PERSIA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 149, 20 July 1909, Page 2

PERSIA

The Shah Jiad taken the oath of fidelity to the Constitution before the Mejliss on 12th November 1907, but intrigues against the Ministry and the Parliamentary party wont on notwithstanding, and the Reactionary party betame very active when the Budget was passed limiting the Civil hint of the Shah to .1100,000 a year, and so threatinmg the crowd of hangers-on at the Court, and setting against the Parliament all who were deprived of pension! cud perquisites. In December the Ministry resigned. Niisirel-Mulk and several of the members were arrested, but were released on the intervention of the British .Minister, the Nationalists havi»g appealed to the Powers Against the Shah's violation of the Constitution. On 22nd December the Shah signed and sealed a declaration oh the Koran of his renewal of fidelity to the Constitution, and agreed to the (banishment of Saad-"■d-Doivleh, the chief of the Palace clique, and the placing of the military, including a force of Cossacks, under the authority of the \V Rl - -Minister. His promises were not fulfilled, however, and the disorder and unrest continued. An attempt was made to assassinate the hliali as he was riding through Teheran, hut he was unhurt, though the bombs killed several men and horses, The President of the Mejliss, IhtiAam-os-Sultnneh, resigned, and was succeeded l;y Mumtam-ed-Dowleh. The Cabinet ie*'!?ncd, a.ul Azerbaijan declared itself autonomous. The Nizam-es-flultanoh (.ibmet wa B reappointed by the Shah. At the end of May a 'band of courtiers ".ho had lost the Royal favor, headed by AlaedDowloh, Jelal-ed-Oowlch, the eldest son of Zill-es-Sußan and first cousin of the Shah, and others', demanded the dispersal of the clique which tjominnted the Court. The Mejliss endorsed the demand, and the Shah anpeared to give way; but, as it afterwards appeared, he was planning a coup detat. On the 4th he left his Palace with n strong escort, and proceeded to the Royal f.ardcn just outside the westirn gate of the city. There a eamn was ormed and a deputation from the Mej. ;ss asking for the observance of the Unstitution and of the principle of Ministerial responsibility was received. he Shah promised a writtea answer, but none wi,s sent. A verbal message demanded the arrest and punishment of t!^" m "'"S l '«*». and on 23rd SSLm ~" i ldii 8 8 were "«• uaS V ,n " flre ' il \ rected * C °l oMl l „ i,. r 00n, """ ,ller of tho Cowac* bodyguard of the Shah. The Mosque the ol Umn-ed-Diwleh were entirely looted jn<l in part destroyed. Some if the Na.loimlis leaders were Imaged. Colonel J,, m Vl,s »PP ni " t <''l military gover"o whol , - h J""1 1 ?*■ dt * ™s Subjected to wholesale plundering and looting, and ' "lanynmocent persons were mastered. re ~ !',"' m l""' s of Parliament took refuge in the Legations. Martial law was proclaimed, ami assemblies and the (•o»se ssl o„ „f flr wt . V( , o)liwtcd Tfc ' th the promise of a, ww election £ n« end of that time. The British i„« Xnt(l tol ; r S / 'at L ,-n.ST** , ' ol,ml t,,e Bri t"l' ion, and a forma) apology was ten- ;,", 'Witßiff took place in Tabriz, and htU'i by the Shah, but was willi--1 I, | a V' ,R l '" l ' itv in th » "andsof , .1, Ar ,,t i'" a, ' i( ' s ' A liew Ministry ./'t? 1 J l ",'"'? and R»«ia presented ™ Identical N„ tP to the Slmh wth ""■::;,""" U ' "" ''""K" 1 -' 0 the lives jtnd uoperty of foreigners in Tabrl,. H Majesty avas; urged to issue his pron n , ''T 1 '" 1 ™ 1 "' 1 ' as to anr elections, Li • t " rm!n,m t''<> l>cwl« as to his Atenouutug, to maintain the Constitut.on, and to aiimmon the new Mejliss «o meet in November. The Shah's forces, w«e severely defeated at Tabris, and H Majesty then offered to grant "a lawful Constitution" if Tahrfc surrey, dcred its arm. and four Nationalist ;^\, ,n( i 1,, d K,l »"' Tabris filled that !f the Shah re-established w SS ' • WO,,M (lißl,rm nl ><> l>laco imty Nationalist leaders in the BritMi l onsnlnto to stn-,id their trial b V judges appointed by the Mejliss. The ShU issued a Rescript fixing Uth November (|« the dav for the reopening of the AlejiiM, ivlu.l, wan to be "composed of Hiright and iiioits men," and to "remove all vestige of the disorder proiluoed .by the anjumans." New rules for the elections were ordered to be rcmlv by I7th October. Tabriz was specially winded from the operation of this' Rescript. Nothing, however, was none m the way of preparation for the elections, and an agitation was on-pared "id a petition presented agnfost the f onstitntion. The Russia,, and Drltish Minister* thereumon strongly urged the - Niah to keep his pledge and convoke flu- Mejliss at once. A Hescliot iwns, however. i«ned iiiholisliinß the Constitution, but the visnrmiri protests of Russia and Great Mritiu'n seemed to produce some effect, for the Rescript was withdrawn and revoked. .