The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-17
THE FELLAHs OF EGYPT.
Tax Resisters Who VIII Stand The Bastinado
in Preference to Paying their Taxes
Egypt as It Is,

AS they we're under the Pharaofs, the Pto-
ieIaies, the Romans and the Caiiph8, sofn the
main are they now the most patient, the most
pacific the most offfty9iE4es AID FEHHttEa1 The
rnerrfest race In the world. In the latter re-
spect the oppression of more than forty CEN
turtles has failed to damp their natural buoy
aney OF spirit, and nowhere more than amid
the mud huts and seemingly abieet poverty
of fellah village does "Ehe human heart vim
dictate it's strong right to be glad" The men
are tenn perate and honest, but the women, Ii
not quite rnerfting Lanes harsh judgment
that they are the most Iiceneious Of all fe-
males who lay claim to be considered as
members OF a civilized natfon," have
at least long lost the robust virtue
of the Bedoweeyeh, and as a class, while
physically the finest, are said to be ethieafIy
the frailest OF their sex In the Nile Valley. &c
Is the fashion to write and speak OF this large
section Of the Khedive's subjects as being In
toIerabIy oppressed, ground down by the
crushing taxation, and generally wretcned be-
You'd any parallel elsewhere This exaggera-
ton has, no doubt, it's origin mainly In the
superficial impression of strangers, who, COM
ing fresh from Europe where, in a different
civilization, a totally different standard Of
clothing, the simple food and the primitive
huts Of these Egyptian ryots evidences Of
altogether special misery ana administrative
abuse. But no inference could we'll be more
falIacious. Apart from the fact that these ex-
ternal features accord with the climate, ard
have been stereotyped since before the Pyra~
rnds were built, it may be affirmed That
the general condition OF the feEIaheen
will compare favorably with that OF
almost any other peasantrY In the East. IL
economical facts prove anything at all, the
vast increase III the agricultural and other
exports Of the past dozen years. and nearly
corresponding return outlay ON European
manufactured goods demonstrate a measure
OF material improvement among the produc-
ing classes which may be vainly sought for
elsewhere out Of Europe. That the taxation
Ia heavy, but not oppressive, Is admitted, and
that until lately the methods OF It's collection
have been often brutal, may also be conceded.
But apart from the traditional cruelty OF tax
gathering all the East over, the Egyptian
peasant has been noted ia all time, from
Cheops TO Is1nail, for the unwiIIingness TO
pay taxes at all. It is, In fact, a point Of
honor to bear any amount Of stick IL by so
doing the irnpost, Or any part OF it, can be
evaded. The feliah, indeed, who will not do
SO is despised by even his own wife as poll
troon, and II, after only d dozen or score of
blows, he disgorges the coin, which endur-
anee Of fifty might, perhaps, have saved, the
conjugal estimate OF his spirit IS shared gen
orally by his fellows. Hence, a difficulty OF
no tr1fiing importance In the way OF the new
financial administration. Those who know
Egypt best believe that nothing short of
stick logic will, as a RUE, persuade feilab
to pay his dues, be they ever so equitable