Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-17

oriental countries. as In the South Ameri-
can republics is the desire TO control the
revenues. and the Persian parliament
would not vote appropriations for the
shah's extravagances and grant conces-
sions to his favorites- If the custom
houses. the tax collections and the dis
bursement of public funds were intruSted
10 foreign committees, As in Santo %
mingo. there would Toe no revolutions in
Central and South America, and Persia
would have peace.
In Russia the ear changed the election
laws until he had excluded from the duma
all revolutionary disturbcrs NJ pca"" and
order. aud the shah might have don" tie
same. but hc Is Young. impetuons. mex
perienc"d and uncompromising. and made
tth" mistake Of quarlelins with hls par
Lament.
Parliament Was Incompetent.
The members OF parliament lacked cy-
perience as well as wisdom: not one ~
them had ever been member OF a par
liamentary body: not one of them had
ever seen parliamentary body in session.
and very few OF them had the slightest
conception of constitutional govern
ment. For those reasons the Persian par
lament responsible for Its own fate.
and by demonstrating its incapacity and
its insincerity. When II was invested
with share OF the responsibility for the
government ii proceeded TO abuse ii I'm the
with the administration of justice. ii re
fused to prosecute or even eXpel its own
members who had been caught red
handed in the manufacture of bombs and
in attempts to assassinate their sovereign
and his ministers. The parliament was
in session for eVeral weeks. and. like the
first duma In Russia, did nothing but de
nounce the government and Wrangle
among its own members No business was
transacted: no laws were passed: no leg
taken.
most important issues were ignored and
the time was occupied in the recital of &.
personal grievances. by attacks upon the
ministers and by speeches that were in
suting and undisniiied. The members
acted like a pack of school children bait
ing their teachers. rather than serious
men assisting in the Responsibilities OF
the government and the leaders of the
liberal party were unable TO control their
followers in any manner.
Sanctuary Was Violated.
Therefore the shah dispersed the PAR
lament by force. and when it's members
fled TO the mosques for protection he vio-
lated that sanctuary. which has always
been recognized in oriental countries when
offenders chung to the horns" of the
altar Not only were the mosques pro-
famed by the invasion of soldiers. but
shots were fired within the sanctuaries,
and guns were trained upon them. Two
aged and sainted priests who resisted
such sacrilege were assaulted. arrested
and thrown into prison.
These offenseS against the church can
never he forgiven or condoned. No atone
ment is possible for any OF the acts ne
has committed against the church. ard
while he may struggle for a time against
the inevitable and seek the protection II
his palace walls and COssaCk guards, his
fate is written i'm the stars, and 1t is only
a question of time-and d few months at
that-when his brief reign will be abruptly
terminated.
Appeal of National Party.
The Department OF State has just re-
ceved from w. +. Doty the American
consul at Tabriz. a translation of an ap-
peal addressed by the committee of the
national party to the civilized world. 1t
begins:
"Oh. We cherishers of civilization. and
We of ha able earth who love justice.
1t then proceeds TO declare that all races
and all religions are from the same fouil-
tain and seek the same justice and tru'll.
IF the truth be on our side. comp'i
your governmental representatives 10 eN-
tend to us a helping hand. at least not To
act like. Jacob by dra wing us by the heels.
and command your correspondents anu
publishers to write the truth as TO events
and not to say that the helpless Persian
after having become aware OF ms cNh
rights has no right TO demand them.
among governments and nations il is
accepted that the unapproachable person
of the sovereign is sacred: that he ~ SIN
less and that no one must speak Without
of the person of the KING. Inc
law OF Islam commands obedience To God.
to the apostles and to the sovereign ana
this obligation. moreover. IS evident from
the royal titles one OF Whlcn Is tue
shadow Of God But if the king should
conduct himself contrary To divine crdi-
nances with his subjects and become mn
plicated in transgression and SIN. could ne
still. before God and man. remain i'm IN"
unapDroa chable position or the apostles
and the prophets:
Scathing Arrangement of Shah.
we have come now to the question
of our ruler How many mortal sins
are required to deprive the shah Of
his sanctity? If he scatters to the wind
the good name and honor of his coun-
fry: if he spends the MoSiem revenues
to crafty his own carnai lusts; If lie
gives salaries and pensions to the be
trayers Of the nation: If he Imprlsohs
and strips the faithful and honest ones
of the people: if lie elevates the enc
mics of religion: if he delivers the army
of Islam over to the deSpotlSm ol ms
ignoble court: if he does not respect
the divine commandments: if he pro-
fanes the mosques and places of wor-
ship: if he accuses the defenders OF
iustice and ferociously puts them 10
death: VI he conSiSnS thc dHdHS VI
state To the vilest Al ruffians; II ne
gives the inhabitants of numerous
cities over TO indscriminatc massacre
and pillaec: if he puts To death the pro
motors of peace: if he destroys the
house of parliament and houses Of wor-
shin. if he impriSonS and Stays with fe-
rority the descendants of Mohamned;
IL he causes innocent children 10 he
,r,mpIed to death beneath the hootS
of Tho horses Of the Russian CosSackS;
If he makes the covenant with nations.
then oDposes its execution. and then
second time asks a pardon Tor me
.ransoression and coniirmS his own
vows in Gods presence upon the Koran.
Ind .siyes his own royal assurance that
il, case he continues to violate his oath
he should be deprived of throne and
crown: if he subjects his people Ia
thousand dishonors. should they stiil
consider the person of such a soVer-
eign sacred:
Has not the time arrived when we
should clear away from the exalted pc
sitjon of the king the impedimenta OF
the dishonorable and the iSnoble. OF
whatever race or kind they may be. ana
again place the responsibility IN thc
rare Of the righteous functlonaries al
the land and the responsible counsel
1rs of state and that Ue should loosen
the rapacious hand Of the corrupt
.ler-v and per:idious officials from the
person and property of the unfortunate