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| Massacre of Armenians at Sasun. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday,
December 8, 1894.
AMERICA WILL
ACT.
CONSUL JEWETT TO INVESTIGATE ARMENIAN OUTRAGES.
Will
Accompany Turkey's Commission to the Scene and Make a Separate Report—Turkey Seizes Upon an Article Written by Dr. Hamlin as Evidence to Justify Her Treatment of the Armenians.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8.—The announcement in a
cable dispatch from Constantinople that President Cleveland had reconsidered
his original intention and decided to send an American delegate with the
Turkish commission to inquire into the Armenian outrages was shown to Secretary Gresham.
That official was evidently surprised at the receipt of the news but was
obliged to refrain from commenting upon it in view of the pendency of a senate
resolution calling for information relative to the purposes of the state
department in the matter.
As the signatory powers of the Berlin Treaty
at the close of the Turco-Russian war bound themselves to look after the
welfare of Christians in Turkey, it would have been an unwarranted interference
by the United States in the affairs of those countries had we taken any steps
without solicitation from one or more of these powers beyond caring for the
interests of United States citizens in Turkey.
So when Turkey requested United States
Minister Terrell to name a member of the commission of inquiry, the request was
for politic reasons declined, Turkey had naturally turned first to the United
States as the only Christian power whose conclusions would be likely to carry
weight with the Christian world upon whose absolute disinterestedness she could
rely.
Up to this point our government had been in
doubt as to the reality of the reported outrages.
But at this juncture came reports from
trusted agents discrediting the official reports of the Turkish government and
affording reason for the belief that the Armenians had been terribly outraged.
Then Great Britain appealed to the United
States to appoint a member of the commission of inquiry.
This appeal turned the tide and induced the
president to reconsider his first decision. But to avoid any appearance of
entanglement with other powers he decided that the American representative
should, while accompanying the commission, act with absolute independence,
should hear and see what he could in Armenia and submit a separate report to
the state department.
Milo A. Jewett, United States consul at Siras,
was selected to act as the representative of the United States in making the investigation.
Mr. Jewett was born in Siras, Turkey, of Armenian parents, his father being a
missionary. He came to the United States in his youth and was educated in
Massachusetts. He became a physician and was for about 11 years attached to the
Danbury insane asylum. He was appointed consul to Siras by President Harrison
in 1892, and is regarded as peculiarly fitted for the inquiry with which he is
charged.
STRONG
POINT FOR TURKEY.
Quotes
an Article by Dr. Cyrus Hamlin Concerning a Revolution.
CONSTANTINOPLE, Dec. 8.—The porte, in
support of its reply to the statement of the Armenians, places great reliance
upon an article written by Dr. Cyrus Hamlin, L.L. D., formerly president of the
Robert college here, a distinguished Armenian scholar, who is thoroughly
familiar with the situation.
The article referred to was published in the
Boston (Mass.) Congregationalist of
Dec. 28, 1893, and copies of it, in documentary form, are now being sent to the
powers interested in the Armenian question.
The article referred to above, upon which
the Turkish government places so much reliance in establishing its case against
the Armenians, is as follows:
A DANGEROUS MOVEMENT AMONG THE ARMENIANS.
"An Armenian 'revolutionary party' is causing
great evil and suffering to the missionary work and the whole Christian population
of certain parts of the Turkish empire. It is a secret organization and is managed
with a skill in deceit which is known only in the East.
"In a widely distributed pamphlet the
following announcement is made at the close:
HUNTCHAGIST REVOLUTIONARY PARTY.
This is the only Armenian party which is leading
on the revolutionary movement in Armenia. Its centre is in Athens and it has branches
in every village and city in Armenia, also in the colonies. Nishan Garabodian,
one of the founders of the party, is in American and those desiring to get
further information may communicate with him, addressing Nishan Garabodian, No.
15 Fountain street, Worcester Mass., or with the centre, M. Beniard, Poste
Restante, Athens, Greece.
