Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-23
CITY OF ASKAHBAD
Capital of the Province of
TranS-CaSpia.
GREEN SPLOTCHON DESERT
Fifteen Thousand Inhabitants; Gar
rison of 10000.
WIDE AND SHADED STREETS
Strategically Situated as Regards
Khiva and Observation-Disclosures
by English of Russian Advance.
WIDE AND SHADED STREETS
RY WILLIAM z II-RTIS

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record-Herald.
ASKAHBAD, Asia, June 20. 1910
All Turkestan. like Gaul, is divided
into three parasitic Khanate of Box
hara, which retains its former limits
the province of Trans-Caspia, which lies
between. Bokhara and the Caspian sea,
and the province Of Turkestan proper
which lies on the eastern boundary be-
tween Bokhara and China. Askahbad is
the capital of the province of Trans
CaSpia, the residence Of the governor
general and comma nder-in-chief of the
military forces, and headquarters of the
several branches of the civil and mill
tary administrations. The Russians have
avoided the difficulty which has per-
picked England in India, by concen-
trating both civil and military authority
in a single head, which is supported by
cabinet or ministry and a large staff
Of civil and military officers, each having
his own bureau and Jurisdiction. The
organiZa ton is similar to that in Poland
the Caucasus and other outlying prov
inces of the Russian empire. Civilians
are employed in the financial, auditing,
post Office, judicial and other depart
ments where the duties are purely civil.
The railway, the engineering works and
similar technical branches of the govern
ment are under military control.
Local Home Rule.
The people of the towns and villages
take care of themselves and have as
much home rule as is practicable, the
local government being organized on the
regular Russian plan. Trans-Caspia is
divided into several districts and each
district into volosts. Each volost elects
an elder, called an aksakal, who acts in
an executive and a judicial capacity and
Office by representatives of the people
chosen usually for their dignity and wis
dom. The aksakal is little car in his
own jurisdiction, and the government
officials do not interfere with him so
long as he does nothing to weaken their
authority. The iron hand is hidden in a
velvet glove.
The most important feature of the
government is the management of the
irrigation systems, because the life of
the country depends upon the economical
use Of the water. Irrigation is looked
after by an official called the mirab, and
under him are special agents who turn
on and turn off the water in the private
bitches as it is needed. 1t is their duty
to Investigate and settle disputes between
nearly all the trouble between neighbors
arises from a suspicion that one man is
getting more than his share.
The police. called gems darmes, are a
separate organizations from the army
and are under the control of their own
officers, who report to the governor gen
eral and commander-in- chief. There are
officers on every railway train, usually a
captain or lieutenant, or both. who ex-
ercise almost arbitrary authority so far
nd
can put them on the train and send them
to prison from any station, according to
their judgment. These train officers have
regular beats, covering distances from $50
to 900 miles. and a compartment is al
ways reserved for them in the first-class
coach