The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-01-17

peaceably enough, often unprecedented
but still separate. distinct, unabsorbed
stubbornly Christian. The Armenian
had not national state to rally round
but he had church. In this clingine
to the church and thus clinging to his
nationality through centuries lies the
secret of the Armenian's success. No
outburst of persecution has succeeded
in shaking him from his national faith
Through thick and thin, fair weather
and foul the Armenian has stuck to
his church.
In business life the Armenians were
successful. They were also indus
trious farmers and made Asia Minor
a we'll farmed district. Although
their ability in money making did not
help them to popularity with the more
indolent and less successful Turk, the
Armenians on the whole had no par
ticular trouble save, political and So
cial injurtices, before 1876. Then
Abdul Hanid II came to the throne,
engaged in the Russo-Turkish war,
and signed the Treaty of San Stefano,
in which Russia engaged to carry out
reforms for and to protect the Ar
menians. England thought this
treaty give Russia too large finger
in Turkeys pie and too much eastern
influence to be comfortable, so
Gladstone forced the substitution of
the Treaty of Berlin in 1873 for that
of San Stefano, by which the respon-
sibility for the Armenians was divided.
This was bad luck for the Armenians,
since their sponsors. the concert of
Europe, found it impossible to act
together. By various efforts at inter
ference they reused Abdul Hamid's
temper and defiance. and that irritated
monarch, like bad tempered child
with too much power, decided to kill
off the harmless subjects in whom
other European powers had so incon-
venient an interest. An outbreak of
CHASTITY massacre was the result, the
first of a series which we saw cul-
minated in 1915
Now that the theory of the Balance
OF Power is bankrupt, we hope for
better protection of the Armenian
and other small races under the or
ganiation of the League of Nations.
Geographically, Armenia has many
advantages for future development.
In ancient days it consisted of 10000
square miles of fertile table-land.
stretching from the Black Sea and the
Caucasus Mountains to Persia and
Syria. The land rises from the sea
until it reaches a level of about 5000
feet. shooting up in Mount Ararat to
a snow-capped peak about 1000 feet
higher than Mont Blanc. The land is
fertile, rugged, picturesque, and rich
in rivers, of which Euphrates. Tigris
Pison and Araxes are the chief. These
empty their waters into the Caspian
and Black Sea and the Gulf of Persia.
1t is good grazing land and fine for
agriculture. producing melons, grapes
wheat. maize, barley, oats, cotton
rice, tobacco and sugar; while rich
deposits of coal. silver, iron and other
lie undeveloped beneath the
surface when the season is at its
height, such is the productive power
OF the soil that two melons are said
to be camel's load.
This is the home from which tho
Armenians have been driven. and to
which they must be restored
10 keep them alive in the meantime
and to transport them home and heIn
Them to start life afresh will cost
arge amount Of money. America does
not expect to. pay it all. but she does
expect to raise, by voluntary sub- |
'cription, the sum of $50 200! 1000 TO-
wards that great end-allowinq IN
wen distribution, the sum Of 81 sol
Der person--not a great deal for us
o give or them to receive. but il will,
make all the difference betwen re. |
ma death to these storelv stricken
'eople in the immediate future.