THE TROUBLE IN PERSIA.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12145, 24 August 1908, Page 4

THE TROUBLE IN PERSIA.

Something like.a clear and intelligible conception' of -the disordered condition of political affairs in Persia' is -§to be obtained from a -contribution' to the ' 'Contemporary Review by a writer who signs himself "Wanderer," and has ovidently.gained his information on tho spot. The movement appears to be largely religious, and as thej very doxy or Persia ■ is; nonconformity,:: the Persian reformer turns naturally3<> religion.The secret^ sect of;the Benais, although not: mbrp than: a hundred thousand in number, is the most influential /factor of the* movement,-a^nd is likely to engage the sympathies of tho \yesrfcern world, because ~itsl followers do not consider tho infidel unclean, nor veil their women, nor have more than one wife. They support tho principle of liberty of conscience, and open the way to schools, newspapers, and all the inventions of European civilisation. On. the other hand, it is complained by the writer that they "do not solve what is after all the chief problem of Persian reform, which is the question how to obtain reliable men for the executive of the country." Against the Behais and all other sects of nonconformists, numbering an aggregate of a million, or one-tenth of the population of Persia are ranged the orthodox Mullae, who are described as having two-big quarrels on hand. " The one is with the Government and the Sjhab, from T ,whom they would like to win as much as possible of tho real power over the people.'; ' and. the other with the sects whom

they would like to crush." This has induced them to demand a constitution, partly for the .better enforcement of the ordinances of the Shieh (that is to say, their own faith), and partly for tho establishment of political reform on. tho basis of national representation-, tho real motive being an ecclesiastical one, having for its object the strength- ■ ening of the orthodox Islam. Although ■;■ "Wanderer" does not consider the constitutional movement a particularly o happy one, he thinks that "if tbo : chocks that have been for many cen- " turiea placed on the proper development of tho Persian character could hz removed, this country might still, eren after her long period of hibernation, again take her place among the great nations of the world."