The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1894-01-12
DEMOCRACY IN PERSIA.
A Curious Uprising of the People Against
the Shah.


A Curious Uprising Of the People Against
the Shah.
The shah Of Persia has heretofore ex-
ercised a despotisth more like that of
Cyrus and Xerxes than that of any
government existing elsewhere to-day.
But even he has begun to listen to the
voice of his people.
In a report of the department of state
recently published at Washington,
there is a letter from the United States
minister to Persia, in which he tells the
story of the singular uprising of the
people against the shah last year.
1t sems that the shah had granted
monopoly of the tobacco trade in Persia
to company of foreigners. In Persia
this weed is used by almost every body.
But the mollahs. Or priests. declared
that tobacco handled by foreigners was
unelean, and forbade the people to use
it.
This soon m de trouble for the for
eign company, who had bought the
monopoly for great sum. At their
instance the shah commanded the high
mollah to smoke the tobacco in the
chief mosque. and 20 declare it clean.
He refused to do SO. The shah accord
ingly told him to leave the country.
This mollah, however, was also dis
tinguished teacher, greatly beloved by
his students and by all classes When
they saw his caravan of camels before
his door, and their popular teacher
about to go into exile, there was great
lamentation.
The students rent their clothes; the
mollahs went among the crowd adding
fire to the mutiny. All the shops were
Immediately closed.
The people began to declare that
their leader should not leave. They
started for the kings palace armed
with stones and other weapons. They
forced their way through the outer
gate. Here they were met by a lieu
tenant at the head of some troops, who
tried to address them.
II desire to say few words to you,"
he began.
"We will not hear you," shouted
back the leader of the mob; 1--WE are
going to kill the shah. He has sold his
country to foreigners"
The soldiers were ordered to fire; but
they reversed their guns. Then the
regiment of the shah's son was hurried
up and opened fire. Among the people
killed were two ''green-tur baned men,"
or descendants of the prophet.
But although the royal guards dis
persed the mob, the people at last pre-
vailed. A congress of the mollahs as
embled, and in the name of the people
made three large demands. They said
to the king:
'Pay an indemnity to the families of
those whom your soldiers killed at the
palace gate.
gagged in the revolt.
abolish the foreign tobacco monop-
oily"
The shah gave way and granted
everything.
Thus Persia, to her own surprise,
finds she has something like a parlia-
ment in her mollahs, who can speak
for the people The mollahs are sim
ply priests, but they are independent
of the government.
These men have been arousing the
people. After the revolt they came to-
eether In an organized body of their
own will, and made demands for she
people. 1t was rude parliament; but
it was as effectual as that of the barons
who wrung England's magma charta
from King John. The occasion was
only hateful foreign monopoly of to-
bacco; but one of the occasions of the
American revolution was foreign mo-
nopoly OF tea.
OF course it would not be true to rep
hot hoe
really laying the foundation of liberty,
or to assert that the Persian people are
against a despotism. AT
present the incidents are more curious
than important Yet they may lead to
great results hereafter.-Youth's Com
panion.