Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-31
The Turks Christian Subjects

An article published in last Saturday s
edition of The Evening Star places moral
obligation upon ne to make a few correc-
lions and comments. The writer of this
article speaks as an authority, and yet to
an intelligent reader he is ignorant of the
history of the Ottoman empire. HIS asSer-
ton that organized briSandaSe is foreign
to Turkish nature and habits Is ridicu-
lousy strange Mr.. Gladstone character
lied the Turkish government itself as an
organized band of robbers Highway rob-
berry is an everyday occurrence in that sec
ton of the world, and Mr.. benjamin will
surely admit that the brigands are always
Circassians, KurdS GeorgianS and other
Mohammedan tribes. The Christian popu-
lace control the commerce and trade of
the country, and hence brigandage is prac-
ticed principally by several Turkish tribes
who have no other occupation for u liveli-
hood.
AS to the Armenian massacres being
caused by Armenian revolutionary agita-
tors, Mr.. Benjamin is in error. To massa-
ere Christians is always a delightful and a
sacred religious privilege to every Moslem
and if the porte had not ordered a general
massacre the Turks would not even have
raised their fingers against the Christians
He is wrong in his assertion that the sui
tan was not directly concerned in these
maSSacres. All consular reports show that
these crimes were perpetrated by military
orders and discontinued at once by SINH
lar signals; and that the Turkish regulars
and even civil governors were the leaders
of the mob.
Speaking about religious tolerance, Mr.
Benjamin says, LAS to question of tolerance
the Turks have led the world The sword
has always been emblematic of Mohamme-
dan religion, and what little liberation is
allowed by the Turkish government is the
direct result of heavy incessant European
Intervention.
Mr.. Benjamin seems to think that the
sultan is Il progressive man. and owing to
,fox n a,a-
the progress Of the country is slow. But
who is responsible for the existing condi-
tons? Who is responsible for the large
mass of humanity who are thrown into the
chaos Of ignorance and fanaticism and are
not allowed even ray of light? Why is
1t that under the same disadvantages the
Christians have their own schools and OBJ
tain fairly good education? If the sultan
were liberal man, why is 1t that 1t Is an
impossibility to erect a new school house or
a church? The sultan is the absolute ruler
He is the father of all evils. and civilized
Europe as well as all blindfolded sympa-
thiZerS of the great assassin will some
day be called before the throne of justice
to answer for the sad fate of millions of hu-
man beings who, with all their possibilities,
are helplessly thrown into an abyss
Mr.. Benjamin CONTENDS that the Turks
are subject to the same injustice by the
government as are the Christians, and he
blames the Christians for revolving against
an unjust rule. 1t shows narrow mind to
is human it rs noble, 1t is admirable. The
memory of the war of our revolution is
sacred to us because it was a protest
against an injustice even much less than
what the Christians in Turkey are fated to
experience.
Finally he insists that the Turks have
right to rule over Christians because they
have honorably conquered them. Yes. they
have right to rule but they have no right
to misrule The Turkish rule has always
been associated with cruelty and bloodshed.
and it has always been a dark spot upon
the pages of human history.
For many self-evident reasons we cannot
materially better the condition of those I'M
fortunate Christians in the east: but we
might at least be a good Samaritan: we
might at least sympathize with the oppress-
ed. This is the proper American spirit, as
shown in '9S in the Spanish-American war
In conclusion. l must urge Mr. Benjamin
to be more liberal in his views and while he
is enjoying the blessed privileges Of freedom
and liberty under the stars and stripes, to
be more generous to the unfortunate people
who are downtrodden and oppressed by an
ignorant, bloodthirsty and heather race.
M M DOLMAGE.