Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1904 — AMERICANS IN PERSIA. [ARTICLE]

AMERICANS IN PERSIA.

Yankee Enterprise Is Noticeable in the Shah's Dominion. ‘‘Persia, I dare say, Is a country little known to a majority of the people here, but your countrymen, ncvcrlheh tss, aro very much in evidence there in the commercial sense,” said Sir Charles •Hess, who was In 1892 the British consul-general for south Persia. Sir Charles is here on a visit, and is staying at the Albemarle, says the New York Commercial Advertiser. "When I was consul to South Persia," he continued, “I frequently commented in my reports on America’s growrng-firade in--that country, -and I made particular mention of your practical methods, because 1 believed they deserved tho attention of the leading business men in England. "A year ago I visited Persia, nnd, although 1 was not much surprised, I was certainly amused at the wonderful energy and originality America had displayed in pushing her trade interests since I was there as consul. I found that American merchants had opened up commercial museums in most of the groat centers of Persian trade, so that the natives could sec for themselves all the e-la.-i.ses of goods that, are to be had from this side and your merchants had been advised to study carefully the form in which their Persian customers like to receive their wares. At the commercial museums, too, I was surprised to find Americans who could speak Persian fluently, -ready to answer all questions that relate to the goods exhibited. "Russia is, of course, England’s chief foreign competitor (jommerel.illy,” Sir Charles continued, "and her trade influence- in Persia is largely on the increase, She has only recently, too, smarted a regular steamship service between Odessa and the Persian gulf. Tho Russian Steam Navigation company supplies the ships, but it is known that the Russian, government has wmkrtakem to subsidize the venture for a term of years. "Ru.-sia. t o, is Persia’s dominant creditor,- and is credited with a very fdirewd piece of business in cannection with-n Persian dean. -The money was borrowed in Paris at a low rate of interest, and lent to Teheran at a high rate; so that the wily Muscovite, without putting hand in pocket, draws a snug little annual income from Persia, which is, of course, not wealthy enough to borrow cheaply. "Persia, however, has a great commercial future. The country is immensely rich in natural resources, and the greater part of its cultivation will rct-ft in the hands of either England or Rt:.s-ia. If America, too, continues to. pursue her enterprising commrclal methods there, it is quite possible that che may become a third party in tnw trade development of the country. To gain such a’ place would certainly be worthy of America's best efforts.’