Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-10
NEW. SHAH OF PERSIA
Mohan1med Ali Mira to Be
Crowned on February 2.
DISTURBANCES NOT FEARED
Ruler Already Installed as Regent
Had Power in Hand.
HE Is A TURK BY DESCENT
Has Shown Strong Character and
49, Progressive Tastes-Managed
Warlike Tribes Well.
DISTURBANCES NOT FEARED
HE IS A TURK BY DESCENT
Has Shown Strong Character ant

TEH E.RAN, January 10.-Mohammed All
Mira was proclaimed Shah of Persia and
king of kings by the grand vizier yesterday
morning in the presence Of all the princes
and high iighitaries Of state.
One by one his brothers and uncles form
ally acknowledged him their lawful ruler
and took the oath' II allegiance. The princes
of the blood royal were followed by the
governors of the various provinces and the
rninist ers.~' 4-T'> 49,
The ceremony of enthronizaton has been
fixed for the Chadir festival-the festival of
the lalse--wlrich VIII be celebrated on Feb
ruary p
Today the members of the diplomatic
corps in JFeheran were received by the
grand vizer for the purpose OF conveying
the condolences of their respective gov
ernments on the death Of Muzaffer- Ed-Din,
and on Sunday they will be received by the
new shah, whom they will congratulate
upon his accession to the throne.
Up to yesterday no disturbance Of any
kind had been reported and the ceremonies
in connection with the funeral and inter-
ment of the late shah were proceeding In
the customary manner.
-...' Installed as Regent.
This is attributed. to the fact that the
new shah was already installed as regent
and had taken up all the duties of the
ruler of the country. 70
Heretofore successors to the throne have
remained in distant provinces until officially
installed. thus leaving a virtual interreg
mum Of about three months during which
the provincial governors and other officials
enriched themselves, thereby creating great
popular discomfort
If precedent is followed, the body OF
Muzaffer- Ed-Din will lie in state for eight
or ten days in the splendid hall OF the
royal palace, and during all that time
crowds of priests will surround the cata-
falque chanting prayers from the Koran.
The public will be allowed to pay a last
tribute to the dead monarch by filing past
his coffin
The body of the Shah will be buried in the
Abdul Aziz mosque. five miles outside the
city of Teheran, where for centuries the
shahs of Persia have been buried. The
funeral procession will be attended by the
usual military display
Faces Difficult Task.
Mohammed Ali Mira, who succeeds to
the, throne, of rubes as Mohammed SAM
Shah, is not a Persian. He is a Turk by
descent and the sixth of the Kajar dynasty,
which conquered. the country in 1894 and
whose princes are renowned throughout
the east for their cunning
But whatever of diplomacy he may have
inherited from his ancestors will be needed
to cope successfully with the many and
difficult problems that confront him.
At home a long period of growing I'M
rest led his father to grant his subjects
some share in the government of the coun-
try by means of a national assembly, and
the peoples first steps in the path of con-
stitutional government have caused re-
action among many of the more influential
princes and dignitaries, who would already
withdraw many of the, privileges so recent
ly accorded.
The. finances OF the country are in an i'm
povershed condition, and the abrupt aboi-
ton of the old system of tax collecting has
necessitated recourse to England and Rus
STA for a loan to tide over the present
period of reorganization
Persia Buffer State.
THEN there is the 'evet-growng shuttle OF
European governments to strengthen their
positions in Persia-a buffer formed by ma
ture between, Engiand's~ Indian empire and
Russas Asiatic possessions. Again Ger
many has recently showed commercial &C
tvity, along the Persian gulf. and the new
ruler will not De lacking in powerful
friends. all willing to extend their protec-
ton at the expense of their neighbours in
iuence.
Until quite recently the struggle over
Persia confined mainly to Russia and
Great Britain, the latter seeking to restore
her former prestige. The Japanese war
SO" weakened Russa-.that her hold upon
Persia somewhat relaxed.
British policy rhereapon sought to join
interest with Russia instead of antogoniZ-
ing her. AS a result, a fl Anglo Russian I'M
Outstanding has recently been negotiated,
and the announcement of its terms is con-
sidered imminent.
Shah Mohammed SAM as crown prince
always avoided displaying any preference
for either England or Russia. He re-
ceived an excellent education. first under a
French tutor in Teheran, then in Europe.
and has travelled extensively in England,
France, Germany and Russia.
A Firm and Good Ruler
AS governor general Of Aver. -ijan prov
ince. he has shown strong character and
progressive tastes. and for several years
has kept a number of warlike tribes in
order, ruling firmly but well. His manner
is kindly and courteous. and he is greatly
loved by the more enlightened Persians,
who have great hopes that his progressive
tendencies will lead to many much needed
reforms. .e, Ia.
Although, all true Turks a faithful
follower of the. prophet, Shah Mohammed
SAM always protected those of his fathers
subjects who have embraced Christianity.
Only few years ago he averted a mas
sacre of Persian Christians whose adher-
ence to the rites of the Greek Church had
aroused the anger of the Persian priests.
He it was also who recently obtained
for the United States government an in
demnty of $4,000 in gold for the wife of
the Rev. Ben W. Labary, Protestant
missionary. who had been assassinated in
1