The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-30
PARSEE PRAISE AND BLAME
Good and Bad Words for Chicago and
Che Fair.

Is Great, but the People Of Chicago
Are Rude-Extra Charges Made to
ForeiEners-Religion and Customs of
the zoroasters.
From the New York Times.
Two men of swarthy complexion, of
medium size, with small black eyes and
/ hands and feet smaller than those of most
men Of their height and build sat on the
sofas of the Fifth Avenue hotel yes
/ terday.
They spoke a curious, unfamiliar Ian
guage as they talked together, but when
| addressed by native New Yorker they
replied in good English.
1--WE are Parsees- descendants of the
ancient Persian kings, believers in the
religion Of Zoroaster, and we live in Bonn
bay" one of them said to a New York
Times reporter, 1--WE are merchants on
a pleasure trip around the world.
The speakers name was NJ. S. Metah.
That of his companion was c. H. Dady.
Both are wealthy MI Mebah started
eastward from Bombay and landed in
Vancouver several weeks ago. In Chi
cago he met Mr.. Dady, who was visiting
the Worlds fair, and they resolved to
make the return trip together. They
came to this city Sunday, and have Wis
tied Central park, Brooklyn bridge, the
city hall and some of the public buildings.
They viii remain until Saturday.
Through all the thousands of years, y
said Mr. Metah, 1.-The Parsees have held
to their old customs in worship and in the
marriage and in the burial rites We
have refused to mingle with the MOham-
medans or to be subiugated by them, al
though they rule our native Persia. We
have been called worshippers of fire. We
do not worship fire. We look upon fire
as symbol of power, and 50 we have il
always in our places of worship. We
worship God, the great Being, who rules
all things, and our belief is in good
words good deeds and good thoughts
This is the religion of Ioroaster, and the
fire, which we never allow to go out, is
the symbol of everlasting power
How many Parsees are there now liv-
ing}'
in India there are 10000. OF these
$4,000 are in Bombay. There are 1000 in
Persia. We refuse to mingle with other
religious sects. We do not marry among
those who believe in other religions. We
are the direct descendants of the Persian
kings since the time of Xerxes."
What do you think of the Worlds
fairl"
THE fair is great, but I may be par
doned for saying that the people of Chi
cagO seem rude. They are not courteous,
as they are in other cities. Ii one is
asked the location of some place, he seems
in a hurry and sometimes he does not re-
ply. They seem trying tOmake money all
the time. Sometimes when 1 had paid
for things l found l had paid more than
native Americans were asked for the same
article. l think the people of Chicago
would not hesitate to OverCharge any one
whom they knew was foreigner. The
city is great to look at, but the streets are
dirty, and the authorities there should
come to see the cleanliness of Bombay
st seems to me that New York is, next
to London, the best city in the world, and
find the people here do net care 50 much
to make money as those in Chicago"
DO Americans often visit yOu9"
EVERY year there are a few. They
| come to the city and are interested in our
manner of life. They are allowed to wit
| ness our funerals and our marriages, and
these rites seem to interest them more
than a study of the country.
II have thought much of the difference
in the funerals and burials of those of
our faith and Of other religions. When a
Parsee dies the mourning color is white.
| The body is wrapped in white, and the
mourners, as they go to the burial place,
are clothed in white. Two by two they
walk behind the white-robed corpse as it
is carried to the tower of silence, which
| Is its final resting place. This is large
stone tower, on which the body is placed
and left to be eaten by the eagles. There
are five such towers in Bombay, though
but one is much used. The eagles viii
devour a body in single day, and the
| big birds constantly hover in large num-
| bers about the tower of silence They
are treated as if they were sacred birds. -
as this form Of burial a good one from
a sanitary standpoint"
''We believe tits Cremation is doubt
less the best from this standpoint, but in
India the people are so poor and fuel is so
scarce that the HindUs are not able to
practice cremation universally. More
over, the Parsee believes it is better to
be eaten by birds than by worms. Burial
in grave is repulsive to US.
Il have heard much in India of the at
tempt which Mr.. Webb is making to con-
vert the American people to the Moham-
medan faith. | have seen Mr.. Webb in
Bombay, and among tho Mohammedans
there he was highly esteemed. The peo-
pie there believed that were he to come to
this country he might gain many converts
to Mohammodanism, and the wealthy
people there contributed a large amount
TO carry on his work. The Parsees, who
remember how it was that the MOslems
Overran Persia, say that the Mohamme-
dan religion is not spread except with the
sword, and they believe Mr.. Webb will
spend the money and win few converts. ="
What is the success of American mis-
siOnaries in India?n
The converts they win are from the
poorer classes, l should say that their
work is not considered successful, for
they do not make converts of heedUcated
or influential people. They make some
from the lower castles"
1.-The English people in India are look
ing very closely at the Indian congress,
which first met eight years ago, and
whose influence is growing steadily. The
proceedings of this congress are carried
on in the English language The congress
is composed of delegates from various
political organizations. 1t has no law
making power but discusses public af-
fairs and formulates requests for certain
rights and privileges, which are submit
ted to the government. A movement is
on loot 10 secure congress which shall
have full law-making powers. Undoubt-
eddy India IS much better off than it was
before it came under English rule, but
there are things With which the people
are dissatisfied. The officials who come
from England are Oyerbearing and put on
airs to an extent that displeases the peo-
pie. The people are taxed heavily.
some indications may be seen that
England expects at some time To fight To