Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-02-19
THE FALSE PROPHET.
lie and His Followers Condemned
by the Real Mahdi.
THE NEW FRENCH PREMIER
NJ. Meline at First Declined Absolutely to
Form Cabinet bat Finally Iseluctantly
Consented-M. Ferry tho Power Be-
hind the Throne-The Orlcanists.

LONDON, Feb. la.--The telegram from Sua-
kim telling of the message which Shielxh Sc
noussi has sent to the Khalife is one fun of
significance which win be apparent to very
few persons The fact Is that the individual
designated as Senoussi is the head of what il
undoubtedly the most widespread and power
full Of the Mohammeian Brotherhood. lie Is
the true Mahdi, aud it is surprising that he
has delayed so long in taking action against
the pseudo Mahdi at Khartoum.
The present SanousSi is the son of the
founder of the order or brotherhood. The
father, in ls43 was obliged to flee from
Mecca, where his principles and the strict
ness Of his life had made him many enemies.
Returning TO North Africa Che was an Al
gerian) he settled at last in the oasis OF
Farajia, on the southern border OF Barka.
Thousands of Moslems fiocked to him, and at
his capitol, Jaraboub. enormous buildings
were erected. Here is the center of relig-
ious empire which extends one side to Senegal
and on the other side to Mesopotamia, and
which has the adherence of more than q
million and a half of subjects.
The present Senoussi succeeded his father
in 1859 and became the ndsputed and
promptly obeyed master of all the ''Khwann
of the world, who see in him the true mahdi
the guide" or rather the 'well guided
destined TO re-establish the power of Islam
Ostensibly the Senoussites are not fight
ing order, their object being solely to unite
all the orthodox Moslem orders of the world
into theocracy independent entirely of secu-
lar authority. Though they profess to re-
oudiate all political influence, however, they
will tolerate no rivalry
If, then, il is true that the decree has gone
forth from Barka that the Khalife of Khar-
toum Is to be put down, the whole of north
Africa will eagerly obey the command and
Mahdism will be surely crushed, though
whether this would be of benefit to European
influence in the interior Of Africa is question:
able.
The followers of Senoussi lead rigidly as
celtic livos They may cot even smoke, much
less indulge in wine, aud it is extremely dam
gerous for any Christion TO be found within
sight of their eyes.
THE FRENCH POLITICAL SITUATION.
NJ. Meline replied to NJ Carnot's first re-
quest that he form cabinet by a fat refusal.
He declined positively to give up the digni-
fled position of president of the chamber Of
deputies for the difficult and unpleasant pre-
miership. The political career of Felix Jules
Meline, who is a lawyer of about 80 years of
age, began only between ten and fl teen years
ago. He has been under secretary of the in
terror and minister of agriculture under
Ferry. and he knows that his present position
is decidedly preferable to anything else MI.
Carnot, however, insisted in pressing his re-
quest, and finally, mainly through the insta.u-
mentality of NJ. Rouvier, he obtained reluc-
tant consent from NJ. Meline to undertake the
task
Considering the great difficulty, in the dis
taste of prominent men TO enter the cabinet,
which NJ. Meline has to contend with, he
probably already regrets having engaged
himself to try to form ministry. He is a
modest, unassuming man, respected, honest
and straightforward, and scarcely fitted to
do the more active and sometimes exacting
work of the regular politician; and if he sue
ceeds in forming a cabinet it will be due more
to the active backing of NJ Rouvier than to
his own efforts. Nj. Rouvier is strong
Ferryite, and the cabinet will be practically
a Ferry cabinet without Ferry. The latters
presence in the ministry would raise consid-
cradle storm, and would be altogether unad-
visable in the present uncertain condition Of
the public temper and the approach of tho
exhibition NJ. Meline viii himself take his
old port olio of agriculture
H. Carnots object, as is generally known,
Is TO obtain q cOiorIeSS cabinet. which shall
simply suffice for the necessary work of the
state during the exhibition year, and for pre-
pairing for the general elections The only
condition, in the way of politics, is that the
minority shall be anti-Boulangist. NJ Meline
himself entertains no belief that the cabinet
viii last long. NJ. Andrieux, indeed, already
talks of upsetting on Tuesday any ministry
which III. Meiine can form by simply demands
ing the evacuation of Tonquin-a motion
which majority OF the chamber would sun
port. ANY cabinet which owes its formation
to Ferry and his friends could naturally be
bothered and probably driven out by bring
ing up the Tonquin question.
1t is stated that the Comte de Paris has an
pointed b. Bocher the head manager of the
Orleans party, TO replace M. Lambert ST.
Croix, who is not Boulangist enough to please
him. The OrIeanists still believe that they
will be able to use Boulanger as a means OF
gaining their own ends. 1t Is impossible to
teIE definitely whether their faith is based On
reliable grounds The government Is again
considering the recall Of the Due d'Aun1ale AZ
an antidote to the Boulangist propaganda.
There is talk, also, of appointing the Due
fAumale to fill the vacancy in the Academy
If Moral Sciences. The entire political situa-
Jon at this moment, indeed revoIves about
Sha Orleans family