The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-28
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FRIDAY, AUGUST %, 1908.
AGAIN THE uNsPEAKABLE TURK

The atrocities of the Turk will be
brought home forcibly to our people by
the crime with which the whole coun-
try rings this morning A citizen and
representative of this country, a native
of this state, an official of the federal
government, vice consul at Beirut, has
been assassinated. The horrible deed
calls for the most energetic action by
the United States, and this will I'M
doubtedly be taken. ~.
This latest atrocity is but the natu-
raj consequence of permitting Turkey
to remain an associate of civilized ma
lions. We treat China cavalierly
enough, and the world enforces its de-
mands upon her ruthlessly when in
terest demands. But the most furious
Boxers were no more savage, no more
bloody, no more reckless of all conse-
ouences in their quest for blood, than
is the Turkish populace. At all times
it is held in check only by imperial re-
straints, with the full understanding
that only the fear of cons equences
stands between it and the enjoyment
of wholesale massacres. Once it tastes
blood it becomes, like other beasts of
the jungle, unmanageable.
But short time ago a Russian con-
sui was murdered in Turkey, and the
most abject submission was extorted.
The Russian fleet made a demonstra
ton and the murderers were promptly
executed and every assurance given
and every demand complied with that
could conciliate the justly enraged
power that longs to fly at the throat of
the Turk. We owe it to our murdered
countryman, We owe it to our national
dignity and we owe it to our proud
place among the nations to be salts
fed with no less. The administration
will move promptly. This is not an
occasion on which it is likely to fall
short of it's duty. Our fleet must not
merely menace but destroy, unless
Turkey gives US the amplest satisfae-
ton together with some reasonable
guarantees for the future.
And this raises the larger question,
with which we have not hitherto felt
ourselves properly concerned. The ex-
istence of the Turkish government in
Europe has been and is a stain upon
civilization. The accused monster sits
at Constantinople and, like the drag
ons of old, exacts his yearly tribute of
blood and outraged honor because the
jealous and fearful nations in whose
power he lies cannot agree with one
another about the terms of his ex-
cealment of the infamy that has cost
millions of lives and defaced some of
the fairest regions of earth; but the
guns and the ships of Europe have
been at the service of the Turk against
his victims in order that the fiction of
a balance of power might not be shat
tered.
Now, however, the question comes in
new aspect, and it comes to us. How
shall the world deal with power that
not only devotes it's own subjects peri
odically to the sword to satisfy it's
fanatical rage, but which cannot as
sure safety to the representatives of
other governments? The fault is
with the Turkish government. 1t is no
case of weak executive, or a time of
popular unrest when all the forces of
order are paralyzed Beirut is far
enough from the scenes of outbreak
to negative that explanation, and the
authority of the sultan is as complete
as it has ever been. The crime is
chargeable to people; and it's lesson
Is the demonstration of the unfitness
of the Turk to exercise power over the
life and fortunes of any human being.