Evening journal., 1904-08-15
THE CASE STATED.
Our Contention With Turkey and the
Vexations Attending Il.

Our Contention With Turkey and the
Vacations Attending It.
Washington, Aug. ia prominent
official Of the department Of state
makes the following statement of the
pending questions with Turkey and
the steps taken toward their adjust
ment:
"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 ignored
by the Turkish government. Difficult
ties and Instructions have constantly
been put in the way of the American
teachers, in marked contrast to the IA
vor shown the schools of other nation
alities and in contravention of the
rights of American citizens in Turkey
to the most favored treatment accorded
to the citizens or subjects of other
states. This discrimination was es-
pecially noticeable with regard to the
Protestant Medical college at Beirut
in the matter of examinations and the
right of graduates to exercise their
profession. The United States govern
ment claimed for the American school
the same privileges accorded the
French medical school at Beirut.
"The earnest efforts Of the American
minister at Constantinople to secure
for our schools and teachers the sim
ole equality of treatment to which they
are entitled having met with evasive
and dilatory treatment by the sublime
porte and no progress having been
made toward better understanding.
the president took the matter in hand
and on Feb. >, 1908. cabled Minister
| I.elshman. directing him to ask an au-
q ,nce Of the sultan in order to deliver
TO him a personal message from the
president of good will and assurance
Of his hearty desire to cultivate and
maintain the most cordial relations OF
| friendship and to bring to the personal
and direct attention of his majesty the
embarrassments and grievances under
which this government and its citizens
labor.
Mr.. Leishman's request for an audi
ence was met with much evasion and
delay Two months passed, in tho
course of which one of the grounds o.
complaint was removed by the issu
ance of an trade for the examination o
the students at the medical school
Beirut. 1t was not until April tina
Mr.. Leshman was enabled 70 delivc
the presidents message in personal au
dience Of the sultan. His majesty was
pleased 10 promise immediate consid
GRAFTON to the requests therein con
veyed.
NO progress whatever was made
during the next four months towart
the settlement OF the questions at
issue. and the presidents message still
remained unanswered, notwithstanding
Mr.. Leishmans repeated and urgent
representations.
In the summer Of 1908 the report
Of the attempted assassination of the
American vice consul at Beirut led &c
the visit of the American Mediterra
mean squadron TO that port to inyesd
gate the circumstances. The imme
diate object having been accomplished
the quadron withdrew the last of Jan