"A very intelligent Armenian gentleman,
who speaks fluently and correctly English as well as Armenian, and is an
eloquent defender of the revolution, assured me that they have the strongest hopes
of preparing the way for Russian entrance to Asia Minor to take possession. In
answer to the question how, he replied: 'These
Huntchagist bands, organized all over the empire, will watch their
opportunities to kill Turks and Kurds, set fire to their villages, and then
make their escape into the mountains. The enraged Moslems will then rise and
fall upon the defenseless Armenians and slaughter them with such barbarity that
Russia will enter in the name of humanity and Christian civilization and take
possession.'
"When I denounced the scheme as
atrocious and infernal, beyond anything ever known, he candidly replied: 'It
appears so to you, no doubt, but we Armenians are determined to be free. Europe
listened to the Bulgarian horrors and made Bulgaria. She will listen to our cry
when it goes up in the shrieks and blood of millions of women and children.'
"I urged in vain that this scheme will
make the very name of Armenia hateful among all civilized people. He replied:
'We are desperate; we shall do it.'
"'But your people do not want Russian
protection. They prefer the Turkish, bad as it is. There are hundreds of miles
of conterminous territory into which emigration is easy at all times. It has
been so for all the centuries of the Moslem rule. If your people preferred the
Russian government there would not be now an Armenian family in Turkey.'
"'Yes,' he replied, 'and for such
stupidity they will have to suffer.'
"I have had conversations with others
who avow the same things, but no one acknowledges that he is a member of the party.
Falsehood is, of course, justifiable where murder and arson are.
"In Turkey the party aims to excite the
Turks against Protestant missionaries and against Protestant Armenians. All the
troubles at Marsovan originated in their movements. They are cunning, unprincipled
and cruel. They terrorize their own people by demanding contributions of money
under threats of assassination—a threat which has often been put in execution.
"I have made the mildest possible
disclosures of only a few of the abominations of this Huntchagist revolutionary
party. It is of Russian origin. Russian gold and craft govern it. Let all
missionaries, home and foreign, denounce it. Let all Protestant Armenians
everywhere boldly denounce it. It is trying to enter every Sunday-school and deceive
and pervert the innocent and ignorant supporters of this craft.
"We must, therefore, be careful that in
befriending Armenians we do nothing that can be construed into an approval of this
movement, which all should abhor. While yet we recognize the probability that
some Armenians in this country, ignorant of the real object and cruel designs of
the Huntchagists, are led by their patriotism to join with them and while we sympathize
with the sufferings of the Armenians at home we must stand aloof from any such
desperate attempts which contemplate the destruction of Protestant missions,
churches, schools and bible work involving all in a common ruin that is
diligently and craftily sought. Let all home and foreign missionaries beware of
any alliance with or countenance of the Huntchagists."
◘ Japan
administers the most courtly and diplomatic oriental snub to the United States
that we have received in a long time, and serves us right. Japan wanted China
herself to ask for peace and mediation, since Japan was so uniformly successful
in arms against China. Japan was right, according to all rules of military
usage, diplomacy and common sense. Apparently Japan knows more about these
things than the American government does. Diplomacy was never our strong point
anyhow.
◘ As an
enlisted infantry soldier the Indian is pronounced a dead failure. His
temperament is at once lazy and restless—whether in White or red man, the
temperament that is the hardest to discipline into steady, monotonous life.
New
York's New Constitution.
The changes that will be made in New York's
constitution in pursuance of the decision of the voters at the late election
will be the first that have been accomplished in many years. Newer states have
already incorporated in their supreme law many of the points which New York is
now to adopt for the first time.
The amendment which attracted most
discussion was that against lotteries and race tracks and other gambling. It
aims a deathblow at pool-selling and book-making. After specifying certain
forbidden things the new clause says, "Nor
shall any lottery or the sale of lottery tickets, pool-selling, book-making or
any other kind of gambling be hereafter authorized or allowed in this
state."
