Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-08

his farms near Kesht. and remained there
quietly. taking no part III public affairs
until the leaders OF the revolution went
to him and invited him to take command.
After considering the question for a
time he finally consented
The siphidar reorganized the revolu-
tionary forces and captured the city of
kasbin, where he was received with
great honor by the residents. The peo-
pie fiocked to him from every part of
northern Persia until he found himself
at the head of very large force. Hav-
ing reorganized and armed it as we'll as
he could, he marched on Teheran, the
capital, and captured it last July The
shah fled to the Russian legation for pro-
lection. and was compelled to abdicate
in favor of his eldest son. boy who
was elevated to the throne with the sip
hidar regent. The father was banished
To Russia, and has since been living
there in exile upon Il pension. He tried
to take the crown jewels with him. but
was prevented from doing so. These
jewels are supposed to be Immensely
valuable. and include the peacock throne
of the mogulS of India, which was
brought from Delhi to Teheran severa |
hundred years ago by the PerSians who
overthrow the Mogul dynasty. This throne
alone. being covered with Jewels has
been valued as high as $500 t0o,UlO but
it is generally believed that most of the
valuable stones have been removed from
it, and it Is worth a small sum, compare
lively, today The crown jewels have
been also gradually disposed of by the
different shahs when they have been in
need of funds, SO that they now have
only an imaginary value.
Government Running Smoothly.
THE government is now running
smoothly and is apparently popular, and
the new parliament will undertake to hold
another session soon. The first parlia-
ment was failure because of the mex
perience and lack of training of it's mem
bers. They did nothing but talk They
met day after day to discuss the prob
lens of government and to crafty their
love of Oratory, without passing any laws
or doing any business. until the people
lost their patience. Many of those who
were most earnest in their desire for "A
parliamentary government We're relieved
when the shah dissolved the body and
sent the members back to their homes.
Their failure was not due to any lack of
purpose or good motives, but very few if
any, of the members ever saw q lesisIa-
tive body in session, and naturally they
do not have the slightest conception of
what is expected of them or how they
shall go to work to do it. The same diff
ficulty appeared in the Turkish parlia-
ment for the same reasons. although a
number of the Turkish legislators were
England. France and other European
countries.
THE financial question is the most i'm
portant in Persia. and it naturally came
up first. The financial affairs of the gov
eminent are in deplorabe condition: the
system of taxation is irregular and inef-
fective and the members Of parliament
do not know how to correct it. Another
difficulty is that they lack confidence i'm
each other. y national bank on the plan
of the Bank of England was authorized
not long ago, and everybody was in ia
vor of ii, but none of the men who were
expected to subscribe for the stock were
willing to trust each other in the manage
ment.
Hampered by Lack of Means.
Thus the government is doing moth
ing for the lack of means That is the
main trouble. Ultimately it will find
some way to reorganize the finances and
work out plan of public improvements,
which are very much needed. particular
ly means of transportation and Irrigation
systems. There are no railways in Per
STA except little line six miles long,
which runs from the capital to a shrine
in the suburbs. There is line of horse
cars in Teheran, and that city Is lighted
by electricity, but no other place In the
kingdom has such improvements. Some
years ago a Persian tried to build a rail-
way from the Caspian sea to the capital
but the muleteers, who for centuries had
enjoyed the privilege of hauling freight
back and forth, pulled up the rails and
destroyed the road and prevented its
completion for fear it would take their
business away from them. The people
are opposed to granting concessions to
foreigners, and they opposed to all
forms of monopoly. A few years ago the
shah gave an English company the eX-
elusive right to manufacture and Sell to-
bacco, but the people would rot tolerate
it and destroyed the shops.
An Excellent High Road.
There is a splendid road from Resht,
the principal port OF Persia on the Cas-
plan sea- to the capital. 1t is 30 miles
long and runs over difficult mountain
ranges. but Persia did not contribute a
dollar toward its construction. II was
built by Russian company and the
money is supposed to have been furnish
ed by the Russian government. Travellers
are carried over this road in Very com
Portable coaches in thirty-twO hours,
which is an average of seven miles an
hour. That is very good speed. consider
ing that the road rises 10 an altitude
over 1000 feet in crossing the mountain
range There are relays Of horses every
sixteen miles and fairly good stopping
places at intervals along tbs journey.
The road is said To have cost a million
and half OF dollars, and it was built