Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-04-14

CONSUL LEwIs--sTREET IN TANGrERs.
ley, millct maize and other cereals grow
well, and cotton, rice and sugar cane
would succeed il properly cultivated.
Besides these fax, hemp and tobacco may
be raised.
The present sultan, Sid Mulai 1lassan,
Is an old fashioned Oriental despot. He
is 81 years old though he has only relgnod
since he was 40. OF course he is a Moham-
medan and direct descendant of tho
prophet but the mothers in his family
have always been black slaves; conse-
quently he is very dusky.
II may be interesting to Americans to
know, in view of the possible difficulties
with this barbarian, that he has since this
occasion completely rcorganized his army,
and has armed his infantry with Martini
Henry rifles, his cavalry with Winches.
ters, and has made purchases of Krupp
guns. He has also purchased machinery
for the manufacture of guns and cart
ridges. but his ambition in this matter
outstripped the mechanical skill of his
people, for they didn't know how to use
the machinery after they got IT, The sui
tan's right hand man is kaid MacLean, a
Scotchman, as his name indicates, and it
Is he who advised the sultan in the reor-
ganization of his army. In the event of a
war, II the United States should not raise
her present regular army, she would bo
abapt evenly matched by Mulai IIassan,
who East cmething over Sc, 900 infantry.
As to the navftsi ofdAa two powers. since
neither has any worth Speaking of they
are also in this respect about evenly
matched
The sultan having initiated Europeans
in the matter of army and implements of
war, doesn't think IL best to 70 any fur
ther. European courts of justice are not
SO attractive to him. II he wants piece
Of property belonging 10 any of his sub
jects he takes it, without any trouble,
whereas il he had courts, it would DO
necessary TO cut of the heads of the Judge
and jury as a preliminary TO a valid con
veyance. As it is, when the owner OBJ
jects it is only necessary TO decapitate
him, and a good title is acquired. Tho
consequence of the sultau's ability in this
respect is that his richest subjects en-.
deavor to hide their wealth or TO secure
the protection of some foreign consul or
TO ally themselves in trade with some
foreigner. Each foreign consul Is entitled
by law TO a certain number of prOtcges or
clients among the sultan's native subjects,
whose goods are thus protected from
seizure.
1t is under this system Of protection
that the present dispute between the
United States and Morocco arises. Mr..
Lewis, the American consul at Tangiers
gets into dispute with reference 10 his
native proteges, several Of whom with
barbarous Moorish names were despoileC
Of their goods and one of them thrown
into prison. The consul demands restitu
tion. which is denied or delayed, Unite,
States gunboat appears opportuncly In IL,
harbor and the war cloud darkens.
The difficulty seems to lie rather in ih'
system Of protecting consular protege
than Ia u question Of the rights Of M
American citizen. This system has grown
up 10 be very widespread from small be
ginning. The treaty Of Madrid gave tn
right 10 wholesale merchants 60 protcc
two native brokers In every town in whicl
they trade. 1t is sespressly stipulated tha
these brokers should be employed in th'
wholesale trade, but there is really littl
"a or no wholesale trade between Americ!
"a. Morocco, yet the protection system
.n 1e very widely spread and it |!
hooa'a very much abused. A
fGi: smoid in March or April I,
ITO stay Stence of whici
= hut itSSe treaties
.o now