An important amendment was that which
forbids the legislature ever to pass any law limiting the amount of damages
from injuries which cause death. Heretofore, plainly in the interest of
powerful railway and other companies, the outside limit for death damages was
fixed at $5,000, a small sum for human life. Hereafter any sum a judge and jury
see fit to decide on may be levied as damages.
An excellent amendment is that which forbids
public officers of any rank to accept railway passes or telegraph and telephone
franks. The person who disregards this provision will, on the suit of the attorney
general of the state, forfeit his office. Railroad corporations and other
companies are forbidden to offer passes or franks to public officers.
Election and registration boards must in all
cases be bipartisan.
Another provision commending itself as
especially in accordance with the spirit of free American institutions is that
which forbids henceforth and forever any public moneys being diverted to the
use of sectarian schools. No educational institution under the control, wholly
or in part, of any religious denomination, or one in which any particular
religious doctrine is taught, shall receive a share of the school fund. Those
who wish to train their children in particular theological doctrines must pay
for the privilege out of their own pockets, which no doubt they will gladly do.
For legislative purposes cities are divided
into three classes, and voters living in towns of less than 5,000 are not
required to register before voting.
Legislative representation for the state of
New York has been increased in the senate from 28 to 50; in the assembly, from
132 to 150.
THE NEW
CARS.
Splendid
Work by the Cortland Omnibus & Cab Co.
The two closed cars for the Cortland &
Homer Traction Co. which are in process of construction by the Cortland Omnibus
and Cab Co. will be completed and ready for delivery next Wednesday. They are
specimens of as fine work in every respect and are as handsome as can be found
in a long search after street cars. The cars are eighteen feet long and are
finished inside in cherry with panels of birdseye maple veneer. There are six
large windows of French plate glass on each side and three windows upon the vestibule
at each end of the car.
The cars are fitted with automatic sliding
double doors, both of which move if either one is started. The cars will each be
furnished with four heaters which are concealed from view and heat will be
produced by electricity.
The cars have orange colored panels with
white above and below. The lettering and penciling is in silver. The solid
bronze mountings and handles give a very rich finish to the whole.
The two open cars are rapidly nearing completion,
but will not be ready quite as soon as the others. These have eight reversible
seats and can seat forty passengers. The decorations of the cars are much like
those of the closed cars.
The Cortland Omnibus and Cab Co. was never
turning out finer work than at present and these four new cars are among the
best specimens of work of this kind ever attempted.
PURCHASE
OF REAL ESTATE.
The
Judge Stephens Place on Port Watson-st. Sold to C. L. Kinney.
The house and lot, 54 Port Watson-st, known
as the Judge Stephens place, lately owned by Mrs. John H. Rollo of Syracuse,
was yesterday sold under a judgment of foreclosure by Mrs. Artelissa Packard of
Pitcher, Chenango county. The amount of the judgment was $3,003. It was bought
by Mr. C. L. Kinney of Cortland for $3,500. The only other bidders were Mr.
Thomas E. Courtney, of the firm of J. & T. E. Courtney who were the
attorneys for Mrs. Packard, Mr. E. A. Fish, who was bidding for Dr. A. J.
White, and Judge Day of Moravia, who appeared in the interest of a bank at his
home. Mr. T. H. Dowd of Cortland was the referee appointed by the court who
conducted the sale.
Mr. Kinney bought the property upon a
speculation. He does not anticipate putting extensive repairs upon the house or
building there in the near future, though he may do the latter if he should keep
the place long enough. The location is one of the finest upon Port Watson-st, the
lot having a frontage of 116 feet and being 149 feet deep from the sidewalk.
The Plum
Tree Still Fruitful.
Mr. Edward H. Toomey, a prominent member of
the younger element of the Democratic
party in Cortland and a pronounced anti-snapper, has been appointed as
assistant to the master mechanic in the War department at Washington at a
salary of $1,000 per annum, with the privilege of a sixty days vacation. Mr.
