The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-04

that part OF Northern Persia subjugated
| by Russia early in the century have not
| only remained there, but have been ap-
| parently contented. That fact has had
| its influence on the Persians. Their mod
ern army. such as it is. has also besn
| drilled by Russian officers. and has thus
| become used to being under Russian com
mand. The more intelligent officials and
mobiles, many of whom have been in
Europe and in st. Petersburg and speak
French fuently, have long felt that it was
! simply question of time when they would
come under Russian dominion.
Russia is land of progress, or at least
! is becoming a land greatly imbued with
the Western notions of progress Ameri-
ca of all other nations taught her toe
lesson. The Cars Empire is being COW
cred by network of railways Persia will
undoubtedly follow in this line OF ad-
vancement. That will be the making of
Persia, as it has been of every other nation.
The practical affairs Of life will drive cut
the poetry OF the East, even as the nue.
chanical age has driven away the pastoral
glory of centuries gone by.
In the meantime, however, there are
many things TO happen.
Russia's triumph in persia, as former
Minister Benjamin says, may have a set
back. II England should win in South
Africa, Russia might temporize and defer
her ultimate triumph. Make haste slowly
IS not new motto of the Gar Russia
viii not put her foot down without long
deliberation, but when she does, recession
Is not a word in her national vocabulary.
What may be the effects of the recent prac-
teal accession to power in Persia cannot
be definitely stated, but with the Persian
Gulf in her hands and a littoral reaching
almost TO India, Russia would bisect the
DasSa 70 het JNpen Suez and India - saws Mr.
Benjamin.
Under altered modern conditions Eng
land has become Obliged to depend chiefly
on the canal for quick transit to her East
ern possessions. and the real reason why
England has seized Egypt-foT it amounts
to that's to control Suez and to have
ports south and independent of it, such as
Suakim, in order to communicate with In
dia: this reason has also made il of the
last Importance to her that Russian fleets
should not be able to come down from the
Black Sea to threaten Suez. She was JUS
tilted in this policy under the higher law
that preservation is the right of ia
lions as well as OF individuals.
But what comes of this effort to pro-
tect Suez if Russia can bisect the road
from Suez TO Bombay and send out fleet
cruisers to destroy English merchant
ships after they have passed Suez safely?
To prevent this England would have to
maintain vast fleets along the Russo-Per-
sian coasts, and would still not feel safe;
while the railways would bring down ar
mics that could cooperate with the fleets
of Russia by approaching India where the
mountain passes are less severe than in
the north, and England between the two
would find herself drawing on her own re-
sources"
AT any rate. Russia has entered wedge
in the Orient that will be driven to a di-
vision of the maps of empires To the
first decade Of the new century belongs
the task of settling problems such as the
world never faced before.
LAS Russia gains the Christian powers
besides England will be forced TO look
sharply after their own commercial and
territorial interests in Asiatic quarters.
Nor will the United States, SO confiding
in the oft-reiterated friendship of Russia
find that friendship Of any avail then. 1t
holds good on the part of Russia only so
long as American interests do not clash
with hers or so long as we are alert and
powerful enough to maintain our rights
and demands - '-rS
Referring to the actual assimilation Of
Persia there are few students of topo-