Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-29
Democracy
in Persia.

tolerable order, SO that traffic and trade
may go on in your country unhindered.'
These powers are still asking for this or
derby and peaceful condition, but &C
cording to the writer it is as far away
as ever. The government has changed i'm
name only The more things change
the more 1t is the same thing is a IA
miliar adage in politics. The country,
he says, is disturbed: caravan routes are
infested by brigands: Vengeance is prac-
ticed by many and greed is INDUCED in
without hindrance from me police; the
laws are ignored even by those who ad-
minister them: life and properly are inse-
cure. and finally Persia is represented
as made worse off than in the darkest
days of the absolutist rule of Muraffer-
ed-din.
1t is incontestable that the disorderlv
situation portrayed by the English writer
Is due In great part TO discomfort en-
gendered by the presence OF foreign
troops on the soil of Persia. In addition
to this subject there is another which
maintains the public in continual state
of ill-humor bordering upon revolt Persia
is in great need of money necessary to
carry on the administration, and the gov
eminent finds itself confronted by dam
gerous agitation against all foreign loans,
especially loans from Russia and England
both of whom are strongly suspected of
an intention to seize Persia and convert
their provisional control into a perma-
nent occupation after the manner of the
British occupation of Egypt. The popu-
lar opposition in Persia TO these foreign
loans is so great that it is a question
among the merchants and notables of
subscribing to a domestic loan of 10000, 900
''tomans'' based upon taxes TO be placed
upon tobacco and opium. The minister OF
foreign affairs, who retired several
months ago. has recently been replaced
by the former minister at Rome. Moaven-
ed -daouleh.
Satar Khan and Baghir Khan. the ma
tionalst chiefs of TabriZ, with the praise
worthy object of calming the popular agi-
talIOn, obtained from the Russian minis
ter in Persia the promise that If they
would leave Tabriz Russia would not aug
ment her military contingent.
1t is recalled that an attempt to direct
the finances of Persia by the nationalists
a few years ago was inspired by desire
to be rid of foreign interference. A ma :
tional bank of Persia was established by
national subscription. but by some m m
herent incapacity of the oriental Tor
finance the bank failed. Apropos to the
assertion that the oriental is a bad finan-
cier may it not be asked by doubtful
ones who We're the financial ministers OF
Darius, Haroun ell Raschid, the great
Macedonian Alexander. Tamulane' the
great Ghenghis-Khan and others? Per,
haps these great chiefs, VINO controled
large sums of money, were their own
purveyors. 49,.
The oriental, and chief among these
the Greek, possesses remarkahle taleIi,
money spending, but on the other hand
he has no capacity. for the orderly dis
position or application of his funds. no
idea of keeping accounts. This incapac-
ity for keeping accounts was MADE the
nretext for the dethronement of a khe-
dive of Egypt. and in view of the dis
content in Persia there is fear that Rus
STA or England or both may have some
such purpose at Teheran. This oriental
inaptitude for accounting is cause
a ctt,allv of a European financial control
at Cairo, at Constantinople and at Ath-
ems, and there appears to be necessity for
a like control at Teheran.