382
[November 28, 1908
How
blow, and the time when the land will be placed under the sovereign protection of
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND The Bill had many defects. There is no message indicates, when the people may expected to appeal strongly to the sons of need to enlarge on these. Worst of all, it safely be entrusted with some degree of Iran, but we imagine it will be discounted did not please those in whose interests it autonomy it will not be withheld from to some extent by the fact that the reformers was really drafted, and when the Lords them. Persia, however, is the other ex bave constituted Islam the fundamental threw out the measure more than one ception we have in view. The people of principle of all reforms. By this means leading Non-conformist returned thanks for that country have had a constitution for every innovation will much more effectually such a result. Now another attempt is about three years but it has not had a appeal to the faithful, but the fact that being made to remove existing cause chance to develop. Its initial indiscretions religion and government are practically of dissatisfaction. Will Mr. RuNCIMAN were not condoned as youthful follies which inseparable in a country where the ruler is succeed where Mr. BIRRELL failed? The would piss when knowledge came with ma- the spiritual head as well as the absolute question is one which it would be unwise turer years, and it was early apparent that monarch makes it difficult to forecast the to answer either way, as we have before us the present SHAH did not look with parti. chances of success of auy thorough reform. only the burest outlines of the new measure cular favour on the experiment of his father, Tie struggle with despotism and the introduced this week by the President of although he signed a new constitution after wrestling for liberal institutions must, of. the Board of Education in the House of his accession. Interual disorders have dis- necessity, be far greater in Persia than in Commons. Unde ominational teaching is tracted the country for more than a year, Turkey owing to the power of the priests, apparen ly not the objective this time. culminating in the scenes in the capital and were it not for outside intervention we Religious teaching on the CowPER-TEMPLE which recalled historic events in the story would doubt the possibility of an era of principle, with the option of denominational ef England when OLIVER CROMWELL used reform in that ancient land. It is evident teaching twice a week at the cost of the bis soldiers to disperse parliament, followed that the future of Persia lies in the hands of denomination desiring such teaching, is to by the long expected declaration of the Russia nad Britain. The present régine is be provided. That looks like a return in SHAH that the constitution would be with impossible. It is difficult for ap Oriental some degree to the ante-1903 conditions drawn. But, as our London correspondent sovereign to regard a constitution with when religious teaching was sanctioned, announces, he has been compelled to cancel anything but horror, and, without being relief being afforded by the CowPER-TEMPLE this declaration, and we may presume from unduly pessimistic, we may regard the clause of the 1870 Act to those who did not this that the National Council will again he compliance with the demand for a parliament wish to attend school during the time in called into existence. What is most signis a mere pretence of a qui sceace. which religious instruction was imparted. ficant, however, is that Britain and Russin long it will continue we cannot say, but it Both this scheme and its alternative showhould have asserted themselves so prompt- seems to us the beginning of the end has that the Government are unable to get ly and so vigorously. They have demon- come. The political independence of the away from the principle of denomination. strated to the SHAH that the days of unen-Shehinshahs has been dealt a staggering al sm existing interests must be re- lighten à despotism in the land are at end cognised, and rightly too. It is, of and that the fair prospect of political reform course, unfortun te that sch lastic require- which cuarmed the nation is not yet an ments cannot be considered apart from empty dream.. sect rian question?. It complicates the problem enormously. Yet it has to be faced. be overlooked in any attempt to unravel These distinctions and diff-rene s must not the educational tangle, and profiting by past sai ure the Government are proceed. ing OD Dew lines. The abolition of d-nominational minagers is another feature of the measure. This will doubtless meet with disapproval, though the opposition to this proposal will perhaps be minimised when it is remembered that the Act of 1903 made the denominational or non-provided school managers subject to the Education Authority. They lost the power of the purse and also the power of appointing or dis-issing teachers. Religious tests for teachers vary under this Bill, apparently auct: er effort to please both parties. Broadly speaking, and wi hout a knowledge of its text, Mr RUNCIMAN's measure se ra to embody the spirit of compromise. It is evidently an attempt to give all parties what they desire, and we are the more in- clined to this opini n when we note the telegram sent by our London correspondent that "a strong non-party committee has been formed to support the Education Bill" From this we may reasonably infer that a modus vivendi bas been arrived at and if the new Bill succees in soothing the sectarian jealousies and al'aying bitter party strife the present generation will have cause t bless the name of Mr. RoNCIMAN.
