The Portland daily press., 1889-02-18
MR.. ClERGUE AND NASSUR-OO-DEEN
The Mission of the Young Maine
Business Man.
With the Russians and the English
He Takes His Chances
And Wins the Favor Of the Shah and
Large Concessions.
Especial to the Press.1

whose novel titles attracted general atten
| tion when they were introduced into thu
House a fortnight or more ago. They arr
the bills TO incorporate the "Bank of Per
sia" and the persian Railway Company
| In each of these bills the principal incorpo
rator is Francis Fl. Clergue of Bangor. the
enterprising young business man, whose
journey to the court of the Shah Of Persia
has interested everyone in Maine.
The legislature Of Maine gives these two
interpretations just as the State of Vermont
has recently incorporated company to con.
struct canal in Nicaragua. Maine will be
the home State of the corporation, and
whenever Mr.. Clergue may carry out his
purposes in Persia there will probably be
subordinate offices Of the companies in
Maine.
The bill to charter the Bank of Persia
confers upon Mr.. Clergues and his associates
the authority to establish banking compa-
ny, and do any banking business authorized
by the government of Persia. The princi-
pal place of business Of the company is to
be in the country of Persia. where it may
issue script, negotiate loans, let money and
do any other kind Of business that the gov
ernment of Persia may agree to. The capi-
tai stock OF the company, also, Is fixed at
such sum as the government Of Persia may
agree to.
The bin to charter the "Persian Railway"
gives Mr.. Clergue and his associates the au-
thority to do in Persia almost anything in
the way OF Improvement that an enterpris-
ing Yankee can think of doing. 1t author
ICES them to construct steam or electric rail-
ways, to build, purchase and operate steam
boats, to carry ON any manufacturing busi-
ness, TO erect telegraph and telephone lines,
and maintain them; and finally, in the LAM
guage OF one Of the sections Of the bill:
To take and to receive by grant, gift or pur-
cnaSe, ana mold real, personal and mixed property
as may be beneficial, convenient or necessary for
any OF the purposes mentioned in this act, and to
administer government, enact laws and regula-
ions, and 10 enforce the same on such lands and
territories as may be especially granted to said
corporation.
The broad powers described in this bill
show that Mr.. Clergue and his associates
have ID mind no small operations In the land
OF the Shah. 1t has been known for several
weeks that Mr.. Clergue, during his visit In
Persia. secured valuable concessions from
the Shah, though the nature of them has not
yet been fully made public and probably will
not be until after Mr.. Clergue's return. They
undertake internal improvements, the
need Of which for his country the Shah Is
just realizing. This potentate-Nassur-oo
deem Shah they call him at home-is capa-
tle and enlightened ruler who wlelds his alb
solute power for the general good of his sub
jects. He has visited Europe several times,
and there obtained some new ideas; though
he does not seem to have begun seriously to
moderniZe Persia until three years ago when
he made his brother-in-law, called Yahia
Khan Muchis Daouleh, minister of foreign
affails Yahia Khan. so the Persans call
i'm xvh thau in httr Cd o&aA
In Europe, and is imbued with strong de-
sire to see Persia progress. From this time
on there began to be chance for foreign en-
terprise In Persia.
About year after Yahia Khan became
foreign minister, Mr.. Clergue was crossing
the ocean on business trip to Europe. He
met on the steamer the American minister
to Persia; and from him learned that the
ancient empire was feeling the spur Of
progress. After he came home Mr.. Clergue
pondered over what he had heard of the
Ingenuity and pluck. European capitalists
were preparing to take advantage of the
opening. In May 1887 leading
industrial journal of Belgium an
nounced that company called
La Societe Beige deS CheninS de Fer ct des
Iramaoags de Perse was being formed in
Brussels to construct a railway ten kilo-
metres long from Teheran, the capital Of
Persia, to Shah-Abdul-AZin, the holy city.
Russian, Bavarian and Belgian bankers
were announced as the hackers of the COM
pany.
The English meanwhile were very anxious
TO enter upon the unimproved regions Of
Persia, and they sent one of their most
astute ENJOYS, Sir FL. Drummond Wolff to
secure concessions. In May 1888. the Shah,
acting no doubt under the influence of the
English envoy, and determined that Persia
should progress, issued the following procla-
nation:
The Great and Most High God having made our
holy person the source OF justice and benevo-
lence and the executor of His command and
power and having especially intrusted the pro-
lection OF the lives and property of the subjects
OF the United countries of Persia into our we'll
skilled hands, In thanksgiving for this great boun-
ty we consider it incumbent on u.s. in the execu-
ton of this trust, not TO draw back from evade
the distribution OF Justice and the protection OF
the lives and property of the people of this country
from the entertainments of Oppressors, and 1--WE
consider 1t incumbent on us) TO so properly en-
deavor and persevere that the people be masters
OF their lives and property in order that they
may with the greatest ease and prosperity. en-
gage themselves In enterprises which are the
basis of civilization and the sources of wealth
therefore, for the information and assurance OF
all the subjects and people, in order to make
them acquainted with the watchfulness, tempered
with justice, OF our sovereign mind, by the issue
OF this great proclamation and noble address, we
may make it generally known to the people of the
united countries OF Persia that all our subjects as
regards their lives and property are free and inde-
pendent, so that they may, without fear or appre-
hension, exercise any right of proprietorsAip they
like ever their own belongings; and any enter
prise for the construction of works and roads and
any branch of the branches of civilization and
wealth which they may undertake will give us
satisfaction and pleasure, and the protection Of
such is our duty, and no one shall have the right
or power 10 lay hands upon, or take possession of
or interfere with the life or property. or punish
or chastise the subjects of Persian government
except it be in the execution of the religious
and civil laws. Month of Ramazanul-Mubareh
1903.
Three months after this, In August, Rus
slams had opened the first section of a rail
way from Teheran to Resht, near the Cas-.
plan; and Sir FL. Drummond Wolff was
pressing the. Shah to grant to the English q
concession for a railway from Teheran tc
considerable jealousy between the
Russians and the English for the
Shah's favor; and Nassur-oo-Deen
no doubt began to suspect that Persia would
be but the cloth between the English and
Russian blades of the shears. The Shah
haslno ambitious schemes of conquest; and sc
was quite ready, no doubt, when Mr.. Clergue
| appeared few months later and introduced
himself as from Bangor (near Portland)
| Maine. United States of America, to receive
the enterprising young business man with
| extreme graciousness. Mr.. Clergue's friends
| here at Augusta have not yet heard the cir.
| cumstances of the meeting, but they have
heard of the result Of it conveyed in brie
despatch dated at Teheran and bearing tn,
magic word:
Successful"
| OF the members of the legislature Mr.
| Clergue has the best wishes, and they will
| no doubt forward his bills of incorporation
| and at the same time wish that he may b,
| able to write ''sucoessfur' after all the Per
sian enterprises.