Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-09-10
ArrIcuI,urs In the HOLY land.

Nothing can well exceed the desolateness of
much of the country. Treeless il is for TWEEN
ty or thirty miles together. Forests which
did exist thirty years ago-for instance on
Mount Carmel and Mount Tabor-fast disap-
pearing rich plains Of the finest garden soil
asking to be cultivated at best scratched up a
few inches deep in patches, with no hedges
or boundaries mountain terraces, naturally
or artisticaly formed, ready to be planted
with vines, rs the German colony are doing
Mt the foot of Mount Carmel; the villages
nothing but mud huts dust, dirt and squalor
the inhabitants with scarce clothing enough
for decency their houses ovens large tracts
without horse or COW, sheep or dog no
pretence at roads, except from Jaffa to Jeru-
salem, and this like cart road over plowed
field the rest at best like sheep walks on the
Downs of Sussex, but for far the most part
like the dry bed of the most rocky river,
where, amid blocks of stone, each makes his
way at foot pace as best he can, or on
smooth sloping rocks, or over loose stones
thrown down from the old walls on either
side, which no one offers a finger to remove
nothing upon wheels so much as barrow, to
be met with in ride Of over three hundred
miles
Everything is taxed every fruit tree; so
none are now planted every COW or horse,
garden. Every eighth egg is not taxed, but
taken by the government. In some places the
taxes of the district are sold to the highest
bidder The farmer is unable to sell meas
uro of his corn till all has been collected into
a heap and the tax collector has set his sum
upon it, from which there is no appeal.
Double taxes are expected this year, because,
after three years of scarceness, the harvest
promises to be abundant.
Nothing like a small farm house is to be
found far or near. II there were, the owner
is liable to have soldiers or revenue officers
quartered upon him. to be boarded and lodg-
ed at his expense. The towns are filthy in
the extreme, none more so than Jerusalem it.
self where, however, taxes are levied from
every house for lighting and cleaning the
streets while a sprained ankle or a splash in
to a hole Of blacklist dirt is sure to be the re-
suit of a momentary carelessness.
Nothing is done for the good or improve
ment of the people by the government. Not
only so, but every ofTor-and heard of sew
eral made by private individuals, or by com
panies-is at once refused, unless bride be
first given to the authorities
This is n picture, believe in no way over
drawn, of that land which was once flowing
with milk and honey" What might it not
become again with fair usage and good gov
tine while it remains in the hands of its pres
ent rulers.
The writer goes on to show that the coun-
try is worth little to the Turkish government,
the entire revenue drawn from it being less
than one million dollars a year under this
wretched system of misrue and oppression.
He suggests that in the present condition of
his finances the Porte might be glad to sell
out for $50, 600, 600 or $50, OOO, 600 in hard
cash, and that an international company for
the purchase and government of the country
(after the pattern of the old East India Com
pany) would find such an investment, even
Of $50, 100000, highly remuneratiye in the
long run. mercantile crusade of that sort
might accomplish what no military one was
ever able to achieve-tho rescue of the Holy
Land from 1.-THE unspeHkabc Turk, and its
restoration to its ancient prosperity C0rrc-
SpoHd,Hcs LoHdOH 7imoy