St. Landry democrat., 1885-03-21
The Cause of the Egyptian
WAR.

The origin of the present Egyptian
campaign dates from the reign OF lsmail
Pasha. shreWd and INSCRIPTIONS IN
triguer, who succeeded Said Pasila In
1868, and accumulated fortune from
the exDortation of cotton during our
civil war. This money he lavlshed on
Turkish officials, till he soon found
himself favOrite with the Sultan and
endowed with almost regal power.
He had been educated in Paris, and his
ambition was to EurOpeanize Egypt
and make Cairo the Paris of the East.
To accomplish this purpose he borrow
ed money by the million at the mOst
exorbitant rates Of interest. This
money was not devoted to national pur-
poses, but was expended in Oriental
display, in bribing favorite friends of
the Sultan in COnstantiple. in covering
Egypt with palaces, and stocking
harems. The fellahs, or native popula-
ton, were robbed to pay the interest on
those debts from which they derived no
benefit, and which they had no share in
contracting, and when the money could
not be raised the Khedive's tax-gathers
used to surround the villages, catch tie
Inhabitants and ply the bastinado till
the taxes were paid.
Ab #IdSG Cdt1lc ~ SuCl u pass
that Ismail could borrow no more
money, and the fellahs could pay no
more taxes. In the interest of the
bondhOlders, mostly English and
French, Ismail was depOsed and his son,
the present ruler, made Khedive. To
secure payment on the bonds joint or
dual control was established over Eyp-
tian finances by England and France.
Sir Rivers Wilson, the English repre-
sentative, dismissed from public en-
ployment all the native Egyptian Off
cials and flooded the country with A
swarm Of hungry English officials, who
knew nothing about Egypt save that 1t
owed them exorbitant salaries. A splr-
it Of disaffection soon manifested itself,
and national party was formed,
headed by Arab Pasha, an oflcer OF
the army. A brawl occurred in the
streets Of Alexandria, which was mag
nifed by the English press into whole
sale massacre and measures were taken
BY the English government to suppress
the Egyptian national party, now III in
cipient rebellion against the Khedive,
who was only puppet in the hands OF
his English and French masters.
France refused to cooperate with Eng
land in suppressing the rebellion and
the latter resolved to act alone. Admi-
raj Seymour bOmbarded Alexandra
and Wolseley passing through the Suez
Canal, met the Egyptian army at Tel-el-
Keber, defeated it and captured Arab
Pasha, who was banished to Ceylon.
Meantime the Arabs of Soudan-an i'm
meuse tract Of country comprising
K0rdOfan, Nubia proper, Senaar and
TOka on the East, and some of the Nile
districts further south-under tlle lead
ership Of FL Mahdi, the False Prophet,
had risen in rebellion against Egyptian
rule, and held the Egyptian garisons
prisoners. The Soudan region had
been gradually annexed since 1921, but
was never reduced to complete subjec
tion. It was the centre of the great
African slave trade, which had always
been monopolized by the Arabs, and
which was partially broken up by Sir
Samuel Baker and Gen. Gordon, in the
service Of the Khedive, some years be-
fore. England having undertaken to
restore order in Egypt now found her
self compelled to liberate the Egyptian
garrisons and suppress the Mahdi's re-
beIlion. The Arabs, on the other hand,
were instigated to resistance under the
impulses of patriotism, religious fanti
cism aud the profits of slave catching.
New York World.