting that these
Governments, one or both. assume the
responsibility of reinbursing. as the
Greek Government did I'M rthe Marathon
brigandage case, and as the Turkish Gov
ernInent has been repeatedly forced to
40, the sum which has been disbursed in
3
But while this may render the officials
OF the Turkish Government more careful
| In the future. 1t does not meet the real
lack laid bHre by Miss Stones capture
over a .tolerably wide!area in the East
ern mediterranean, aud In Sicily as we'll
as IN Mexieo-where there have been sew.
eral cases OF brigandage during the las,
forty years. the English Government hay.
ing ransomed three of its subjects-there
Is always possibility that an American
man or woman will be captured and held
ior ransom. The English Government, as
well as the European Powers, equips its
Foreign Office with authority to use the
sum required for ransom. This general
fund is always in turn rccouped from the
Government which has been derelict in
protecting aliens within its boundaries.
In any case where brigandage is concerned
the easy ransoms and prompt release of
prisoners depend upon the power to act
promptly. TO instantly open negotiations.
TO offer sum commensurate with the
circumstances, and to speak with author
ity OF Government
None of these things existed in the
present instance. The State Department,
tied up by the failure OF Congress TO
provide for an exigency of this sort had
no fund which 1t could use The Ameri-
can board of foreign missions loudly de-
clared itself unable to divert its means
to this object. prodigious deal of no
toriety succeeded. Public subscriptions
were raised. The press. in this country
and England was full OF the case
Every possible thing was done and said
by these journals TO raise the demands OF
the brigands who, it must be remembered.
we're never more than mornings ride
from telegraphic station. and were re-
ceiving their mail and newspapers with
the regularity OF Wall Street banker
The expectations of the brigands In re-
gard to the size of the ransom and the
amount OF money which they could OBJ
tain ii they waited were aroused to I'M /!
precedented demands. both as to the ran |
som asked and the sum finally accepted.
An experience like this puts premium |
On the capture of Americans the world |
over. II has percepti5iy reduced the
safety OF the American engineer traveller.
n missionary whose duties and plans
ead him or her into region disturbed |
by brlgands. Judging from the past, IL is
lmost certain that another capture of
americans will take place within six
months or so, and another ransom will be
eQuired. Unless Congress makes the con-
ingent fund of the State Department
,pen TO drafts OF this character we shall
ind the Government as unable TO cope
With the next case of brigandage as with
he last. IL, in addition. Congress were
o make an appropriation to be used by
he State Department in making arrange
nents to hunt down Jhe brigands where
yer they could be found and thus render
more profitable for officials in the re-
ion to bring them TO justite than 10 con-
i've at their brieandaee. Americans
'ould be left safer in all the regions
here brigandage exists. - Philadelphia
ress.