Toomey leaves to-night for Washington and enters upon his new duties on Monday.
The appointment was secured through the assistance of Messrs. R. W. Bourne,
chairman of the Democratic county committee, and John Courtney, Jr.
TWENTY-NINE
YEARS.
Wedding
Anniversary Celebrated With a Surprise Party.
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Kinney who live up the
[Kinney] Gulf road, about two miles west of the village had yesterday been
married twenty-nine years. This fact was known to some of their friends who are
members of the same grange and who called upon them in a body last night in a
wholly unexpected manner to help them celebrate. Music and games aided in
making the evening one of great enjoyment. A bountiful supper was taken with
them, to which full justice was done at the proper time.
The party was composed of the following
gentlemen and their wives: Messrs. J.
Atchison, George Latimer, W. S. Buchanan, M. Wadsworth, E. J. Warfield, David
Beers, R. Oaks, E. N. Sprague, C. H. Wadsworth, T. Warfield, A. H. Card, L. J.
Stafford, Charles Letts, Daniel Thomas, John Griswold, Nye Jones, A. B. Willis,
D. T. Hopkins, R. B. Fletcher, Thomas Tillinghast, G. W. Moore, Misses Grace
and Bertha Kinney, Grace F. Letts, Ina Thomas, Alta Calkins, Mary Steele, F. M.
Galusha, Messrs. Grant Kinney, Burt Buchanan, Louis Warfield, David Latimer, M.
W. Kinney, and J. A. Smith.
The New
Power House.
The new power house for the electric [rail]road is
rapidly nearing completion. The foundations are all laid for the engines and
boilers and these can be placed as soon as they arrive which will be in a very
few days. Over sixty men are at work at the building to-day putting on the
roof.
The New
Highway.
Messrs. Squires, Chaplin and Skinner, the
commissioners appointed by the court to consider the advisability of opening a
new highway around McGrawville hill, met this morning at the office of H. L.
Bronson for a hearing. Some testimony was taken and then an adjournment was
taken to permit the commissioners go down to view the line of the proposed
highway. Upon their return they will consider the matter further.
—Bicycle dealers say that 20 new models will
be put on the market the coming season.
—Dr. H. A. Cordo will preach in Memorial chapel
on Tompkins-st., Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock. All are cordially invited.
—The state dairymens' annual convention is
this year to be held in Oneonta Dec. 11 and 12. The address of welcome is to be
given by Dr. J. M. Milne.
—The 4 o'clock meeting at the Y. M. C. A.
rooms to-morrow afternoon will be conducted by Evangelist Rees and Dr. L. H.
Pearce. All men are invited.
—The STANDARD will be given free for the
month of December to any new subscriber who pays for one year in advance on
either the daily or semi-weekly STANDARD.
—A new paper entitled The College Widow, has been started at Cornell. It is an
illustrated comic paper and is issued bi-weekly. Its name is very suggestive of
college days.
—It is reported that Chief Engineer H. C.
Rose, of the D., L. & W., who was in Binghamton yesterday was looking over
the ground in search of a suitable site for the depot in that city.
—Work upon the long turn out switch of the electric road in
front of the fair grounds will be begun on Monday. This switch is
to be at least 350 feet long and it may be decided later to make it
longer still.
—An extra passenger coach was taken south on
the vestibule train this morning at 10 o'clock to return as a regular coach of
the train at 4:20. The Saturday night travel is always so heavy that it is
necessary to send down a coach for for this purpose each week.
—A large crowd was attracted to Church-st.
this morning about 10:30 o'clock to see the new motor cycle speeding back and
forth along the sidewalk before the churches under the skillful management of
Mr. Brown. It seemed to work admirably.
—Chief Sager has been investigating the
matter of the numerous attacks upon women in the evening and has come upon some
evidence which leads him to a very strong belief that the alleged man is a
woman dressed in man's clothing. He is confident that he knows who the party
is.
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