American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-11-02
Modern Persia.

Modern Persia is not much like the war
| like and pOpulOus lard which built Perse-
polls and conquered and held in her grasp
| tor many ages both the West and the
deserts and the coasts of the lcthyOphagi.
| Its surroundings and climate are the same,
the same mountains tower over it, the same
hot sands ride on its desert winds, and tire
same seas wash it's coasts, but the present
Shah has not so much ability as ArtaX-
| erXes or HystaspeS, and his country, in
stead of being feared and dreaded as she
ONE was by all the world, was almost for
gotten until his people. largely from the
consequences of his misrule and that OF
his predecessors. began to starve to death
in such appalling and incredible numbers.
The territory at present ruled by the
Shah is about twice the size of France.
No census is ever taken there-the people
won't stand still enough to be counted
but the best guessers set down the pOpu-
larion at something like 10,O00,OO By
far the largest portion of these are no.
madic. Some of them. the Turcnans.
pasture their flocks in the mountains in
summer, and in winter descend upon the
plains, pitch their black felt tents, shaped
like bee-hives, as they were in the days Of
of Kai Khosru. and live through the WIN
ter on the produce of their herds-salted
mutton, milk. curds-and barley bread.
There are other wandering tribes also. the
kurds. the Suurs, and Arabs, as well as a
sprinkling of Gypsies, who live partly by
pillage, partly by beggary, and who pur-
sue no regular industry.
That portion of the population which
lives in towns is engaged in trade and va
rious handicrafts, while scattered peas
antry. living in mud houses. tills the
soil, which is only fertile over a small
part OF the country. 1t is land of grim
mountain ranges ard vast desert plains,
with occasionally fertile valley or popu-
iOus oasis. Tie laborerS are called ialehS
and they get, in good times. from 10
to 20 cents day, on which they can
bitible bodies ard their possible souls.
Until recently there was sufficient food to
be obtained--wheat, rice. barley, vegeta-
bles, fruits. and melons Astounding. as well
as milk, cheese, and wine, all the product
of their own territories. They do not
seem ever to have imported food or much
else except fripperies-fabrics, ormolu
clocks. fancy armor and music boxes.
mere trinketry for the decoration of the
houses and persons of the rich-but their
imports habitually exceed their exports.
They send out into the markets OF the
world cotton, silk, wool. and raw produce
of various sorts turIuoises, rugs. and a
much esteemed article of cat. Altogether
the country seems hitherto to have relied
on her own territories for her sustenance;
her surplusage of production she has
spent abroad in procuring decorations and
luXuries. She has no public debt. When
the State wants money it pillages the rich
and saueezes the poor, and so keeps on an
easy and sound financial basis.
The Government is a pure despOtism.
tempered by assassination. rs some one
said of Russia. her overshadOwing North
ern neighbor who has already stripped
her of territory and spoil. Theoretically
the Shah is absolute; practically he is in
some dread of his subjects and great deal
of his heir. 1t is perhaps not necessary
to mention that he is sometimes bamboo
Zled like other sovereigns by his minis
tiers. He has an army of 100000 men. is
a subsidized ally of Great Britain, be
tween whose Indian possessions on the
Eastern rolling tide of Russian ambition
and conquest he stands. He is said to be
personally rather good fellow. Ambas-
sailors who have sat on rugs before him,
speak with appreciation both of his con-
versation and his coffee. He is not a very
good statesman. though, and makes his
chief minister of State put on and take on
his shoes. which is not in good taste. Per-
haps he excuses himself on the ground
that 253 successive princes of the house OF
Kajar have had the same sort OF thing
done for them by the same sort of distin-
guished persons, and he is not going to
break in on habit so buttressed and for
titled by precedent.-N Y. World.