The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-17

conversation in 1895 ne began his remarks
by a joke and ended them with a most
important political question as to who
would be my successor. l, having already
committed myself in a joke, could not re-
fuse TO give my views on the matter more
fully than L originally intended. Luckily,
however, the conversation took place in a
small private room where there were not
more than two or three persons present to
hear what L said, and, therefore, mischief
could not be made by repeating gossip
abroad"
HABIBULLAH'S POWERS AS PRINCE.
At that time the heir to the throne had
been actually in training for pretty nearly
fifteen years and was exercising all the
functions of government except interior
ence with foreign relations. He has been
spoken of by those who have had an OPP
portunity of knowing him personally as a
sort of replica of his father on a some
what reduced scale, physically and men
tally, and whether, in spite of the precau-
tions of his father and his very elaborate
and protracted experience, he will have
formed character enough to keep down all
rivalry is a question which only time can
answer. Those who may be supposed to
have the best opportunity of knowing seem
to be the least confident. Certainly his ex-
per1ence in the government OF the AfghanS
is second only to that OF the Ameer who
has just gone.
AT the commencement 1 gave nay eldest
son." said the deceased, very little work.
but gradually added to his duties, and also
to his dignity, as he advanced in years and
experience, placing many matters connect
ed with the administration of my kingdom
under his care. = . = 1 have appointed
my second son, his own brother. head Of
the Accountant Generals and Revenue Of
fees, under his eldest brothers orders. My
other son will be appointed to various Of
fetal posts, also under the orders Of their
eldest brother. The heads of every depart
ment, whether civil or military, send in
their dispatches and reports Of work done
TO my eldest son. They also attend durbar
with the same ceremony and state hat is
observed at my own. Every official is in
structed to look on my son as the person
whose commands must be obeyed. In adj
dition 10 this, since 1897 / have given my
son authority over the state treasury and
excheQuer, which until then had been en-
tIrely under my own control. All orders
for treasury payments are issued by my
son. He has also authority TO appoint or
dismiss government officials, whether civil
or military, and he may increase or de-
crease their salaries. This authority. be it
understood, is not quite absolute. Every
thing Is subject to my approval, but he eX-
ercises his powers in such a way that the
people are taught TO look upon him as
fully empowered by me to act. He is also
the supreme court or appeal; he is above
all the ecclesiastical courts. the revenue
and commercial courts. There is no court
over him, with the exception OF my own
Jul bAAH
Clearly there was not much fear Of Prov
idence making an injudicious selection. or
of the popular choice going very far wrong,
and If there had seemed 10 be any risk
still remaining Abdur Rahman had taken
every preventive against even that by jul
d1ciously picking out suitable sweethearts
for the young man. That Habibullah is
married need hardly be said; indeed, that
way of putting it very i~nadequately rep
resents the fact. He is very much married,
indeed. First the cOnsiderate father found
a wife for him in the daughter Of the
senior general OF the Kabul forces, thus
making things right with the army at
headquarters. Next. in the daughter of
Kaza Syed-ud-Din Khan, the military of
icer in charge OF Herat. This lady is also
the granddaughter OF the head of the
Churh of Afghanistan-or sort of Afghan
archbishop OF Canterbury. And so on
from time to time the careful father found
some other direction in which a little adj
ditional security might be obtained. and
Habibulah Is, we believe. the proud hus-
band OF seven. If not eight, wives carefully
picked from the most influential families
in Afghanistan. Very much the same has
been done for his brothers. though the
choice for them has been among the less
important OF the frst-class families All
this says much for the liberality OF the
late Ameer. because not only had the sons