The daily tribune., 1908-08-06
PERSIAN T.
FREEDOM
anniversary

Teheran. Aug. 1.-TWO years ago
today, on August 6, 1906, Muzaffer- ed.
Din, then shah. in shah and king of
kings. gave the people parli amen t.
Today, under the reign Of Mohammed
Ali Mira. the parliament is dissolv-
ed /. the constitution abrogated and the
dispotio monarchy restored. Through
out the unhappy country, now but a
shadow Of the glorious empire of
Cyrus, the starving people are cryin
for bread. Armed and ruthless Co.'S
sacks parade the streets, ready to
MAIN and slay on the slightest provo.
cation. or without it. The snniver-
sary of Persian "liberty" is a bitter
one for the Persian people.
Recent events have not come az a
surprise to the foreign residents of
Teheran Persia is still nation of the
middle ages and Is far from ready for
constitutional government. The
masses of the people have no concep-
tion Of what constitutes a constitu-
tional government. There is no
equivlant for that word in the Per.
sian Language. The masses are alb
solutely illiterate. Not one IN ten
Thousand can read or write, and there
is no middle class. History does not
record single instance of constitu.
tional government in country where
the M ohammedan reign prevails, and
it is contended that the two cannot
Q xist in tile same atmosphere. .-s y
Tabriz. the ancient city which was
the scene OF the Arabian Nights.
has been one OF the storm centers
in the revolution. although order
has now been partially restored. 1t
is the center OF Persian scholarship
and it was here that the present shah
in shah. as governor Of the province
before the death of his father, receiv.
cd his first governmental training.
Reports from Tabriz state that a..large
proportion Of the inhabitants are on
the verge of starvation.
Daily executions have been h cid
since the abrogation Of the constitu-
tion aud many Of the shah's enemies
have been gathered to their fathers.
Scores Of prominent Persians hay Q
been impaled for political crimes.
A recent attempt to detbrone the shah
and proclaim ~ his successor Abdul
Hath Mira, his second brother. was
followed by the execution of scores of
the RIM. leaders In the plot. Abdul
Is now confined AS prisoner in one
of the suburban palaces.
While European residents here he
lieve that Perisa will eventually have
a constitution that will place the ma
tion In line with civilization, 1t !,
not considered likely to come to pas,
during the life Of the, present shah.
Personally Mohammed Ali Mira /,
cultured. re6end gentleman. speak
ing English and French auently. ant
with none Of the airs OF an Oriental
despot. This, however. as recent
events have shown. il but the gliding
of tile exterior man In the last few
months the. Shah has shown himself >
despot at heart. and not IA benevolent
despot at that. -.
Despite present conditions. whicl
are likely to cause Europeans ant
Americans TO think of Persia An .
savage land. Teheran has yet many oi
the evidences of modern civilization.
There ARC electric street cars. ga,
and electric lights, telepbone and
telegraph systems. department storei
an daily newspapers. To be edit
OF n newspaper IN Teheran. however
Is not nlwnys n safe occupation. On
y about tw) weeks ago. Mirza
A hmed. editor OF Liberal journal
WAS impaled for dar ing to criticiso
the shah, aud many other journals
ARE now In prison, with death staring
them In the face.
Tho constitutionai and parlin
tsry system In Persia was established
BY ths Ate slu II. ;. Muzahar.cd. Din.
L.. A.