The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-17
DOODLE IN THE ORIENT.
Mr.. Winston Finds that New York Methods
Prevail In Far-Off Persia


Wolf Won schierbrand in New York Times.
Mr. F. W. Winston, minister to Persia. has
resigned. The letter giving his reasons for his
action to the State Department at Washington
was mailed eight days ago. These reasons are
very simple ones, on the face of it. They recito
that there is neither commerce nor
people OF the United States to protece
here, excepting the score of Americans
engaged In missionary labors throughout Fer
STA. Mr.. Winston has requested a cablegrain
announcing acceptance of his resignation by june
10, and intends to leave here soon as the dis
patch arrives After sending his resignation,
though, on Wednesday of last week. he applied
for franchise to build railroad from Teherau
to Mohammerah or some other point on the
Persian gulf. was present at the interviewa
had with the Mousmr- ed Dowleh minister or
Foreign Affairs). and they were brief and to tina
point His Highness stated that the Shah was
willing to concede to the builders of the pro-
jected road all the mines in Persia, of whatever
description. not worked at the present hour, and
also the mines now worked. at the same termH
now existing. The railroad was to be begun
within three years, and to be finished within
seven years, the franchise to hold good for
ninety-nine years. The minister stated ex-
pressly. in. the draft of the contract drawn up
before his Majesty granted the firman, that he
had no pecuniary interest in the whole scheme,
and that he merely engaged himself to try and
bring together American capitalists with sum
total of $l00 000 900 to invest in the road.
The preliminaries having been fixed upon az
own signature, approving of the whole thing and
pledging his royal word to stick to the terms
agreed upon But now comes the rub-or the
joke, if you will Mr. Winston had been syly
congratuating himself upon the easy way "a
which he had succeeded-without the expendi-
ture of u copper-in. wrestling from the Persian
government grant said to be worth millions
of dollars. The frman having been signed, he
Imagined himself fairly out of the woods and
the contract as good as in his possession. But
he had reckoned without his host The Moushir-
ed Doweh is the brothern-law of the Shah,
and is man of very luxurious habits of life. SO
that despite the large salary and the gigantic
brides both from Russia and England, he leafs"
that's the Persian word for it-khordan), and
despite the fact that the Shah himself has :
more than once paid his debts, he is head over
heels in debt He conformed to the general
custom Of the country-in his case there
being perhaps even more urgent need fer it than
Is usual-when he on his part sought to, make o
good round sum out of the grant; enough at least
to pay his more pressing debts and leave nice
margin. He had not contradicted the minister
when the latter told him he had no financial in
terests to serve in advocating this railroad pro-
ject, nor intimated in any manner his doubts OF
this But that he. nevertheless, did
in his hands, and sent around to Mr.. Winston to
tell him that before shutdown, yesterday, he
wanted 20, 900 tomans 1880, 000) as the first in
stallment in the shape of remuneration for his
tended to be reasonable, and that there never
before had been a matter of this magnitude put !.
through so noseiessly and expeditously in Per-
STA. nor so cheaply
Minister Winston is in a hole. 1t is, I believe,
an actual fact that he has no interest whatever
TO subserve in this railroad scheme beyond the
one to put it before the American public, 10 taxa
up or let alone the latter sees fit. He does.
ther afoce, not like to lay out large sum flor
before he'd be done with the Minister the
Moushir-ed -Dowleh would have sucked the lem
on to the tune of 800, 900 at least) for which
he would have no return, and the payment
of which would besides seem to plainly indicate
that he has pecuniary interests in the project
On the other hand, it is pretty certain that he
can never convince the Persians that his motives
in obtaining this franchise were entirely
selfish, such a thing being beyond their compre-
hension, and that if he does not ''pony up he
will not get his franchise or firman. AS matter
of fact, Baron Reuter-. who some ten years ago
obtained similar franchise (afterward repudi-
ated by the Persian government on technical
grounds held valid by the Russians and worse
than 1imsy by the Englishl, had to spend over
800. 900 in brides alone before he as much az
obtained the frman, and the experience of others
before and after him was of like nature Still.
Mr.. Winston will not pay, and fear the whole
scheme will go to pieces in consequence In fact,
I'm quite OF it Perhaps It's a pity: tits
true-perhaps.