Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-10-05

last remaining independent ruler Of a
Moslem country, now that the power
of the Turkish caliph at CONSTANT
nople Is broken. he wields far-reach-
lng influence throughout the Moham-
medan world. And IL is probably that
because his land happens 10 lie just
as II does on the map Of the world. he
viii be FOR a long time 10 come an
active force In the political destinies
81 middle Asia.
The amirs word. his yeriest within,
Is law 10 his millions OF subjects. lie
Is. In truth. the last OF the despOts,
sort Of modern oriental patriarch on
a grand scale. His judgments are, OF
course, based primarily ON the Koran,
or on the common law of the land.
There is NO statute book, no penal
code and NO court.
The amir reserves 10 himself the
right Of passing death sentences. The
cruel Afghan forms of punishment,
such as shooting prisoner from the
lannon's muzzle. sabering OF his head,
~AaAAlAAA MN ~ MNMAAAs us AAAh
alive. cutting OF his hands aud feet
or putting out his eyes. are seldom EN-
ployed nowadays; yet often the crimi-
nal himself win choose quick, though
violent. exodus 90 paradise rather than
suffer long Imprisonment I'm a filthy
iron cage. perhaps To die eventually
OF starvation.
The way OF the transgressor In AZ
ghanistan continues To be uncommonly
hard. however. Time and again. In
the recorded history OF this land. de-
posed amirs. troublesome relatives and
political enemies have been deliber-
ately blinded. there being a tradition
here that no man with any physical
affection may hold a public Office Of
honor or profit.
It's Mountains and Tribes.
Politically. Afghanistan is divided
into four provinces: Afghan Turke-
stan. Kabul. Kandahar and Herat.
geographically its most conspicuous
features are the high peaks in the
northeast: where IL touches the great
Hindu Kush. the Tirach Mir attalns a
height of over 23.OOO feet.
Through these mountains Of north
east AfghaniStan wind some OF the
most picturesque and historic trails OF
the whole world. For centuries the
trade between Turkestan and India
has flowed over these high passes,
and the story goes that often these
annual caravans number as many as
10000 loaded animals. including cam
els. mules and horses.
Afghanlstnn is a Babel OF races and
tongues: more than half its population
are not Afghans az all. The majority
uroup embraces the lranian-Aryan
Tadilks. who irkahit the settlements
and large towns: the Mongo!ian Haza-
rnhs who roam the mountainous cen
tral regions Of tie country. and the
Tnrkan.ans aud Uzhegs Of northern
Afrianistan. The real Afghans. or
~Pahtos" tPathans). as they call them
selves. live IN the high ranges stretch
Ing from the Soliiaans past Ghazni and
Kandahar Ia the west. toward Herat.
The tribes are divided into minor
clans. called "khel." and they live al
most entirely or their herds Of cattle.
camels and sheep.
Persian culture has nodded the So
clal life In Afghanistan through cen
turtles: notwithstanding the religious
hatred between the Sunnis and the
Shias. Persian customs have been more
or less adopted In the upper ranks
~ All middle Assatic Moslem society.
From the Pcrsians the Afghans got the
idea 81 marrying more than one wife /;
but. IKE the Persians. too they have
found 20 their dismay that p0lygamy
Is nowadays a most expensive custom.
Amir Habibullah Khan (who was
assaSslnafed IN 19l9) had a harem OF
100 women. and among these. strange
" enough. were a few Europeans. The
present amir. Amanu.lah Khan. has
hut one Wife.