Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-16
MURDER CAUSES
FEARS OF RIOTS
MOSLEMS ATTACK ARMENIAN
QUARTERS AT MERSINA
Trouble Not Connected with Political
Uprising at Constantinople and
Involves Old Question of
Christians
GRv Associated Press. ]

CONSTANTINOPLE, April ia
massacre of Armenians is in progress
today at MerSina, seaport OF ASA
Minor on the Mediterranean.
Enraged by the murder of two Mos
lens by an Armenian and the fact that
the assassin was not apprehended, the
Mohammedan population of Mers1na,
which counts a total of 10000 inhabi-
tants, took the law into its own hands
and attacked the Armenian quarter
The Christian communities of Mer-
sina are appealing to the consuls here
for help. Two American missions are
represented at Mersina.
The trouble at Mersina is in no way
connected with the political uprising
at Constantinople of the last two days.
II involves a recrudescence of the Ar
menian question, which is religious and
racial and has nothing to do with in
ternal policies of Turkey. There have
been several minor movements against
Armenians in Turkey during the last
twelve months, notably at Verian-
Shehr and Bagdad last October, and
religious rioting took place at Smyrna
in January and in Jerusalem In Febru-
airy of this year.
Mersina is thirty-six miles by rail
southeast of the city of Adena. It
counts 5000 Mohammedans and some
$500 Christians. 1t has a station of the
SYNOD OF the fSelolhneu IieSoy .oi iS-i
church in Northama and an out-sta-
ton of the American board of commits
sioners for foreign missions. The rec
ords of 1907 show that Rev. c. A.
Dodds, Rev. r. ]. Dodds and Miss
Evadna M. Sterrit were stationed at
Mersina.
Ismil Kemal Bey, the new president
of the chamber of deputies ana pro
visional leader of the Liberal union,
was received by the sultan in audience
today. His majesty in the course OF
the conversation declared emphatically
that the future welfare of the country
made necessary a strict observance OF
the principles of the constitution In
conformity with the Herr law.
A strange but significant session or
the chamber of deputies was held. De-
lection sat upon the faces of almost
every deputy. The members anxiously
consulted the newspaper correspondents
to learn the opinions held abroad.
The president, Ismael Bey, proposed
the chambr hold a short session. rms
was stormy and it was finally decided
that a proclamation be puoilsheo
throughout the empire that the house
considers the claims of the Ottoman
soldiers, accepts the resignation of the
cabinet and grants amnesty.
In addition the chamber agreed to
issue assurances to the various con-
stituencies that order will be restored
and the constitution maintained.
Feels 1t Has Lost
The whole attitude of the chamber
today indicated it's sense of defeat and
lost influence. Few of the members
dared speak Those more courageous
were interrupted by the timid, who
apparently were fearful that the next
attack might be directed against them.
The Hodgas dominated the situation
and spoke imperatively. When the
sitting became public several minis
tiers took part. The minister of In
struction declared that the new minis
tiers have sworn to uphold the consti-
tuition and would rather die than Vio-
late their oaths. He assured the cham
Der that nothing threatened the con-
stitution, and there was no need for
alarm.
This last phrase produced storm Of
cries demanding to know who was
causing the fear The minister was
greatly perturbed and said he was
speaking unoficially in order to calm
the public. but he would withdraw the
words if the members so pleased.
1t becomes Increasingly evident that
the appeal made to religious feeling
was simply with a view to reconciling
them to the downfall of the govern
ment instituted by the committee.
Significant is the fattering tone
adopted toward the troops in the proc
lamation issued by the chamber. This
frankly declares that the soldiers at
titude represented public discomfort
with the activity of the late cabinet,
and that the ministry should be re-
modelled to meet the army's wish.