The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-17
THE SHAFTS ASSASSINATION.
Caases That Brought About the M1rdse
of the Persian Sovereign

of the Persian Sovereign
The assassination of Nasr-ed-Din,
shah Of Persia, although doubtless caus-
Ing feeling of unpleasant surprise 20
| Englishmen generally, was not entirely
unexpected by those who knew the
country and its people intimately.
| While writing have before me letter
from q well-known resident Of Teheran
In which a forecast of possible political
trouble is given: 'sThe price Of corn is
going up by leaps and bounds, and much
misery prevails among the poor. In the
| bazars complaints are loud against the
government; and, bearing in view the
fanaticism of the people, / should not be
surprised if religious disturbance re-
suited, aimed both against the palace
and the hated 'ferenghi.' The assas-
sination of Nasr-ed-Din is doubtless the
outcome of the misery prevailing among
she populace; the head of the state be-
ing, in the eyes of q Mohamme<lan peo-
pile, the fitting object of attack when
general misery prevails. I. Is unlikely,
however, that any movement against
the foreign population win result, since
nowhere is there that bitterness OF feel
ing that prevails on the occasion Of the
famous tobacco riots, and even on that
occasion the military remained uncor-
ruPted-
For long time past the shah had
been taking liberties with the dangers
that threatened him 1t is always diff
tcult 20 gauge a sovereign's popularity
in q country where the mention of the
royA name suHces TO produce swo
among q superstftious peasantry. But
in Teh<ran and some of the larger town
it Is certain that the actions of the'rDe-
fender of the Faith" had given cause
90 Europe, the reforms Instituted nj
home, especially the Europanizing of
the capital and the introduction of I'm
provements, have one and all been
causes Of deep resentment 20 the more
powerful "nollahs," and consequently
to the populace. The riots that have
resulted, such a. the outbreak on the
Shah Abdu1-Asin railway, the tramway
tmbroglio, and the tobacco riots, have
all been expressions Of this resentment;
and to-day the ''mollahs" are as active
as ever in their denunciation of the
Europeanizing Of the native dress and
the introduction of western fashions.
On every occasion, largely through the
infuence of Russia, the shah has been
on the side of reform and against the
religious teachiDga and the result IN
doubtedly has been a general feeling OF
dissatisfaction
But the immediate cause Of this out
iy others are implicated besides tha
Said Reza, whose fate one shuddeys TO
contemplate was undoubtedly tho
scarcity of provisions Two eauss OF
this scarcity ere the legal exports Of
corn and the great increase of the cop
per coinage. It Is q very serious offense
against the laws of Persia 10 export
grain; YET annually large amounts SUI
repttiously cross the Russian frontiers,
and, in fact, the Russian dealers, pro-
tested by their government, practically
buy up the corn Of the eastern and
northwestern provinces before IL Ia
grown.
The second cause of the disaster ID
the large increase of the copper coinage.
Unless one las lived IN Persia this doe
not az first sight appeal 20 Us very
strongly. In the capital. however. 1t Ia
avery serious matter. The silver ''kran"
is there OF good quality and weight.
The copper metal is very cheap. and tho
mint makes a huge profit by coming
copper for use in the bazsrs. when Sta
real value is much below the nominal
The result Is that the poor are paid IN
copper of nominal value. aud discover
that its purchasing powers are eozs;d-
ersbly below nominal. Dread has been
rising in price for months past. and the
sopulace have found it increasingly
difficult 20 exist. The general disOon-
Fent has afforded a splendid field for
7 patriotic" agitators. and the result is
that the reforming shah" has paid the
penalty.-Cor. St. James Gazette.