THE PERSIAN CONSTITUTION.
(Daily Press, 27 November.)
It has been said that the tree of liberty has never flourished in Asiatic soil, bu however true this may have been at one time, it is hardly applicable to the present day. The bright exception of Japan at once comes to mind and there are signs that other peoples of Asia are equally desirous of obtaining the gift of political liberts. India may be mentioned as a case in point, but we do not propose to include it in our present consideration, as believe the clamour for representation is confined to a comparatively small, but noisy, section of the populace and that, as the KING's recent
we
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Until the liberal concession of the late SHAH, Persia had no settled laws, no State atic government. No one had any rights organisation, not even an attempt at system
besides the King, and his authority was paramount. The administration of the land was conducted on the most iniquitous lines: offices were bestowed upon the highest bidders, and the poor farmers, traders an! artisans looked up in those set over them as unscrupulous tyrants against whom they could not protect themselves. Now, it i hoped, the decadent nation will experience the sensations of revivi ɓation. At any rate the intellectual fermentation which it has shown for some little time indicates that the desire for pali ical freedom is not new born. In many respects the outlook was promising in Persia than in Turkey, for in Persia the national element is far stronger than the Turkish. The Persians al-o are livelier, more gifted and more excitable than the Turks, but, owing to a variety of causes, they have not advanced so their Western neighbours.
more
far as
either Britain or Russia or both cannot be long delayed. There is the possibility of course that that action may not be neces-ary - that the reformers may do great things,
but the chances are against them. may recreate the nation and establish an acceptable government on a sound basis
RANDOM REFLECTIONS.
Not for a long time has China been so stirred as she is at present. To lose her two rulers at once is remarkable and the uneasiness which it occasioned was perhaps justified. Fortunately the prospects of peace being disturbed are only on the newspaper horizon, and after the serio- comic edicts have had their little day we may settle down to ordinary life.
We have often heard it said that to get news of home one has to leave home. Some such
thought must have passed through the mind of Admiral Li when he came down from Canton to Hongkong without having had any information as to the Imperial deaths. In the port the British warships half-masted the Chinese flag, but not so Admiral Li's two cruisers, and the Admiral must have felt annoyed to find later that he had been guilty, consciously or unconsciously, of lack of respect to the dead rulers.
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The SHAH's reasons for declaring that never under any pretext shall such a parliament be established will not bear examination. When he says that the learned It may not be generally known that the late people do not desire a constitution we must Empress Dowager of China held Queen Vic. either conclude that they have changed day room at the Palace were two steel engrav toria in high esteem. In Her late Majesty's their minds within a remarkably short period or else that the "
King of Kingsings, one representing Queen Victoria in regal
array, the other a picture of the Queen and bas been misinformed. It is quite Prince Consort surrounded by their children. conceivable that the SHAH is ignorant The Empress Dowager thought there were of the real state of the country of the many points of similarity between her own abuses, the crying injustice and the corrup-reign and that of Queen Victoria. They had tion, which exist, and many patrie each been widows the greater part of their Iranians regard the ministers and councillors who surround the PADISHAH as be ng the real obstacles to progress. Like the people of Russia who believed that if they had access to the "LITTLE FATHER" all their believe that if only the SHAH as aware of wrongs would be righted, so these patriots |
the condition of the people all would be well. How long they will hug this delusion we cannot say? The second reason given by the SHAH for refuging a Parliament-that the clergy have decided it is in conflict with the laws of Islam-is one that might be
lives, and had each ruled over great empires. Another point of similarity that struck the
bore the same Empress Dowager was that the faces of both
lines of longevity."
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How thoughtless of these people down Manila way where they manufacture typhoons to send another of their products along in our direction. It is against the rules to have a typhoon so late in the year, and it took us all by surprise to see the warning signals go up on Friday, followed by more significant ones on Saturday The typhoons threatened us longer than usual this year, and surely we are entitled to a respite now.
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