Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-16
.bOKHARA IS ALONE
Only Independent Municipality
in Central Asia.
"NOBLE AND SUBLIME" CITY
Known Also as Anticipated, De-
PRAYED and Least Progressive.
RULED BY SLAVE W0MAN's SON
Recognized as Emir by Russia at
the Request Of His
Father.
BY WILLIAM z. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
BOKHARA, Asia, July 15 1910.
Everybody has heard of Bokhara, be-
cause Of its rugs. II for no other reason,
and 1t is usually conceded to be the most
Interesting town in Turkestan, although
there is room for difference Of opinion.
so far as Samarkand is concerned. The
two cities, however, are very much unlike
AS different as San Francisco and Bos-
ton-although there is nothing in either
Of them, except the traditions of culture,
that would resemble Boston, and nothing
but their total depravity that would re-
semble San Francisco. AS one star diff
fers from another star in glory, SO Box
hara and Samarkand each have their
strong points Of individuality-their histo-
ries and traditions. their romances trag-
edies; their growth and decay. The
ancients called Samarkand 1.-THE Queen
Of Asia" and Bokhara 1.-The Noble. the
Sublime" But IL anybody should start
out to hunt for the sublime In Bokhara
today he would become more and more
disheartened as his search proceeded. II
is in all respects the most antlquated,
the most depraved, the ugliest ana the
least progressive city in Turkestan, al
places that more enterprising and at
tractive cities do not possess
Is Nominally Independent.
Bokhara differs from other cities OF
central Asia, also, because 1t is nominally
independent of Russian authority. All
the other cities and provinces are part
of the Russian empire, governed by
viceroy Of the car from Tashkend. Box
hara is entirely surrounded by them. but
it's territory, about one hundred and
fifty miles by three hundred miles in
extent, is the only independent province
between the Caspian sea and the Chinese
border, and between the mountains of
Persia, Afghanistan and India and the
Arctic ocean.
This happened to be so because the
emir was either too cowardly, or too in
dolent, or too wise to resist the Russian
invasion. When Samarkand, khiva,
Merv and the other provinces were
fighting for their political nves. BON,
hara lay down in the road and appealed
for the great bears protection. There
fore its independence was not disturbed,
and with the consent OF Russia con-
tinues to be an independent khanate,
governed by q khan or emir of autocratic
powers. who collects the taxes. directs
the expenditure of the funds, appoints
the officials and the courts, and performs
executive legislative and judicial func-
tions through subordinates who are re-
sponsible to him alone. The khanate Is
petty autocracy, subject to Russian
approval: divided into districts governed
by officials called begs, who exercise SIM
liar authority to the satraps or ancient
Persia They are autocratic In their
way, and responsible only to the emir,
who appoints, removes or punishes them
at will, and they have the authority to
put to death any person who onends
them or deprives him of his property or
his liberty.
Liberty Depends Upon Revenue.
The emir allows his begs to do pretty
much as they please with their subjects,
provided each OF them supplies him with
a stated amount OF revenue. There Is a
uniform system OF taxation, however.
which is very severe and exacts from
the farmers at least one-third and often
more Of their crops and from other people
a corresponding share of their income.
The begs must collect enough taxes In
addition to satisfy their own avarice and
maintain their local governments. They
furnish so many soldiers to useless
army and equip them. II Is a sort of a
militia which Is to be called out when
needed and il organized under the di-
rection Of the Russian inspectors and
drfimasters.
The emir has a bodyguard. composed
OF ruflans. modelled after the Cossacks.
They are the terror Of the country be-
cause they can do no wrong. They rob
and kill without interference, and so