ESTABLISHMENT OF A MISSIONARY SCHOOL AT KERMANSHAH FOR No. 61.] BIDDEN. Mr. McDonald to Mr. Gresham. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Teheran, Persia, January 22, 1894. (Received March 5.) SIR: I beg leave to transmit for your information copies of two letters I have quite recently received from the Rev. James W. Hawkes, an American missionary stationed at Hamadan, asking me to use my good offices with the Government here to procure from the Shah permission to rent premises and open a school for the benefit of the Jews and Christians in the town of Kermanshah, a city a little more than midway between here and Bagdad. I also inclose a copy and translation of my letter to the prime minis ter on this subject, to which there has yet scarcely been time for a reply. I have, etc., ALEX. MCDONALD. [Inclosure 1 in No. 61.] Mr. Hawkes to Mr. McDonald. KERMANSHAHI, PERSIA, December 19, 1893. DEAR SIR: In reply to a request from a number of Jews of this city several times preferred in writing, and at the expressed desire of the Christians residing here, my wife and I are here for the purpose of starting a school for their children. On my second visit to his excellency the Ameer-i-Nizam, governor of this province, he informed me that his Government is not willing we should establish a school here without first obtaining, through you, permission from the central Government at Teheran. Being ignorant that such a permission would be required, I did not take the precaution to arm myself with said document before coming down. Now I will be greatly obliged if you will make request in my name, from the prime minister, for the necessary papers to meet the case. Should it be demanded, I have no objection to restricting the attendance of Moslem pupils to such as shall first obtain permission of their own Government. Hoping for a favorable answer, JAS. W. HAWKES. [Inclosure 2 in No. 61.] Mr. Hawkes to Mr. McDonald. KERMANSHAH, PERSIA, DEAR SIR: We have been here six weeks and all our efforts to rent a house for the winter were ineffectual. Finally we succeeded in effecting the lease of the house of Mirza Ahad, Scrishtadar of the custom house, for a term of three years in consideration of 50 tomans per year, one-half cash down and the other half to be used in repairing the property next summer. I send you herewith the papers pertaining to this lease. Now the said Mirza Ahad affirms he has sold the house and wishes us to vacate. I tell him I will do so when the lease has expired. Will you kindly obtain a line or two from the central Government establishing us in our rights in this case, since I understand the governor here, his excellency the Ameer-i-Nizam, is not likely to sustain us without authority from the capital. Hoping for a favorable reply, JAS. W. HAWKES. [Inclosure 3 in No. 61.] Mr. McDonald to the Sadi Azam. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, YOUR HIGHNESS: The Rev. James W. Hawkes, an American missionary, residing in Hamadan, having received several very pressing invitations from the Jews and Christians in Kermanshah to visit that city and open a school for the education of their children, has now, accompanied by his wife, been in Kermanshah for about six weeks, making inquiries into the condition and wants of the children of these people, and he has come to the conclusion that a school would be a great benefit and advantage to them. Mr. Hawkes is now prepared to accede to the desire of these religious bodies, and will undertake to provide the necessary funds and means for the equipment and maintenance of the school; and he has asked me to bring this matter to the notice of your highness, and on his part most respectfully request that you will have the kindness to obtain His Imperial Majesty's gracious permission and sanction to rent suitable premises, and to open the school. Your highness will so readily admit that this is a most useful work in satisfaction of a great need, that it is not, on my own part, necessary to urge any plea on behalf of this proposal of Mr. Hawkes, but I feel confident that I am justified in saying that the privilege, now asked for by Mr. Hawkes, when granted will in no sense be abused. Permit me to renew, etc., ALEX. MCDONALD. No. 64.1 Mr. McDonald to Mr. Gresham. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, SIR: In continuation of my dispatch of the 22d of January, transmitting copies of two letters from the Rev. James Hawkes, an American missionary residing in Hamadan, asking me to obtain permission from the Persian Government for him to open a school for the education of Jewish and Christian children in the town of Kermanshah, and my communication to the Grand Vizier preferring Mr. Hawkes's request, I now have the honor to transmit for your information a copy and translation of the prime minister's reply refusing permission to allow the school to be opened, on the ground that it might be the cause of trouble and dispute. As Mr. Hawkes appears to have gone to some trouble and incurred considerable expense, and as the work he proposes to undertake would be of practical benefit and utility to the Jewish and Christian communities in Kermanshah, I propose to have an interview with the prime minister as soon as possible, to speak with him on this and one or two other subjects; but as his highness is unwell I may not be able to obtain it for a few days at the least. I have, etc., ALEX. MCDONALD. [Inclosure 1 in No. 64.] The Prime Minister to Mr. McDonald. YOUR EXCELLENCY: The contents of your letter dated the 12th of the month Rajah, A. H. 1311, with reference to the opening of a school in Kermanshah for the instruction of the children of the Jewish and Christian communities in that city, have been understood. In considering the objections to this institution in Kermanshah it is evident that it would result in trouble and disputes. I wish to bring these objections plainly to the mind of your excellency, and to state that the Imperial Persian Government begs to be excused from granting the permission for Mr. Hawkes to start a school in Kermanshah. I take, etc., Dated the 22d of the month Rajah, 1311, the 30th of January, 1894. No. 51.] Mr. Gresham to Mr. McDonald. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 29, 1894. SIR: I have received your No. 64 of the Sth ultimo, reporting the denial of the application of the Rev. James Hawkes, a citizen of the United States, for permission to open a school for the education of Jewish and Christian children at Kermanshah. In his reply to your note submitting Mr. Hawkes's application, the prime minister states that "it is evident" that the establishment of the proposed school "would result in trouble and disputes;" wherefore the Imperial Persian Government begs to be excused from granting the solicited permission. The vagueness of the minister's reply presents a dilemma, either aspect of which is unsatisfactory. If his excellency charges the projectors of this benevolent school with a purpose to raise trouble and disputes, it would be but fair to state the grounds of so serious an aspersion against men whose humane profession and law-abiding record are well known. If, on the other hand, his excellency apprehends trouble and disputes being raised by Persian subjects against these peaceable doers of good among their fellow-men, his statement amounts to an admission of either inability or unwillingness to enforce in Persia the guarantees of the treaty of 1856, the third article of which stipulates that The citizens and subjects of the two high contracting parties-travelers, merchants, manufacturers, and others-who may reside in the territory of either country shall be respected and efficiently protected by the authorities of the country and their agents, and treated in all respects as the subjects and citizens of the most favored nation are treated. The anticipated violation of Persian law, by persons amenable to that law, is no ground for denying treaty rights of residence and calling to the menaced alien when he himself shall conform to law. Moreover, the fifth article of our treaty provides for the orderly and legal settlement of all suits and disputes between Persian subjects and citizens of the United States before the competent tribunal. What "trouble and disputes" not comprehensible under this article are intended by his excellency I am unable to conjecture. It is regretted that his excellency did not "bring these objections plainly to the mind of" the diplomatic representative of the United States, as he expressed a wish to do. Under any circumstances, however, it is clear that nothing in the treaty contemplates the avoidance of such disputes by the restriction or prohibition of the residential rights of American citizens. Dr. Hawkes has given the best proof of his intention to respect the law and peace of Persia by the form and manuer of his application. The result of your intended supplementary appeal to his excellency the prime minister is awaited with interest. I am, etc., W. Q. GRESHAM. No. 83.] Mr. McDonald to Mr. Gresham. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Teheran, April 4, 1894. (Received May 9.) SIR: In regard to the Kermanshah school his highness, as will be seen by the inclosed note, adheres to his previous decision not to grant permission for the opening of the same. In pressing this matter on his highness I spoke in the highest terms of the character and accomplishments of my countrymen, the missionaries; of the good they are doing by their disinterested and self-sacrificing labors through the media of their schools, their hospitals, and churches; of the seeming inconsistency of allowing schools at other places (where they were working smoothly and well) and denying one for Kermanshah, where there was loud call for it-all of which his highness admitted, saying the humane work of the missionaries in Persia was fully appreciated by the Government; but still for some reason he has seen proper to withhold the permission asked for in this instance. I think there is some secret history about the matter which is not understood—perhaps some interference by rival and jealous religious propagandists. Our missionaries had secured property and made other arrangements for opening the school at Kermanshah, and are disappointed and placed at inconvenience by this decision of the Government; but I think I have pressed the matter as far as is advisable for the present and will, therefore, let it drop unless there are new developments. I am, etc., ALEX. MCDONALD. [Inclosure in No. 83.- Translation ] The Prime Minister to Mr. McDonald. YOUR EXCELLENCY: I beg to inform you that the contents of your Letter of the 7th of the month of Ramazan (15th of March), 1894, with reference to the opening of a school at Kermanshah, at the request of the Jews and Armenians of that city. have been understood. As Mr. Hawkes appears to have gone to some trouble and incurred considerable expense, and as the work he proposes to undertake would be of practical benefit and utility to the Jewish and Christian com. munities in Kermanshah, I propose to have an interview with the prime minister as soon as possible, to speak with him on this and one or two other subjects; but as his highness is unwell I may not be able to obtain it for a few days at the least. I have, etc., ALEX. McDonald. [Inclosure 1 in No. 64.] The Prime Minister to Mr. McDonald. YOUR EXCELLENCY: The contents of your letter dated the 12th of the month Rajah, A. H. 1311, with reference to the opening of a school in Kermanshah for the instruction of the children of the Jewish and Christian communities in that city, have been understood. In considering the objections to this institution in Kermanshah it is evident that it would result in trouble and disputes. I wish to bring these objections plainly to the mind of your excellency, and to state that the Imperial Persian Government begs to be excused from granting the permission for Mr. Hawkes to start a school in Kermanshah. I take, etc., Dated the 22d of the month Rajah, 1311, the 30th of January, 1894. No. 51.] Mr. Gresham to Mr. McDonald. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, March 29, 1894. SIR: I have received your No. 64 of the Sth ultimo, reporting the denial of the application of the Rev. James Hawkes, a citizen of the United States, for permission to open a school for the education of Jewish and Christian children at Kermanshah. In his reply to your note submitting Mr. Hawkes's application, the prime minister states that "it is evident" that the establishment of the proposed school "would result in trouble and disputes;" wherefore the Imperial Persian Government begs to be excused from granting the solicited permission. The vagueness of the minister's reply presents a dilemma, either aspect of which is unsatisfactory. If his excellency charges the projectors of this benevolent school with a purpose to raise trouble and disputes, it would be but fair to state the grounds of so serious an aspersion against men whose humane profession and law-abiding record are well known. If, on the other hand, his excellency apprehends trouble and disputes being raised by Persian subjects against these peaceable doers of good among their fellow-men, his statement amounts to an admission of either inability or unwillingness to enforce in Persia the guarantees of the treaty of 1856, the third article of which stipulates that The citizens and subjects of the two high contracting parties-travelers, merchants, manufacturers, and others-who may reside in the territory of either country shall be respected and efficiently protected by the authorities of the country and their agents, and treated in all respects as the subjects and citizens of the most favored nation are treated. |