Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-08-18

Washington, Aug. 15.-The following
is a statement of the pending ques-
lions with Turkey, and the steps taken
towards their adjustment:
For many years the treatment OF
educational establishments in the Of
toman empire, founded and conducted
by American citizens, has been very
unsatisfactory. While similar schools
under the direction of other foreigners
have been recognized as existing, and
have been accorded the regular license
or imperial firman upon application
therefor, applications on behalf of the
schools under American control have
passed unnoticed. Temporary permits
obtained from the local authorities
have been hedged in with restrictions,
and have not infrequentlY been ig-
norad by the Turkish government.
Difficulties and Instructions have
constantly been put in the way Of the
American teachers, IN marked contrast
to the favor shown the schools of other
nationalities and in c~ontrayention OF
the rights of American citizens in Tur-
key to the most favored treatment &C
corded to the citizens or subjects of
other states.
This discrimination was especially
noticeable with regard to the Protes-
tant medical college at Beirut, in the
matter of examinations and the right
of graduates to exercise their profess
sion. The United States government
claimed for the American school the
same privileges accorded the French
medical school at Beirut. No such ma
terial difference was seen in the
schools as to warrant the discrimina-
ton practised, the difference being
chiefly in the system Of government
of France and the United States. The
Protestant medical college, holding
official authorization from, and having
the supervision of the state of New
York, from which is derives it's char
ter, vas entitled to be regarded as a
national institution as much as the
French school.
The earnest efforts of the American
minister at Constantinople to secure
for our school and teachers the simple
entitled, having met with evasive and
dilatory treatment by the sublime
porte, and no progress having been
made toward a better understanding,
the president took the matter in hand,
and on February 2, 1902, cabled to
Minister Leishman, directing him to
seek an audience of the sultan, in or
der to deliver to him a personal mes
sage from the president of good will
and assurances of his hearty desire u
cultivate and maintain the most cor
dial relations Of friendship, and tc
bring to the personal and direct atten-
ton of his majesty the embarrass-
ments and grievances under which this
government and it's citizens labor, with
expression of the presidents desire
and expectation that the treatment o.
the most favored nation would be re-
ceived, and the claim Of our colleges
and schools to equal rights would be
promptly recognized.
Mr.. Leishman's request for al audi
ence was met with much evasion ant
delay. Two months passed, in thu
course of which one of tho grounds O
complaint was removed by the issu
ance of an trade for the examination
of the students at the medical schoo
at Beirut. 1t was not until April
that Mr.. Leishman was enabled to de
liver the presidents message in per
sonal audience of the sultan. Hi
majesty was pleased to promise imme
date consideration to the reques
therein conveyed.
No progress whatever was made dur
ing the next four months toward tn
settlement of the questions at issue
and the presidents message still re
manned unanswered, Notwithstanding
Mr.. Leishman's repeated and urgen
representations.
In the summer of 1908, the report G
the attempted assassination Of tn
American vice-consul at Beirut led t
the visit of the American Mediterrane
an squadron to that port to investigat