Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-01-20
Shuster as the Guardian
of Persia's Finance
System M a de the
Gar Sit Up and Take
Notice.


" ain, made his memorable
speech before parliament on
the Moroccan crisis he dwelt upon the
then unsatisfactory relations existing
between Russia and Persia. Sir Ed
ward in the course of his remarks de-
clared that certain American citizen
had become an impossible figure in the
management of Persia's finances be-
cause this same American citizen had
circulated literature assailing Russia
and cautioned Persia against employ
ing officials hostile to Russia.
The hubbub in Russia and the pro-
test of Sir Edward Grey had their in
ception in the aggressive policy pur-
sued by one William Morgan Shuster
American citizen and Washington law
yer. who, when the cali came from Per-
STA for somebody to put that country's
monetary system on a safe and sound
basis. was singled out by President
Taft and Secretary of State Knox to
undertake this task. 1t was not long
before William Morgan Sinister start
ed things" ip Persia that since thrust
him into the international limelight
Who is he?" asked those who didn't
know when he was named as Persia's
financial member. An American adj
venturer." replied the Russian press.
Shuster went to Persia with four
other young and hustling Americans
all of them. ike himself, recommended
by President ~aft ut the urgent solicit
tation of the Persian government The
others We're +. S. Cairns. who was
made director of taxation; Charles /.
McCaskey. inspector of provincial rev.
enue; Ralph w. Hills. chief of the ac-
counting and auditing systems. and
Of f.x
ton.
These five thoroughly American
Americans, with Shuster at their head
as treasurer general, started in with
out fear or favor. without axes to
grind and with no interest on earth
except that of rendering a business
like service to their employers. Per
STA stared. wondered and then accept
ed the situation as mystery, but on
the whole joyful mystery.
Not so Russia. 1t looked as if the
century old project whereby Persia
was to drift into ruin and finally be
swallowed up by the car and the
British king we're going. in some mi
raculous manner, to be thwarted. Per-
STA as sick man" was second only
to Turkey.
Couldn't Brighten Shuster.
con-
sternation and then growled. w. Nor
gan ShuSter paid no attention to the
growl All his life long he had been
accustomed to facing difficult PROPOSE
tions. and n car or two was nothing
to him. The first representations of
the Russian government were met by
him with stern and curt refusal to
listen to anything that did not look to
the welfare of Persia.
Then Russia went further and work
ed through Shuster's employer, the
Persian government. She got the
prime minister to disavow Shuster's
methods and try to call him off. Shus-
ter paid no more attention to the prime
minister than he had to the car.
Then Russia had to play her trump
card. She broke off diplomatic nego-
tiations and landed troops Persia
weakened and apologized.
Shuster all his life had been accus-
toned to be the leader in everything
he undertook. In high school NJ
fellows After he left school he stud.
led law in the Office of Calderon Car.
Isle in Washington.
When the Spanish war broke out
Shuster was about twenty years old
In his spare moments he had studied
stenography and went with the peace
commission to Cuba as stenographer
When the commission departed from
Cuba he was left behind as the best
man for auditor of the island and
proceeded to clean up its finances in a
: way that had never been seen since
the Spaniards got it Shuster was
threatened with assassination, and his