Smyrna times., 1882-09-06
The Truth About Egypt.

We have as yet expressed no very
positive opinion about the moral ques- |
tions involved in the Egyptian embro-
Clio, for the reason that it has been |
very hard to get at the facts Oh which |
an intelligent opinion could be founded.
We have had to pick our way through
a great mass of conflicting testimony,
and the truth was hard to find.
At first the theory seemed plausible
that Arab was the leader of national
party, protesting against the spOliation
of his country by horde Of foreign
oflice-holdcrs But the facts as they
come out one by one do not seem to
support this view of the case. The
testimony of the Rev. II. II. JeSSup,
d. d., 50 long missionary of the
| PRESBYTERIAN Board in Syria, is en-
phatic on this point. DIR. Jessup is a
/ man of learning and force OF character,
and Il few Years ago when i'll this coun-
try WIS made Moderator of the Gener-
al Assemtiy. the highest honor in the
gift of his Church. He is familiar with
Egypt and with Northumberland, and
the word of no single man is entitled
to carry greater weight with it than
his. DR. Jessup declares that Egypt
has been better governed under the
present Khedive than ever before. He
surrendered the enormous revenues
extOrted by his predecessors from the
fellahen, and Il moderate fixed tax on
every person was imposed. The native
lice-holders were all thieves, and had
to be replaced by foreigners; the latter
were paid higher salaries than the
natives had received, but the difference
} was less than the peculatiOns of the
latter. Economy and thrift were the
} order of the day under the Anglo
French control, and the finances OF
l Egypt were rapidly improving while
: the people were cOntented and pros
5 porous.
4 The natives who had thus been dis
3 placed were naturally dissatisfied witt
e this state of things, and ready for ;
e reVUiutICn that would restore them t
. power. The Sultan was displeased a
. seeing the prosperity of Egypt inure t.
e the benefit of foreign bondholders in
c stead of to himself, and secretly inves
|, tigated a revolt. Undoubted proofs 0
|, this fact have lately come to light
J.: showing that from the beginning Arat
has been only Il tool of the Porte. b
q promising them restoration to pOWe
II Arab gained over the displaced official
d a large and influential class; by profess
$, ing patriotic wish to restore Egypt
70 the Egyptians he gained over tn
army; and by appealing to the reli!
t. ious bgotry of the fellaheen he obtain
y ed their sympathy if not their actiN
II support. In this way Arab in shO
time gathered formidable following
IS, formidable in numbers and noise
least-and was able to defy the Khedi'
e. and the AnglO-Frcnch Commissioner
~ What results have followed, all Il
or world knows.
Tx DIR. Jessup is firm i'll the belief tn
Great Britain deserves the gratitude
Id the civilized world for her armed intC
Int ference in Egypt. Deplorable as L
We massacre at Alexandria was, it W
ire nothing to what would soon have {
cured had there not been such int
mt ference. Not only in Egypt but
to Syria and India there was danger o
ept religious war-that the MOhammeda
lat all over the world would put to
lad sword all who refused to accept Isl:
adj us their religion. The prompt acti
lex of Great Britain has prevented all t
IL DlOOUSneu, anu WIlllc SECURING ucI y
lk- commercial interests in the East 5
vas has also secured the lives and prope
rid of all Christians dwelling there.
ter DIR. Jessup's view of the Egypt
lit? question is founded on ascertain
100, facts, and is the mature judgement
it, clear-headed Christian man.
to seems to furnish key to the ent
Dm- situation, and to vindicate all that
before been doubtful about EnglaT
gan action.-N. Y. Examiner.