Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-12
REFORMS WILL GO ON.
Shah's Death Will Not Stop
Changes in Persia.
WILL HAVE CONSTITUTION
New Parliament Probably at Work on
It Now.
ELECTED FOR TWO YEARS
Present Ruler Placed on the Throne by
- the Exertions of Russian Sol
dier, Gen. Kosagowsky.
ELECTED FOR TWO YEARS
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

Herald.
Gen. Morteza Khan, the Persian minis
ter, tells me that the political situation in
his country will not be changed and that
the reforms which are now going on will
not be interrupted by the death of the shah,
because his successor, Mohammed Ali
Mira, will follow his fathers example and
continue his policy. Persia, like Russia
and Turkey, has been an absolute despot-
ism. The shah, who is officially known as
"shahinshah," has been an absolute ruler
within his dominions and master of the
lives and property of all his subjects. The
entire revenue of the country has been his
personal income, although it has been ex-
pected that he would pay the bills of the
government. All laws are based upon the
precepts of the Koran and the accepted
doctrines of Islam as laid down in the sa-
cred book of the prophet and interpreted
by the priests,
Nevertheless, yielding to the pressure of
his ministers and other influential men, in
January last the shah granted his people
a share in the government and proclaimed
decree providing for a parliament which
will frame a constitution for the kingdom
and will meet annually hereafter for the
purpose Of revising old laws and edicts and
enact1ng new ones as they may be re-
quired The powers and functions of the
parliament have not yet been defined ex-
cept in the most general terms, and they
will be fixed by the constitution, or "funda-
mental law" as they call it, to be here
after framed and adopted. The parliament
will fix its own compensation; it will reor-
ganize the government and provide for im-
portant reforms in the administration. At
present the government Is conducted by
grand viZier, or prime minister, a minister
OF the interior, a minister of finance,
minister of war, minister Of justice.
minister of commerce, industry and instruc-
a mi m nf of OH md NJ hor
officials who are appointed by the shah and
are responsible to him. They are his
agents in carrying out his autocratic will
and are responsible to him only. An at
tempt will be made to make them respon-
sible to the parliament.
There is a similar movement in Japan
and in Russia, where the ministry is
sponsible to the sovereign and not to the
representatives of the people, as in Great
Britain, but it is scarcely possible that Per-
STA will take advanced step. 1t will
be tremendous leap from an autocratic
despotism to constitutional form of gov
eminent and probably that is much as
the people are prepared for.
The world Is moving very rapidly. Rus
STA has been given constitution and
parliament; Persia has been given a par
Lament which will frame a constitution.
and China has been promised a parliament
and constitution, which is now being
framed by commission. All this has oc-
Cured IN the year of our Lord 1905, which
will be ever memorable for having seen the
Transformation of three autocracies into
representative governments. ----t
It is d i Ia, even to imagine popular
nation of MuZaffar-ed-Din, all Persians of
the male sex able to read and write be-
tween the ages of thirty and seventy, who
have never been convicted Of crime, are
entitled to vote for members of the cham
Der Of deputies. There are twelve assem-
bly, districts, each entitled to from six to
nil OF tot yaS oh xl,n
province in which the capital is located, is
separate district and is entitled to sixty
deputies, making total Of 156. In Tehe-
ran the people are so much farther adj
vanced In education that the number of
voters Is nearly equal to one-half of those
in all the other provinces combined
The first election was held in July by Sc
cret ballot, the votes being inclosed in seal
ed envelopes, and almost every citizen took
advantage of the privilege. In every re-
spect the election was great success and
vindication of the ability of the people
to share in the government.
The members of parliament are elected
for two years. They enjoy personal In
volatility and cannot be held responsible
for their writings or speeches except by
the assembly itself, which has the right
to try and to punish its own members if
they offend against the public order or vio-
late the precepts of the Koran. The shah
himself is the presiding officer and will
be assisted by two vice presidents, who
will alternate in the performance of the
duties of the office, as it is not PRACTICAL Bile
for his majesty to attend the session regu-
larry. -
The New Parliament
The new parliament met on the 7th of Oc-
tober, 1906, with a great deal of ceremony,
and was welcomed by his majesty, Muzaf-
far-ed-Din, who presided over the first ses-
sioQ. The assembly then took a recess
until members from the distant provinces
had arrived. 1t is probably at work now
preparing constitution, but no informa-
ton has been received at the Persian Legal
ton in this city or by the Department of
State since the opening session. Gen. Nor
tea says that public sentiment demands a
liberal constitution, but he has no Informal
ton as to what its provisions may be. The
parliament will undoubtedly reserve for it.
self the control of the finances of the coun-
try and the power to grant concessions
and special privileges for those subjects
have been the cause of the greatest amount
of agitation and controversy, and the ex-
travagance of the shah has created uniYer-
sal dissatisfaction. Otherwise he has been
very satisfactory sovereign.
Muzaffar-ed-Din, the present SHAH was
placed upo nthe throne May /. 1896, by Gen.
kosagowsky, Russian soldier, who was
employed by his father, Nasr-ed-Din, to
reorganize the army. There was an elder
brother, MaSud-Mirza, who was not law
fully entitled to the throne, for his mother
was not of royal birth. When he learned
of his fathers assassination Masud-Alrza
was governor of half a dozen provinces of
southern Persia, ruling with vigor and en-
ergy and showing himself to be man
of ability, honesty and progressive tenden-
cies.- Whatever may have been his earlier
ambition, he accepted the situation without
protest, and telegraphed his younger
brother. Muzaffar-ed-Din. assuring him of
his loyalty and holding himself personally
responsible for the support of his prov
inces. $50 lse4is s5#agss-... - -
Valentine Chirol, the correspondent of the
London Times In Persia. Saws: .ssThe shah