Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1895 — CRADLE OF THE RACE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

CRADLE OF THE RACE.

ARMENIA THE OLDEST LAND IN THE WORLD. A Country of Great Natural Resources, but Devastated by the Worthless Turk—May Yet Be Delivered from the Sultan’s Rule. Native Home of Man. The bloody massacres perpetrated by the Turks and Kurds in the heart of Armenia served to call public attention to one of the oldest and most remarkable countries on the globe, a country once rieh and populous and powerful, but, like every other land that has suffered the curse of Turkish rule, now desolate. There was a time when the Armenians numbered at least 25,000,000 population, but now It is estimated that not more than 5,000,000 remain in their native and well-beloved land, while 3,000,000 or 4,000,000 more are wanderers to and fro over the earth, sober, industrious, economical citizens of many lands and well-to-do in every country but their own. They would do well there also were it not for the Turks. The Ottoman Empire has proved itself in modern times, as the Persian in ancient, a national curse, a sore, an ulcer among nations; it has been said of the Persian State that of all the nations over which it gained control not one ever raised its head again, and the statement is almost literally true Far more fortunate have been the States that have suffered the blight of Turkish rule. One by one they have risen in rebellion and have shaken off the Ottoman yoke. Years of revolution and bloody war were sometimes required to secure the coveted freedom, and the march to liberty has been over thousands of bloody corpses of men, women and even of children, but by perseverance the cause was always won. Greece, Servia, Roumania, Bulgaria, Roumelia, Georgia, Circassia, the story of each is the same—a bloody rebellion, a long war, assistance from foreign powers, and then freedom. The unhappy land

of Armenia is now going through the preliminary stages of the process of acquiring independence, and xueie is no reason to doubt that in time, and, perhaps, in no very long time, the Armenians will be as free as the Greeks or Bulgarians are to-day. It is a singular land, that in which the fight for liberty is now being waged under such fearful odds. It Is

a land so old in history that the earliest legenus of the human race point to it as the first home of mankind, and so far do the sober facts of history confirm the wild fancies of legend that historian, scientist and mythgatherer all unite in the belief that somewhere in the region now generally designated as Armenia, the human race first began that process of migration and development that has led to the peopling of every corner of the earth. The Garden of Paradise was in Armenia. Adam was an Armenian; so was Noah, for his ark rested on Ararat, where, according to popular tradition, it remains to this day, having been seen, or at least reported to be seen, by two or three different travelers. From Armenia began the dispersion of the nations, and all the legends 01 the early days point the finger back toward that singular land at the head waters of the Euphrates and Tigris as the home of every nation that preserved a memory of its own origin. s The limits of Armenia proper are by «o means accurately determined, for at -different times the country has been under many different governments, and even at present, it is divided between Turkey, Russia and Persia, and the boundary lines Sorm a never-ceasing source of dispute between these three powers. The truth is that Armenia really has tio boundaries worth the name, the various tribes of savage kinds that occupy the eastern district, pandering back and forth at their pleasure, and, according as inclination or convenience may .prompt, owing allegiance .to either or neither government. According to the best authorities, the land of Armenia proper con-

tains about 150,000 square miles, being I bus a little more than twice the size of Missouri, and for the most part consists of a high tableland from 5,000 to S 000 feet above the level of the sea. Although within the tropics It is by no means a tropical country, having, on the contrary, a climate rather severe

than mild, for during at least three months in the year, deep snows cover the wide plains that stretch from the head waters of the Euphrates to the Caspian Sea, and on the Ararat range the snow has never been known to melt In spite of its altitude, however, the country has agricultural advantages of no mean order. The tablelands are not of uniform height and on their various terraces the products of any country on the globe may be raised, from the dates of Arabia to the oats and barley of Norway. The country Is otherwise wealthy besides, for there are mines of gold, silver and several other metals, while coal is abundant In many localities, and petroleum is found in a score of different places, Under even a passable form of government Armenia would be a singularly prosperous country, but the curse of Turkish misrule has blighted every hope of the inhabitants. Industry is checked, for no one knows the amount of taxes that will be required of him; nor, indeed,can he be certain that after the products of his fl Id have been garnered they will not all be eaten or carried off by bands of irregular Turkish troops, who will consider themselves singularly forebear-

