Page 603 - PERSIAN 8 1912_1920_Neat

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FOE T11E YEAR 1918-
nna before the end of tbc year he had nominated another Democrat eleetion
".idate Acha Saivid Jawad in Agha Yaliya’a place. A remarkable light 1
thrown upon Persia’s fitness for Parliamentary institutions by the.fact; that
there is actually nothing in the law to prevent a candidate for election being a
member of tho Election Committco, nor does anyono from the Governor-Gone-
rftl downwards 6co anything unusual in the spectacle as it were, of one of
parlies to a suit sitting upon tbc judge’s benoh.
The Democrats had by the end of the year great hopes of electing at least
four of the six Musulman members for Kerman city and districts, name
Asaf-ul-Aiamalik, Agha Yahya, Muayid-ulJslam aud Agba Saiyid Jawad ,
while the Moderates, though they bad collected a fair show of candidates on
paper, were not really hopeful about moro than three, namely, •^u®ra "
ud-Douleh (Alinister of Justice in Wusuq-ud-Douleh’s Cabinet), Rifat-ud-
Douleh (brother of Sardar Nusrat) and Haji Mirza Murteza. Three of the
ftbove named candidates (Muayid-ul-Islam, Nusrat-ud-Pouleh and Rifat-ud-
Douleb) were at Tehran and likely to remain there, but the Persian Parliament­
ary law9 allow of absentee candidature.
• At the time of writing (February 10th) the position has improved consider­
ably. Asaf-ul-Mamalik has been won over by the Moderates and has made a
compact promising the Prime Minister his support in case of election. Through
him an alliance has been concluded between the family of Sardar Nusrat and
that of Nusrat-ul-Mamalik, known as the “ Khanzada ” family, and the old
rivalry between the “ Sheikhis ” and the “ Balasaris ” on which the Democrats
were counting is temporarily in abeyance. Tne Democrats have ceased even
to hope for the election of moro than three candidates, namely, Agha Saiyid
Jawad, lluayid-ul-Islam and Saiyid Mustafa. The Moderates have good hopes
of securing the election of Eaji iliiza Murteza and Asaf-ul-Mamalik for
Kerman end neighbourhood, Shariat Madar for Rafsinjau and Zerind, Prince
Nusrat-ud-Douleh for Sirjan, Rif’at-ud-Dauloh for Jiruft and Aqta, and Adl-us-
Suhaneh (son of Sardar Nusrat) for Bam and Narmashir^
Condition of Country.—Owing to the drought which had lasted since the
spring of 1916, grain supplies were at alow
The food Bnpply.
ebb at the beginning of the year and pricee,
which six months previously had been standing at 12 tomans per Kharwar
for wheat and 8 for barley, in January stood at 2S and 22 respectively. Even at
these prices bread was only obtainable with the greatest difficulty, and by the
spring the inhabitants of most of the villages were barely subsisting on millet-
meal and berries. On two or three occasions the South Persia Rifles came to
the rescue with such stocks as they could spare, some 400 Kharware altogether
being delivered to the local authorities at prices Cor 8 tomans below the current
rate. On the departuro of the Prince Governor, who had been exploiting the
situation in various ways—he made at least 0 tomans per Kbarwar, for instance,
—on the grain he allowed to he exported to Yezd from the Rafsinjan district
against his own strict orders—the supply improved a little and the town held
out till July when a harvest distinctly above the average was reaped. For a
week or two wheat and barley prices*dropped from 35 and 22 to 20 and 16
respectively. But owing to the long continued scarcity the new harvest had
been heavily mortgaged, particularly by the South Persia Rifles who had been
forced to safeguard their future position by large forward contracts. In these
contracts the buying prices had perforce been left open, to be decided accord­
ing to the. market rates current after the harvest had been brought in Con
sequently not only the bigger landowners such as Nurullah Khan, Bahadnr-ul-
Alulk of Mashiz and others, but local groups of small owners and snecnlator-
combined to keep stocks off the market; the intention being, first.lv, toforoe on
Post-harvcst market, rates so that the South Persia Bifles should mr as hioh a

Kharwar, with barley at 28. Bread was dearer, worse in ooalit38 J*T
difficult to obtain in tho autumn of 1918, after a good harvest than it D°