New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-23
USURY AND FORCED LABOR IN EGffI


rom me London CJooCs R0to II m rtlIers suarrs
OGicial RepoH.
So far as Lower Egypt Is concerned, the curse
of the country j. the money 1chIer O7Gry j, at tie
bottom of Egyptian lbeine and hid ing but the maj
forced labor likewise powerful elements OF mischief
The position of the fcah IN the Delta not essentially
that i say rent the state being The universal iandod
but his crops worth one yca with another 4lG per
acre while an English farmers wheat produce cannot
lie put at higher average than 81 an acre aud he Is
heavily taxed. II he could once be relieved OF his in
little nothing III his position, considered acutyator
to complain OF. The Koran iormds usury Al the
therefore, Greeks, yrldns or Jc
and if there hatred to foreigners on the part o
the Impoverished people IT Is easily cHlhrd' ihcy are
however an additional reason OF anlmosty Not only
e tha srer foreigners bat it is the Introduce Of
foreign control which has invested them with snch ter
rihle power for evil In former times the feiahs land
uas inuicuape without his own consent II could not
be seized debt. and if tie money-lendcr charged Il
high rate of interest his night TO 90 80 Was readily ad
United inssIucb a. he held practically 10 tangible
cury Now it is complained that loan, to cultlvaors
have been converted into h-tclaS0 mortgages ana YET
interest eItortcd up to 80 'er cent The change IN
the position borrower and lender mas been Elected 10y
the institution OF the mixed courts The nsnIrr heinz
by the nature OF the case, foreigner easily gel hse
appointed an agent OF some consulate. lie mas mere
fore right TO have all h- dlspu rs with regard 10
these have introduced The practice OF selling the debtor
land to meet the money lenders claims great dcsi pi
land has thus been transferred ana the process sohs
on. Mr.. stuart says, at al accelerated rate.
much III the different parts OF the country NoWhcfc 90"
the laborers receive any pay or loOi OF shelter Wc
their treatment by thcl TASK nd-ltH "Ouu seem 10
simply brutal. Mr. stuart describes the system as lie
saw IL operation IN the province OF kench III Upper
Fs,ypt where "a new canal was being eXcavated. cut
of about eighteen feet IN depth had been made THROUGH
"a c0ugiom"rate of sand and gravel; thi- wa7 n~uEcd
right and left by high entertainments constructed Oi the
material removed from the trench and along the bottom
and on the slopes swarmed th!chly Ike bees on "a
honey comb distance of abOuta mile IN length lie
entire strength Of the imresSabc labor III the province
amounting 10 about 10000 men, was concentrated on
this work The tOled from sunrise 10 sunse with
the theIInOme al - degrees IN The shade. having only
brief interval at midday for meal OF bread soaAel III
unnltcred Nile water This, with similar meal before
beginning and after leaving on, constituted the day 5
dietary the aborer~ provided TIER own baskets luf
carry ing the cIcaYed soil and their own tools when
they used ans, but most employed thclr fingers over
wall ed about among them armed with sticks Win
which they struck the men while they were carrying
loads upon their heads. often without any apparent
reason. At night they slept upon the ground almost
without clothing ana quite without shelter though the
air was often very cAd. Mr. stuart has seen negro
slaves work in the cotton plantations OF Cuba and the
couvcts at Portland. and butn 10 be enYied, IN
his oululOu. bY the Igyutian fcllahs