Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-20

and assure her economical DEVELOPMENT
IN placing her policy in harmony with
that of the entente cordiale.
"As the consequence of the ideas
which are dear to me I am ready to-
day to shed my blood in defense of
the two countries whose traditional
policies l have sustained. I place my
sword at the service OF France"
Cherif Pasha, as did Maxim. belongs
to that type of the Turk which COM
mands the respect and esteem of all
who admire the virtuous. the brave and
devoted. and of these the writer has
had the privilege of numbering many
sympathetic friends.
The capitulations which Turkey has
proposed to abrogate are a very ancient
institution. and II is
CdpltulatlOnS extremely doubtful il
A.. the interested powers,
including the United
States, will consent to their abroration.
The word IS derived from "captuIaires'.
or laws for the reform of Justice elicted
by Charlemagne about the year 500 The
word capitulations was adopted suisse
quently to designate the concessions Of
certain oriental and mcslem princes in
favor of peoples, Christians especially,
traders to whom was eTtend7- sue-
Icfal protection. There We're many rea-
sons for the eNtens on Of this system Of
extra -territoriality, and among these the
difference in race. religion and laueus ge
which suggested the consul as the
prorer protector and intermediary of the
foreigners.
The system antetiated Islam and ex-
listed under the Greeks and Rom u.s.
Nor is it true, as stated by the care-
less. that the concessions wee I'M
posed by force upon amy p ifscc or
potentate, Greek, Roman Ok Nos'en
In all cases alike concessions we~o alb
solutely voluntary, as the term indi-
economical reasons. for the extension
and fertilization of trade relations.
The consul was appointed for this pur-
pose. This officer was familiar with
the language of his conlpatriot and
having by reason of his official status
| the complete confidence of the gov
eminent to which he was accredited,
| he became ipso facto the proper in
| termediary of his compatriot What
was true in the year 500 is absolutely
| true in the year 1914. Place the Eu-
| ropean. for example. in direct comnu-
| nication with the oriental. and sub
1ect him to the obstacles Of his laws
and language, and We should discover
within day the implacable impossi-
| bilities.
/ In the sixth century B. C. Greece may
be said to have first inaugurated the
| system which a thousand years later
assumed under the Moslems another
name. The Greeks in the sixth CEN
fury B. c. maintained in Egypt mag
istrates, whom they designated as
"prosenoi," whose sole business was to
! afford protection to Greek traders and
even other foreigners. The Romans
in turn appointed magistrates. named
/, "praetor peregrinis," who decided
questions of dispute for or against
strangers exclusive Of local justice; the
Visigoths followed the system and APP
/ pointed officials who judged under spe-
cial laws traders who were termed
''negotiatores transmarini," or merchants
from beyond the seas.
| These concessions to the demands Of
foreign traders in medieval times be-
came known as capitula-
| Earliest lions. They were conceded.
| c in turn. by the Bey of Tunis
uAoA's' to the republic of Pisa
| G15D; by the Caliph of Egypt u154):
by the great Saladin in 1173: by Nuer
Bey of the Circassian Mamelukes G4S8);
to the French in 1885; to the English
in 1875; to the United States in 1890
1874. 1t is repeated these concessions
were entirely voluntary on the part Of
the prince and were never forced upon
| him, as has been asserted by the over
Jealous apologists of Turkey.
The capitulations in Japan were abro-
gated by mutual consent. for the reason
that Japan had given ample evidence of
a judicial and just temperament BY
article XVIII of the treaty with Japan
dated November %, 1894. it was decla. ed
that jurisdiction formerly exercised in
Japan by the United States was abro-
gated and the japanese courts were rec
ogniZed.
Again it is urged that the crimes OF
! assassination and massacre. which
from time to time have shocked tn
Christian world, were not religious
| crimes. but political. The Kurds who
! slew Armenians in Armenia and the
Turks who slew Syrians in Syria, in
! Asia Minor. and Macedonia, knew little
about the politics of Constantinople,
but were taught to slay in the name of
| the koran. 1t is this policy of hate
| which Gen. Cherif Pasha and like good
Mohammedans would abate.
1t may be recalled in this connection
that the attitude of Turkey towarii
the Christians of Armenia, Syria and
Bulgaria was a general topic OF con-
eention in diplomatic circles in 1860
In that year Prince Gortschakoff,
Russian minister of foreign affairs.
addressed a note to the signatory
powers of the Paris treaty, expressing
a desire for common understanding
with the porte for the better protection
of the Christian Maronites of Syria.
Prince Gortschakoff wrote: I'VE are
convinced that the time for illusion is
past and that any hesitation and any
adjournment will have grave conse-
quences In uniting all our efforts to
place the Ottoman government in a
course which may meet these eventual
tiles we believe We are giving proof
of our solicitude, while at the same
time We fulfill duty to humanity
There was hesitation for political
reason, and the massacre of the Maroon
lies, which Prince Gortschakon would
have prevented, occurred, resulting In
an English and French occupation.
Turkey, in her proper interests,
should maintain the capitulations.
CHI. CHAILLE-LONG.