The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-11
DOOM OF THE DESPOT
ABSOLUTE MoNARcHs ALMOST GER
TAIN TO BE AssAssINATED.
The Work Of the Dagger, Cord and
STA and the Sultans of Turkey.

dSodSolAAdLlOiis
fectly true as applied to the great empire
of the north, is equally so, as shown by the
unceremonious removed OF the Shah OF Per-
STA the other day. when used with reference
to any one of the Oriental monarchies.
In the Orient desDotism of the most abso-
lutte and exaggerated character has always
thrived. Favored by the ignorance Of the
people and their superstitious reverence for
authority, the Oriental despot rules with an
absoiuteness unknown elsewhere on the
planet According to the theory of govern
ment as universally received in Oriental
countries, the king Is the absolute proprietor
of his people and all they have. When ne
Is in want OF money he may take part of
what they have, and they are supposed to
consider themselves very thankful that the
rest Is left TO their use, Tor If he needed the
whole he would take it with as little scruple
as he showed In appropriating a portion.
II he needs their sons for soldiers or their
daughters for his harem as wives or slaves
he takes them. If he is bloodthirsty and de-
mands the heads of his people, Off go their
heads. 1t Is only natural that the exercise
OF such absolute power should make such
kings frightfully savage, and ID it does A
despot like the late Shah of Persia shows
no more conjunction at taking human life
than another man would display at taking
the life of a rabbit, and it is altogether prob
able that the exercise OF supreme authority
so perverts the moral sensibilities that the
despots or the Orient really believe them
selves in the right when taking a bloodthirsty
revenge for trivial offense. Accustomed
to a vast difference between themselves and
all other men. they come to regard them
selves as earthly gods. whose hand none
can stay.
1t is altogether probable that the blood
thirstiness OF the Oriental is increased by
the fact that the people OF Eastern coun-
tries seem to have no nerves. The sight OF
suffering makes no impression on them.
They endure physical torture without sign
full torments they often completely conceal
all evidences Of suffering. Layard saw an
th raD roper b' 1mapaea with STAKE ariven
cial favor, for pipe, and when IL was lighted
and presented to him smoked IL with ap-
sian being fiayed alive for some offense, and
when a tumult broke out among the specta-
tors or the grewsome show and one smote
another on the nose, drawing blood, the dy
ing man was observed to laugh at the Incl
dent. Greene tells of Chinese malefactor,
condemned to death, who petitioned TO be
men who were to be beheaded a week pre-
vious to his date. His request was
granted; he witnessed the show with every
mark OF interest, made remarks indicating
establishment at the amount of blood that
flowed from each victim and picked up one
of the heads and examined the neck with
curiosity to see, as he expressed IL, how his
own neck would look a week hence. 1t is.
of course, possible that the ruthless shedding
of blood by their rulers may have something
to do with the utter disregard for human
life in the East, but aside from this educa-
ton in savagery there seems to be some
thing in the Oriental nature that makes men
indifferent to suffering, whether their own
or that of another. Place a merciless man
on the throne of people to whom the TAX
small wonder can be felt If he misuses his
power and murders by caprice in sheer wan
tonness, without special malice, but simply
to show that he is the king.
SOVEREIGN REMEDY.
But there is one remedy for despotism
which, sooner or later, Is applied in the
case of every tyrant. for even in the East
the love Of life is strong. the prompting of
revenge is powerful and either is sufficient
to make fearless men as ready to take the
life of the king as he to take their lives.
So 1t has often happened that the lives of
the despots of the East have been ended
by men VINO found themselves on his death
roll, marked for slaughter, or by men
whose friends or relatives had been cause
lessly put to death. Even mo- potent are
the intrigues within the palaces and har-
ems of Eastern potentates Where wives
are numbered by the dozen and children by
the toe, score the family tie Is almost wholly
parents. Rivalries among three four
sons OF different mothers and of nearly the
same age are almost certain to spring up,
and numerous instances nave been known
OF royal fathers of Persia, Turkey and In
dia being murdered by their sons. The
contrary has even more frequently been
seen. and it has sometimes happened that
a Persian King, ascertaining that con-
spiracy existed among his sons put them
all to death to make sure of the punish
ment of the guilty. Under civilized condi-
tions such crimes would be impossible,
but, 1T should not be forgotten that the
leading states of southern and eastern
Asia are not civilized. The late Shah of
Persia was savage, pure and simple; his
son; who has just snsceeded to the throne.
much savage as the King OF Dahomey;
the Ameer of Afghanistan has no more civ
have; the Emperors of Siam and China are
In the same state OF blood thirsty barbar-
ism as the rulers OF Rome In the days of
is the only resource left to their people.
and the frequency with which 1t is en-
ployed shows how clearly the fact is under
OF the Shahs of Persia since 1902 over one
ha.f have been either murdered outright or
nave oie9 under circumstances so suspicious
as 10 point TO poison or other means of Sc
cret assassination. In general their tenure
or the throne was short. the late Shah hav-
reign of forty-eght years stands almost
alone In the annals OF the kingdom. In Per-
s,a. especially. the fact attracted attention,
and his escape from several previous at
tempts to take his life was ascribed, accord
ing to tho various views and intelligence of
those who speoulated on the matter, TO a
magic amulet he always WORE TO the direct
protection OF Allah, to the intercession OF
the Prophet Mohammed and the Angel Ca
briel. or TO the favor Of the evil one who
II was charged by some. enabled him to
iengthen his days, in order that his cup of
iniquity might be completely filled ere he
was gathered to his fathers. OF his prede-
cessors, one was shot, one was deposed and
Deneaded In prison, one was depOSed and
strangled in his bedroom. one was found in
stab wounds In various parts OF his body,
one died in the prison where he had been
placed by his son, who usurped the throne,
one was found dead In bed in his harem
with certain marks on his throat that looked
as though they had been made by a bow
circumstances or his death, but his successor,
probably to prevent a repetition OF such an
accident, cleared out the harem by strang-
ling all its inmates and started his reign
with new lot OF wives. Besides these,
seven or eight other Shahs died suddenly
could prove that poison was the cause, their
| successors contented themselves with be-
| heading a few people on suspicion, and
| piously declared that Allah had gathered
| the deceased monarchs to his bosom because
| they were too good for earth.
TURKEYS SULTANS
| To borrow an expression used by the
French historian. the people OF Turkey have
had very bad luck with their Sultans, these
royal personages dropping off without the
| least notice or ceremony. In no country on
| the globe is the business OF a reigning SOW
- 49,. T..