Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-23
THE CIRCUS SIDE OF ROYALTY,
The shah, Jumbo, and the Lord Mayor.
TPall-NAu Gazette


Every one is talking about the Shah's
visit and vast number OF silly articles IS
being written 10 express satisfaction " tine
reverse with the reception gwen ny the
peopIe of London 20 the heir Of Darius
and NerXes. 10 is hoped that the Shah
will be- impressed and that Persia hence
forth Will be more of q British preserve.
All that is puerile nonsense Not all the
demonstrations IN the world can alter
the fundamental forces which govern
the action and dictate the poilcy oi
the Persian pOtentate. whatever we may
do. and We can no doubt do a great deal on
the littoral of the Persian Gulf, We are
quite impoteut an leheTau. dom mating
influence in Northern Persla-that is TO
SAY, in the Persia of the Shah, OF the oapl-
tai and Of the government, is impossible
for us-almOst a. impossible hs naval ou-
uremacy in the Caspian. The more we enc
courage Sir DrummOnd Wolf o. intrigue
and caiolc the Shah into granting Us con-
cessiOns. privileges, etc. the more swiftly
We hasten the day when Nasred Din Will be
to Russia a. Holkar Is TO rs.
But that Is al beside the question Of the
Shah, as it il understood by the people OF
London. The crowd that h0cks 90 see the
picturesque old barbarian does not trouble
it, head the least 10 the world abOut Anglo
Russian riyalrics in Ieheran. Ii e"c o. be
amused. The Shan just Row IS the star N
the dramatic troupe, which Is performing
every day for the diversion or tho general
public. he has for the moment and: OF
course. only the moment, taken the place
of Jumbo. Dear departed Jumbo, whose
stuffed carcass. the Dniy TELEGRAPH wlll Doe
delighted 10 hear. is even now under orders
to return 90 the hospltatle citF Which
cried itself To sleep six or seven y ears ago
in incOnsoable grief over he dcpGr urr OF
its fayOritp. OF course the Shah is no.
where IN COMPARISON 90 Jumbo as popu-
lar lion Not even a leadcr-Writer ~ the
Rrly Tele0rnph viii shed a tributary tear
over the farewell Of the shah. Their Pc
spective bulk corresponds probably on the
whole with approximate accurary 10 tner
respective popularity. HE Shlh Is 'u1
riOsity. He Is quite superb rs the central
figure Of popular rarce show. There Is
enough mystery about him 20 excite the I'M
agiuation. All the clements of melodrinla
and the show az the Village TAR unite IN
him. Dark associations " the cold
iloodel murder of q great statesman llc ~
the distant background If his youth.
This. however, is probably less fascinating
% the unregenerate AIRY than the romance
OF the harem and the nifty wives VINO were
sent back weeping from the rousler "LeA
the LIGHT OF the World set Oh on MS
naughtiness even in superiority seems
to possess on the board OK certain the
atres, which need not be more .Partlcu-
larry specified, there can be lttie, OF
no doubt that the many-viyed Shah
owes no small portion Of his piquancy IN
the eyes Of the crowd 20 his polygamous
dOmesticity. Then, again, the shah Is ~
least despOt, man with power OF Lire
and death Ia his hands, who can put an
army in motion by his word, and VINO
recognizes no law higher than MS own soy
ereisn will and pleasure. Add 20 All tins
the charm which is exercised by jewels,
and we need 20 no further 10 discover the
real nature OF the popular interest IN
Shah who wears an emerald a. big ~ q
hens egg and powders his Uniform win
diamonds.
Yet if the truth be told, it is not the
Shah who is the chief object OF interest
with the crowds In tho streets. Although
the central figure in the great circus show
of royalty, be is not the centre OF popular
admiration any more than the LORD mayor
on Lord Mayors day Is the centre OF m
terest in the procession which IS DSougnt
to q close by his gilded chariot. that al