Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26
Assembly
Opened,

Almcu All MIFz0 was
Assembly convened at Teheran NO
nr.,.a vember IS. Tho young
sovereign was escorted by
brilliant guard Of honor OF Bakhtyaris.
Cossacks and other troops that lined the
way from the palace to parliament. the
imperial vehicle being drawn by eight
white Arabian stations. In the absence.
by reason Of illness. of the regent. Azad-
ul-Mulk. the sipahdar read the imperial
discourse from the throne
Among the subjects treated was Per-
sia's- relations with the powers. which
were pronounced as eminently satisfac-
tory with all. save the unfortunate fact
that notwithstanding order had been re-
established. the presence OF foreign troops
in the country still constituted a barrier
to the complete pacification of Persia
On the 18th Of November the president
Of parliament read to the assembly tele-
grams Of fluctuations received from all
the capitals of Europe. The correspond
ent names them in turn. but we have
sought in vain for mention of a similar
expression from the United States. and
assume that there is an error OF simple
omission Of Americas fluctuations. The
United States has followed with sympa-
thetic interest the struggles OF liberal
Persia for constitutional liberty, and
would be the last OF all to overlook what
was at once a duty and a pleasure to
meeting of the new Persian parliament.
Persia possesses great possibilities of
production. of industry and Of commerce.
She produces large guam
Persian titles of wheat, barley.
p-I.4. rice. fruits, guano. drugs
AAou"S's' and wool. The wool Of
Khorassan is the very best in the world.
The silk interests are susceptible OF -un-
limited development. Persian carpets are
renowned in all markets. The mineral de-
posits are considerable. Mines of lead
and copper exist in all the provinces and
have been worked since ancient times
Tin. zinc, antimony. nickel. cobalt. man
ganese, borax and enormous deposits OF
iron abound. Persia is q rich field for
exploitation and awaits with impatience
the exploiter who may be provided with
the capital Many concessions have been
granted by former governments. but the
| new government has many more to offer.
Prince Zill-es-Sultan, one Of the most
| active leaders of the opposition to Mo-
manned All. Is in Paris. and his pres
ence of the Persian embassy Is evidence
that he has retired from active partici-
patton In the struggle for the Persian
throne. Prince Zill is uncle Of the shah
| and has recently made the following
declaration, published by the Paris jour-
| nails:
Il am accused" said the prince, "of
| fomenting against the actual government
| OF Persia I do not know what plot, to
prepare my way to the throne.
1.-THE Prince Zill-es-Sultan in France
has neither agent nor associate. He
came to seek repose and tranquility and
he is too much of a patriot and too care
full Of his dignity at the same time to
make the. country that offers him hospi-
tality a place Of conspiracy against his
own country.
AT a moment when Persia is passing
through a critical crisis 1t Is necessary,
above all other things. to secure the
union of all her children and that intes-
tine struggles and personal ambitions
cease definitely in the presence Of the
general interest"
from the state of anarchy in which she
had almost hopelessly fall
Trouhled en- only a few weeks ago.
there is still some trouble
UlsCr1ctS. in distant districts. In a
country covering such vast and trackless
deserts and wastes government authority
must necessarily require time to assert
itself. Gen. Samad Khan recently de-
clared on this head that In the consoiida-
ton Of the constitution in Persia It was
comprehensive that a people sub1ugated
since a long time by arbitrary will re-
ouires Justice Persians are now awake
and will finally establish a solid regime
| Of Justice. If the constitution had NOT
been the only means OF restoring
order in the country, Russia, Engiana
not ox inEiafad
Mohammed Ali Shah establish 1t DEN
| nitely. A regime whose results Will IN
time prove the complete and rational
evolution of the country cannot ran 10
| be popular. ,ooo
| was not entirely barren of results. II
accomplished, Notwithstanding the nos
tility Of the former shan, many Inpor-
! tant reforms. It successfully opposed
| foreign loan, which would have been an
additional burden upon an oppressed
| people. 1t increased the revenue by Just
| and measured tax by the sum OF *l,OOV,-
| 600 and diminished the expenditures py
! 81 900 900. Prior to this time the annual
avenues reached the sum Of seven mil
lions and the expenditures ten millions.
The former parliament, therefore,
changed an annual deficit OF xZSoO.OOo
to an annual surplus OF $l.loOVo. be
sides. the revenues were until the first
narliament the personal property OF the
shah. That parliament passed law
concentrating q fixed sum for the shahs
civil list, which was not to exceed $oUO'OOo
a year. established
another great reform-that OF placing all
Persian subjects. irrespective
D al;o;ous Of religion or race. on the
same plane before the law.
Reform. The first Persian parliament
must therefore count for much In the
history Of Persia's restoration, and this
notwithstanding the extraordinary incl
dent of its bombardment and dissolution
nv Mohammed Ali Shah.
The constitutional government OF
Ahmed All Mira commences life under
MANY serious difficulties. Persia's treas
ury is depleted, her army Is small, DIS
organized and inefficient. and her ten
million souls are widely scattered and
separated by desert wastes. and are often
made the helpless victims OF raids OF
her semi-civilized tribes. Recent dis
patches report that there have been riots
at Shiraz. and again that kashgai ma
RAIDERS have attacked the caravan OF
two Russian oficials which was proceed
ing to Bushire. on the Persian gur In
the latter case the government has quick
ly offered reparation and compensation,
while a military force has been dispatch
ed to punish the offenders.
One of the first reforms which must
necessarily follow economical arrange
ment Ia, to provide for military defense
ana insure order within. The absolute
control and subsection OF the nomad
he 81 hi oh nj n a mod