Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-04
EAGER FOR LIBERTY
Great Change in the Spirit OF
the PerSianS.
NOW RESIST THE SHAH
Supporting the Constitutional Par
lament.
MONARCH HAS FEW FRIENDS
Power of the Mullahs Lessened.
People Are Grasping Re
ligious Freedom.
MONARCH HAS FEW FRIENDS
BY WILLIAM f.. RTIS.

BY WILLIAM f.. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
NEW YORK, May > 1905
A gentleman who has just returned
from Persia gives me some very intcr-
eSting information concerning political af-
fairs in that country. and he says that
the recent attempt TO assassinate the
young shah was purely fictitious. IheFe
was no intention of killing him when the
bombs were thrown at his automobile
Everybody in Teheran knows that the
custom of his majesty is not TO enter his
automobile until hel is outside of the city
gates and as usual. he was riding in
a carriage behind it from the palace 10
the gate The conspirators were con-
WINGED that he was intending To leave
the city for his fortified palace three
miles away, where he could carry on his
ihtrigues against the parliament secretly
and safely. In order To prevent this they
decided to brighten him back to his palace
In the city and threw the bombs to de-
stroy his automobile. which was empty.
except for the chauffeur.
The shah is not prepared by training
o. by education to appreciate the reforms
which the liberal party have so ABLY
planned for the benefit of the people.
continued my Persian friend nor isl he
willing to give his subjects the liberty
and independence that these reforms in
volve. He is typical oriental and VIII
resist to the last ditch the adoption OF
western ideas and methods in Persia
He is not an able man. but is eXertnS
all the ability he possesses III plotting
and intriguing TO prevent the realization
OF constitutional government. which has
already been adopted and which will be
r1f.A lar for no d.
ers of the liberal movement are able
and determined men. If the majles-as
the parliament is called-knew of any
one they could trust as regent they would
very promptly get rid of his majesty and
proclaim his little son as shah But as
there is no one in sympathy with them
who could he relied upon to encourage
the liberal movement DIS regent they pre-
fe: Mohammed Ali Mira, with his medi-
Ger. ability, to another man with more
brains who might be able to resist them
with better success. But he will not
be tolerated loNg Last August. when
the brother of the assassin was assigned
10 the duty of killing the shah at the
same moment. But. for the reasons
have described. the order was counter
manded and the shah was spared. How
ever, if he does not change his conduct
and abandon his feeble efforts to pre-
vent constitutional government, 1t viii
undoubtedly cost him his life
The Double Dealing Shah.
MISUNDERSTANDING the fact that on the
last day of Ramazan, November II, he
took oath on the Koran TO uphold the con-
stitution, he is now using every force at
his command to overthrow the males
: .(parliament), the only power which the
people have to rely The shah is as
sisted in his endeavors by part of the
Moslem preachers for the very obvious
1<-t I,nfr l,f.l1
on the people because of the constitution
and the influence of the rat1OnaliStS and
the better educated Moslems in the males.
Although all of the acts of the males are
done In the name of Mohammed and the
Koran. yet secretly a large part o. the
members have small regard for either
and are gradually forcing out the mullahs
and their fanatical ideas The shah has
gathered around him some three or four
hundred ignorant fanatcal ruffians. and
has fed and paid them to raise confusion
in the city and bring down public con-
demnation on the MALES This ignorant
rabble is daily harangued by the mullahs.
The shah mistook the disposition o. his
people. however. Instead o. fiocking
around him and allowing themselves to be
led by the mullahs the intelligent classes
are either staying quietly and safely at
home or else are taking their guns in hand
and going over 10 the defense of the
males. The members of the males are
apparently undismayed- They are said TO
have back of them some 14.oJO guns and
nearly 10 0O0 volunteers The shah Is sure
of no one. except a tew hundreds who are
dependent upon him for living
Supporters of Parliament.
The contrast between the two classes
of people is'marked and shows which side
must win in the end. Those supporting
the shah are rough-looking lot, igno-
rant. fanatcal. ready to shoSt for the
x-i,p he ire
petty farmers or villagers from the shahs
own lands and are compelled to stand up
or their master. All around the square
are drawn up Cossacks and other soldiers
ready TO qUell them if they should start
serious riot. On the other hand, in and
around the parliament house. are gath
cred for the most part the intelligent,
sober. thinking men of the city The
males is remaining calm and peaceful,
finding it unnecessary to do anything but
wait while the good citizens come to them
and the shah gets tangled I'D III his own
devices To be sure. they have armed men
all over the roofs and walls nearby. but
these make no trouble and there only
To- protect the males in case its enemies
should attempt to use force against H.
The shah must lose in the end. He has
neither brains nor power enough to take
away from the people the liberties which
they already have obtained We hear that
the present trouble is simply his attempt
to carry out a plan laid by the late prime
minister. who was asSasSinated August
n. How well he succeeds remains to he
seen. The Persians are very proud of the
fact that the present revolution has been
brought about without bloodshed, ana il
certainly speaks we'll for their wisdom
and self-control
The American school at Teheran has
had a great deal OF influence in bringing
about reforms and constitutional liberty
in Persia. Several of the leaders Of The
liberal movement are graduates. One of
the students is a secretary III the Office
of foreign affairs. His father and uncle
were recently banishcd by the shah for
the act We part they had taken in the par
lament Even the undergraduates are
taking a lively interest i'm the liberal
movement. and are carrying guns as
guards To protect the males. The Ameri-
can school has the pick of the young men
O: Persia its students. and they are
being trained by American teachers in
american methods and ideals for their
part in making the future history of
Persia.
Hard to Predict the Outcome.
1t is difficult 10 predict events. 1t is
Impossible to say what will happen in the
near future. The situation is so critical
sand so uncertain and the experience that
Persia is now gong through is so un-
p-ecedented that there is no basis for
calculation. The uncertainty as 10 what
may be going to happen is so great that