The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1921-12-23

pers. Certain Of these regions are
said to be among the most fertile In
the world. producing In abundance mo-
only the finest of wheat and barley
hut 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 to
store the surplus of the spring fresh
cts, 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 jeal-
Gus rivalry Of their neighbors, and
from a seclusion 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 Asiatic Belgium, Persia Is
strangely cut off from world inter
course by those same natural bar
riers which so affect her climate.
At the opening of this century not
a single highway suitable for wheeled
conveyances pierced the mountains to
the plateau. A few foreign officials
and infrequent venturesome travellers
made their toilsome way by caravan
over tortuous passes to the Persian
capital or to other Persian cities, and
the Persians themselves for the most
part stayed at home. But about 1900
a Observation-Disclosures Russian COM
pany opened post road, as 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 narrow-gauge
railway running five and half miles
from Teheran to a suburban shrine
were the only competitors of the pic
turesque but slow-moving caravan.
Teheran's Fine Location.
No one knows how long there has
been a city where the present capt.
tai of Persia stands. 1t has not al
ways been called Teheran, nor has II
always been In the same spot; but a
city has existed in the locality as far
back as Persian history reaches.
Such suitable site could hardly be
overlooked 1t Is at an altitude of
nearly 1000 feet, at the foot of tower
ing mountains, at the junction of three
great Asiatic caravan routes, near
passes, and beside an ample
supply of water. Favored In these
ways. II has accumulated a population
Of more than 100000 since the begin
ming Of the Nineteenth century.
The latitude is that Of Cape Hat
.eras. The three summer months are
exceedingly hot and dry, but IL one
wishes the luxury Of summer resort
I Is at his door.
Although occupying an ancient site,
reheran Is modern city. II has
been the capital Of Persia only a lit
lie more than century, and has been
IN important metropolis for a much
shorter time than that.
In journeying to Teheran from tina
Caspian sea, SO sudden is the tran
'ition from desert to city that before
me realizes that the journey is at
IN end he finds himself Gathering
lcross the stone causeway over the
noat toward the most surprising Of |
'ateways, great multicolored facade |
'verlaid with gay mosaic Of glisten-
ng tiles and topped with numerous
ornamented In the same |
ashton.
Teheran IL one Of those numerous |
tiles between the Near and the Far |
EAST which calls for a. mobilization Of |
xipling's oft-quoted line; for here |
Cast and West have met. bat have |
lot mixed.