Ing if they do not also take his life. Instances have been known of farmers who raised a hundred bushels of grain and saw elghty-five bushels carried off under the name of taxes, to feed a rapacious soldiery. Under such circumstances, the people have no incentive to industry, and so Armenia, like every other Turkish province, is gradually wasting away; the Industrious and economical portion of the population are leaving as fast as they can, and this remarkable region will soon be desolate. The inhabitants are not all Armenians; in fact, the Armenians now form only a small fraction of the population in the country they once called their own. Turks, Kurds, Persians, Tartars, savage tribes akin to the races of hardy mountainers that people the region from the Caspian to the confines of China, they are all alike in one respect —that all are treacherous and bloodthirsty, and all are inspired by a bitter hate of anything Christian. The name seems to rouse among these savage peoples all the innate ferocity of untamed human nature. To do them justice, however, the Christians, so called, of Armenia, are not much better than their Turkish and Kurdish neighbors. They have

been hardened and brutalized by ages of oppression and suffering; they regard the Turks as their natural enemies, and are just as ready to fight the Ottomans as the latter are to fight them. Unfortunately for the Christians, however, they are hopelessly in the minority, and so from time to time the world is shocked with these narratives of Turkish atrocity. In cold fact, there is very little choice between Christian and Moslem in that part of

the world, and the swarms of wandering bandits sometimes consist of both Christians and Moslems, whs rob both parties with strictest Impartiality. The cities of Armenia are not very numerous aor very populous, neither are they very prosperous. The best among them are Kars, that has stood

more thau one historic siege from both Russians und Turks; Erivan, a fortress from Roman days, and the capital of one province; Erzeroum, which once boasted a population of 130,000, but now has hardly more than 40,000, if so many, the reason of the decline being the same as that for the depression in every other part of the country. Erzeroum, the seat of the Turkish Pasha who misgoverns the country, is well fortified after an Oriental fashion, having great massive walls that have been neglected until they are ready to fall down of their own accord, big wooden gates covered with plates of iron, closed every night at an hour after sundown, when belated travelers are supposed to be compelled to remain outside, which, in fact, however, they rarely do, but simply walk along the wall until they find a place where it has fallen down enough to enable them to climb ever, and then enter and go about their business. Erzeroum was once a city of grand proportions and great commercial consequence, but its glory has departed. Situated as it is on the high road between Teheran and Mecca, the annual caravans of pilgrims from Persia, Afghanistan and India all pass through it, but in greatly diminished numbers from those of former years. The Indian pilgrims now go by steamer through the Red Sea, so do not a few from Beluchlstan and Persia, and only a few from the interior now pass through the once famous city that still presides over the destinies of the oldest land in the world. Like all other Oriental, and particularly Turkish, towns, Erzeroum presents from a distance au imposing appearance that is by no means confirmed on a nearer approach. From a few miles distance, nothing can be prettier than a Turkish town. The white walls glitter through the dark green foliage of the cypress trees that abound in the surrounding cemeteries, while the minarets and domes rise above the houses like points of vivid light. A nearer approach dispels the Illusion. The marble walls are of whitewash, the minarets and domes are gaudy and flimsy, the streets are filthy enough to breed a pestilence, and everywhere savage dogs go to and fro in troops, and fight with each other for the offal that is cast out of the doors and windows of every house into the street. But there is hope for Armenia. A brave people like the natives of this historic land can not always be kept in subjection to a degenerate race of thieves and murderers like the Turks. The incompetence of the latter to govern anything has been so plainly shown for a century and a half that the world has ceased to expect anything from the Ottoman power. But for the halfcrazy fear that the English display whenever anybody raises the cry of

Russian wolf, Armenia would long ago have been delivered from the rule of the Turk. Twice in the present century has Russia been ready to occupy the whole province, and twice has the deliverance of Armenia been postponed by the trickery of British politics and diplomacy. It is true that in being placed in Russian territory the Armenians would merely exchange one

master for another, but experience has shown that while the Czar is a hard master, he is more tolerant than the Sultan. Bolker (meditatively)—My experience has taught me one curious thing. Blobbs—Has, eh? What is it? Bolder—That the closer a man is the harder it is to touch him.—Buffalo Courier.

THE BASHI-BAZOOK.

A GATE OF ERZEROUM.

A FRONTIER POST.

A KURD SOLDIER.

A BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF KARS.