Smyrna times., 1879-04-30
SMYRNA, April 18th, 1879.
Poor Egypt /!

The plight of famine-wasted Egypt is
beyond the pencil of Dors or the imagina-
ton of Poe 1t is misery absolutely
without relief, and an AFFECTION untempered
by even a revolutionary spirit. 1t would
not do to starve German or deprive an
Englishman of his beef. A bread-embargo
would lead to war at once. Not so on the
Nile. The lash-subdued Fellaheen are the
most oyer-taxed class of human beings on
earth, and the most docile; suffering is
their hirthright. ltis an inheritance hardly
less venerable than the pyramids.
The whole government polity discourages
thrift. The less Il man has, the less he l.
subject to tax. "A little pottage but 81
mead without care" is branded into the
backs of the people. First in the list there
is a landtax of $50 piastres (about 25 cents)
per acre, which is three times as much as it
was under Mehemet Ali, the first of the
ruling Mamalukes. Second, the occupation.
tax, imposed upon every male above twelve
years of age. The right of citizenship, which
by the way cannot be of much account
under an Egyptian sky, costs 81 piastres.
The women and children are remembered
by a heavy salt-tax, each man being com.
PEELED to buy 10 piastreS' worth for each
member of the family. Then they tax
cattle, boats, all stutls Of iulaHd mtnutac-
urP, and even palmtreeS! Tae Sultan of
Turkey has gwen the Khodive from time to
time a liberal share in the legislation OF the
country, and by the aid Of London and
Paris usurers he has encouraged a system OF
agriculture very popular III Europe, tut not
particularly so on the Nile. lsmail Pasha
when he began his rule in Egypt was with
out lands. He appropriated large tracts
established cotton or sugar plantations
markets for which We're good on account Ot
the American rebellion. Men, women and
little girls were pressed into service, and
the English papers began to give leaders on
the Eyptain cotton and sugar export trade
This gave the Khedive credit, and he con
tinued to borrow money. This trade anc
the money borrowed did not directly re
Iieve the people, but went to Increase the
| luxuries of an Oriental court.
At length by a new arrangement among
| the European Governments, the Khedivt
was relieved Of his landed prOperty-nOt il
| the interest of the suffering people, but TO
/ the benefit of the bondholders. The secrP
of the present revolt, and the growth 0
| public opinion by which this Mameluk
made bold to lead Rivers Wilson and hi
| French brothers out of the council room
and bid them good-by, was that the vas
estates, instead of being returned to thei
owners, were farmed for the interest du
the hond-holders. OF the revenue frou
| taxation, seven.tenths goes directly to tn
bond holders, and one tenth to the Sultan
the Suez Canal debt and other foreig
sources No wonder the people began t
think that they could get along withou
European fnanciering.
Last week the Sultan telegraphed tn
British Government his disapproval of tn
late proceedings in Egypt, and proposed t
depOse the Khedive and send Hahn Pash
to Alexandria in a Turkish man-of-wa
Both France and England are disposed I
allow this, but as this is only a continu
ton of the bOndholders' rule over the Fe
laheen, we look for serious opposition
the English Parliament at least. If EuroT
interferes, it should he to protect the star
ing people of the Nile from the sharks
the Rialto.-N y. Examiner.