The Raymer enterprise., 1921-10-20

-'~'es
pers. Certain Of these rcs.o1s nre
said to be among the most fertile In
the world. producing In abundance not
only the finest Of wheat and barley.
but grapes, apricots. peaches. nectar.
Ines. pomegranates, figs and melons
which are unsurpassed among the
fruits Of the temperate zone. Cotton
and tobacco thrive, and roses, as well
as other flowers. gloriously deserve
the frequent association Of their
names with that Of Persia.
Now Has Chance to Develop.
The day Is at hand as one Of the
by-products Of the war, when Persia
has the opportunity to begin to learn
from British experts, not only how
to reclaim more desert land by build.
Ing better aqueducts and by throwing
barrages across mountain gorges 10
store the surplus Of the spring fresh.
ets, but how to establish closer com.
munication with the outside world
and to develop her great potential re.
sources.
Lacking In the energy, initiative
and cooperative spirit necessary to
develop their country themselves, the
Persians have suffered from the zeal.
ous rivalry Of their neighbors, and
from secluslon forced by nature, but
belied BY their central geographical
location, In all the recent history-mak-
ing disturbances In the Near and Mid
die East.
In spite Of her position as yer.
table Aslatic Belgium, Persia is
strangely cut of from world Inter
course BY those same natural bar
riers which so affect her climate.
At the opening OF this century moi
q single highway suitable for wheeled
conveyances pierced the mountains to
tho plateau. A few foreign officials
and infrequent venturesome travellers
made their tollsome way by caravan
over t0rtuous passes to the Persian
capital or to other Persian cities, and
the Perslans themselves for the most
part stayed at home. But about 1900
a government-subsldized Russlnn com
pany opened a post road, as a mill
tary-commercial venture, which
climbed from the Persian port Of
EMAIL, on the Caspian sea, to the
capital city, Teheran.
Five years ago three or four post
carriage routes and q narrow gauge
railway running fve and a half mile
from Teheran to a suburban shrine
were the only competitors Of the pic
turesQue but slow-moying caravan.
Tehsran's Fine Location.
No one knows how long there has
been city where the present cnpi.
tai Of Persia stands. II has not nj.
ways been called Teheran, nor has II
always been In the same spot; but
city has existed In the locality as far
back as Persian history reaches.
Such a suitable slle could hardly be
overlooked II Ia nj nm altitude OF
nearly 1000 feet, ut the foot Of tower
Ing mountains, at the junction Of th er
great Aslatic caravan routes, near
mountain passes, and beside mn anpl,
supply Of water. Favored In u rse
ways. It has accumulated a population
Of more than 100000 since the bcgin.
ming Of the Nineteenth century.
The latitude is that Of Cape Ha:.
teras. The three summer months are
exceedingly hot and dry. hui II one
wishes the luxury Of summer resort
1t Is at his door.
Although occupying IN ancien. site,
Teleran is modern city. It has
been the capital Of Persia only IT.
tie more than Il century, and has been
an important metropolis for a much
shorter time than That.
In j0urneylng 10 Tehcnn from the
Caspian SEA. so Sudden Is the tran.
siti0n from desert 10 city that before
one realizes that .he journey Is at
an end he finds himself Gathering
across the stone cause Nay over the
moat toward the most surprising Of
sateways. II great multicOl0red facade
pverlaid with gay mosaic Of gllsien-
ing tiles and topped with numerous
mlnnrets ornamente'l In the same
fashion. ss.5,e
Telleran is one Of those numerous
cities between the Near and the Far
East which calls for modification Of
Kipilng's of.-quoted line; for here
East and West have met, but have