Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-11-19

The tranquility in Macedonia and
| Thracla can be maintained only u the
| laws Of liberty " conscience are re-
Hpocted by the powerful patrlarchate ms
they are by the Turkish government
Let every population enjoy the right 70
remain attached TO whatever branch
Of the orthodox church they choose ana
90 their respective institutions, lhtn
thCre viii be no MISUNDERSTANDING or
quarrels any longer between the Yari-
Gus orthodox sects which VIII then
easily arrive ut a pacific solution or the
difficult racial and Christian ecclesiast-
teal questlons-that Is 20 say to when
nationality or orthodox denomination
they wish to belong
Conforming to It's conception OF the
high mission lntrusted 10 the bulgarian
cxarchate, the latter has always adj
vlsed It's constituents TO obtain thelr
rights peaceably by the appeal TO JUS
tlce on the part Of the ottoman gov
eminent But the Greek patrlarchate,
employing intrlgues, violence ana eYll
suggestions. has always meddled be-
tween the Bulgarian people ana their
national church But the logic of events
win finally exclude foreign meddllng.
The document very significantly con-
cludes with an appeal TO the sultan,
who, mindful Of the happiness OF all
the peoples under his rule VIII not per-
NIT that his faithful Bulgarian subjects
should be given over to misfortune
This quarrel between Bulgarian and
Greek orthodox Christians reveals u
state Of affairs which seems to be en-
tlrely unknown 10 the Christian world
outside II shows clearly that the con-
test Is not raging between Christians
ana Moslems but between the former
among themselves. A sad dlyiation
from the principles originally inculcated
by Christ.
IN spite OF an assertions made TO the
contrary which have thus become crys-
stalled errors, there Is no country
where state church exists more toer-
ant In religious matters than Turkey.
In the city of Constantlnople alone
there are 3Sf0lO Mussulmans and S7S,-
5G5 Christians, including 1929 foreign
ers. While Mohammedans form the
vast majority Of the population in
Asiatic Turkey they are but one-half
OF the population In European Turkey
But whether Mohamedan or Christian.
SO far as they are undnled and not
melted by those who have an interest
In keeping the country IN a ferment.
the people are united In their devotion
to the sultan, and, aside from sporadic
disturbances, which have been occas-
toned by agltators who have establish
ed revolutionary propaganda under for
eign flags, peace and order prevail
throughout the land. AS an indication
Of the religious federation OF the sub
lima ngrta 1 fuay rniut 20 fha faof fbaf
until few years ago mostly Christians
were accredited as ambassadors 10
western states, and In London alone
there served a gentleman named Mis-
surus Pasha, Christian, who remained
as representative Of the sultan for a.
years. The present ambassador In Lon
don, too, Is a Greek and Christian; 80
are the ministers In Brussels and The
Hague. and only recently in Washing
ton. While on the subject OF religion
/ may add that the Turkish govern
ment recognizes the adherents OF seven
nom Mohammedan creeds - Iatins,
Franks or Catholics. who use the Ro-
man liturgy consisting Of Cen
oesc and Venetian settlers I'm
the empire, and proselytes among
Armenlans Bulgarlans and 9TH
ers; Greeks, Armenlans. Syrians and
United Chaldeans protestants, con-
sisting OF converts chiefly among the
Armenians. and Jews. These seven
religious denominations are Invested
with the privilege OF possessing their
own ecclesiastical rule. and are inter-
fered with In no way by the Turkish
government
The work OF their spiritual advisers
is supplemented by that of mission
aries. who are allowed, without hind
rance, to enter the country. and whose
labors have been aided By permission
given them by the sultan TO establish
missions.
This leads me to a vital point in
which every American must take espe-
cial interest; namely the promotion of
American trade In the Turkish empire
II must not be forgotten that the Otto
man empire ls, IN potential resources.
probably the richest country in the
world next TO the United States. For
years American and Turkish statesmen
have been endeayOrlng with all their
power 10 foster what little trade their
countries have, and 10 create new trade
channels TO commercially connect the
republic and the empire. These en-.
deayors have already borne good fruit,
and the future possibilities in that al
rectlon are infinite. The mutual rola-
tons OF commerce amount already to
millions, and It would be most unfor-
tunate that an untOward event should
disturb In their growth these promising
shoots OF trade, and bring about a dis.
trust which would cause the originating
Of new branches Of trade 10 be made
impossible for many years TO come.
A DIPLOMAT.