Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-03

ORIGIN OF THE SOUDAN WAR

To the Editor Of the Chicago Journal.
Fulton, Kansas, March I'm your issue
of the Goth ultimo appeared an article from
the American, entitled "England's Invasion
of Egypt" Whatever the amount Of truth
contained in tina, article, a portion OF It's
contents give rise to q serious question.
knowing that the Journal kindly answers
the queries of its subscribers, write for in
formation:
l. Does the Journal indorse the senti-
ment contained in that quotations
9. Is il. indeed, a conceded fact that .'es-
erv nation has right to manage its affairs
in its own way"
8. Are the Soudsnese fighting for dis
tinct nationality and deserving of the SYM
patty of the civilized world!
ana only q western country school
teacher, bu: am intensely interested IN the
Question how far one nation IL justified III
intcrmeddling in the affairs of another.
ARR.
The article referred to was copied
into the Journal more for the facts
which II contained in reference TO the
origin of the war in the S"udan than
Tor its didactic utterances in regard TO
the rights in the case. Whether Great
Britain is officially right or ethicalIy
wrong in its relations to the war makes
hitle difference just at preseni "a to the
course il must necessarily pursue. Ii
is in the war up TO its ears, ard it
must fight out or back out, that is, If
il can back ont. There are sometimes
emergencies from which nation can
not back out if it should so desire.
This is such dilemma. Great Britain
is like man struggling in the midst
of a stream that he has attempted 10
cross, and under circumstances where
it is impossible to tell whether he had
| better push ahead or return.
| During the reign of lsmail Pasha in
Eyvpt, from 1868 10 1879, the British
aud French capitalists lent him a
great deal of money. When he abdi-
Gated ia 1879. and was succeeded as
khedive by his son Tewfik Pasha, this
debr amounted iof56 100 900, or $3.50, :
oOO. OOU. BY HI agreement then made,
nh English aud French office were
| 10 exercise joI"t control OF the huance-
oi Egypt, aud were TO SO administer
this trust as To pay ,he legitimate ex-
penses of the khedIvc's z verninen ,
with 4 err cent. interest IN the debt,
aud also "a TO create a sinking fund
| for its eventual eXiiHauishment.
In 1882 the rebellion OF Ali Bey oc-
Cured. It, object WAS 10 overthrow
the foreign finaucial control which had
been rs ablish.d in Egypt. Great
Britain in exposed t. preserve the
DO y or of the Khedive and for the Sc
curity OF the financial administration
by which the debt due to English and
| French subjects WAS secured. The re-
! bellion of Ali Bey WAS suppressed and
he was banished. France did not and
England in ihese operations, and, at
ser the Khedivc's power was restored,
he abolished the joint Engiish-French
financial control, appointing the Eng
/ fish agent, Mr.. Goscheu, his sole fiuan-
cial adviser. Detachnents OF the
English army remained in Egpyt. and
the Egyptian army was reorsa1ized
and placed to some extent under Eng
li.h ofIicers. IL was under these CIR
cumstances that Bismarck advised
England to annex Egypt outright,
holding itself responsible to all the
owners of Egyptian bonds.
Egypt had conquered the Soudan 10
1919. aud held it since that time. The
uprising of the Mahdi in the soudan
occurred while England was engaged
in Subduing Ali Bey. When this OBJ
iect was effected, Gladstone announce
ed that he had no intention of holding
The Soudan or of retaining permanent
military control in Egypt. In pursu-
auce of this intention, he proposed IL
surrender the Soudan ~ the NJ ,hdl
and the other local chiefs. Gordon
was sent there to make arrangement.
tor this purpose. His mission was for
some uDaccountable reason not accept
able TO the Mahdi, Notwithstanding its
objects. lie was cooped up in khar-
t.,nm with his little army OF Egyptians
and friendly Soudsnese, and The expe'
dition of General Wols,ley was sent
Ia his rescue. The disasters in which
.the movement resulted are of recent
occurrence.
Whether England is in The right OF
in the wrong, there has not been
time since i Joined with France in the
financial control of Egypt-a mere
business contract 10 secure the pay
ment of The debt which Egypt owed
10 Europeans--when il could have
Withdrawn from Egypt if it wanted
to do So. Civilization recognizes 1t al
the duty of government to enforct
the collection of q debt lawfully due
to it, subjects or citizens iron
another nation, even TO th'
extent of lev,ing war fol
that object Ii is difficult to SEE
where Euyland has attempted the per