Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-31
the United States. But Turkey is not treat

the United States. But Turkey Is not treat
ed as civilized nation.
Under the circumstances, therefore, 1t Is
not expedient for the United States to pro-
pose the elevation Of our minister to Turkey
to the rank of an ambassador.
Another alternative is to send feet over,
seize Smyrna, Beirut, Salonica, Alexan-
dretta, or some other port, and hold 1t until
the Great Turk stops humbugging the
American minister and fulfills his promises.
That is what European country would do.
France did it three or four years ago to
compel Turkey to pay the contractors who
built the docks al Salonica, and 1t is proba-
BILE that the sultan would yield to drastic
measures. But the danger would be, as l
have already suggested. that such action
would be liable to excite popular indigna-
ton and provoke retaliation upon innocent
foreigners, Americans and others, In the
interior where they could not be protected.
This would involve us in interminable COM
plications and perhaps in actual war
1t is suggested that the President. having
gone as far as he can go without declaring
war, should submit the correspondence to
Congress, as was done in the case of Ven
eZuela and on several other occasions, and
ask instructions and authority to enforce
the rights of American citizens.
Similar Trouble With Persia.
We are having similar trouble with Per-
STA, and would have to do the same there
L W. StdlS dSo al tlllciiCdA SitiHSA hoAiiSN
Larrabee was murdered in a cold-blooded
manner by Persians, and Mr.. Pearson, our
minister demanded the arrest and punish
ment of the assassins. In due time he was
informed that five men had suffered the
capital penalty for the crime and accepted
the assurance of the government In good
faith. He has since learned that the Off
Gals of the foreign office deceived him and
that their information was entirely false.
1t is true that five men were arrested for
the murder, but they suffered no punish
ment whatever, not even fine; they are
still at large pursuing their business and
evidently in high favor with the authors
ties. Nh Pearson is entirely helpless. He
can do nothing to vindicate the dignity OF
this government or to bring the guilty to
justice
We might send fleet up the Persian gulf
and lombard or blockade one of the petty
forts, but what good would it do? Nothing
would be accomplished
Some of the people most interested think
that a change in the American legation at
Constantinop,e might be advisable: that a
new man might accomplish more than Mr..
Leishman. 1t is charged that the latter is
not in sympathy with missionary and edu-
cational movements; that he does not take
as much interest as the American minister
should take in promoting such causes and
protecting the rights of the men engaged in
them. His removal has been recommended
by the missionary boards, and it is under
stood that Mr.. Leishman himself would be
glad to have a transfer. Constantinople is
not an agreeable place to live in, particular
ly for a man of Leishman's tastes. His
wife and daughter decline to live there,
preferring to remain in Paris, and it should
be said that Mr.. Leishman did not choose
the post, but was persuaded by President
Mckinley to accept it.
In Behalf of Marion Crawford.
Powerful social influences have been at
work ever since the election to secure the
appointment of F. Marion Crawford the
novelist minister to Turkey, but it is
understood that his friends have not been
able to make any impression, either al the
White House or the Department of State.
and that they have been unable to interest
any political influence in his behalf. While
Mr.. Crawford is a charming gentleman and
writes interesting stories, he is a voluntary
alien and has chosen to live outside of the
limits of his native country ever since he
was old enough to exercise a choice. He
was private secretary to his uncle, Sam
Ward, the famous lobbyist, when that gem
tleman lived and died in Italy, and for sew
eral years thereafter Crawford lived in
Rome.
nected with the Allahabad Pioneer as re-
porter. editor and correspondent up to the
time when he became suddenly famous
through the publication of Mr. Isaacs" his
first novel. Since then he has lived in Eng
land and Italy, and for years has been the
most prominent resident of the beautiful
town of Sorrento on the bay of Naples.
He has no vote and no political connections
and never had any, and the President has
Informed his friends that there are 80. O00-
coo reasons why some one else should be
appointed.
Henry Kirke Porter, now a member of
the House of Representatives from Pitts
burg, has also been mentioned for the
Office. His term expires on the 4th Of
March next, and it Is understood that he
would be gratified to receive a diplomatic
appointment. Mr.. Porter is a man of great
wealth, is the president of the Porter Loco
motive Company and takes an active in
terest in religious, missionary and charit-
able affairs. He studied theology in his
younger days and intended to enter the
ministry, but was diverted from it by the
war He was president of the Young Mems
Christian Association in Pittsburg for many
years and is an official in numerous re-
ligous and missionary associations. If
Mr.. Leishman should wish to retire, Mr..
Porter's appointment would be natural
one, but both are from Pittsburg, and it
is scarcely probable that the President
would want to give two diplomatic APP
pointments to the same city.