New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-21
AMONG THE MOORS
HAMAN's REBELLION AND WHAT IT MEANS

Tanger, July 81.
From civilization to barbarian, and from ~
day to remote antiquity is after oil ouIy step.
Or perhaps it would be better to say . short
boat-rde, since it is in little tub Of steamer
that one travels from Gibraltar to Tangier. You
90 on board, with the British flag waving above
YOU and with all of British civilization about
YOU. including band playing "Ta-ra-ra-boem-
de-aN' And presently you get on and enter .
CITY that dates beyond the Exodus, and md
yourself in society and a civilization thas mas
not advanced beyond that which existed In tho
time of Moses
Moreover, you are in a land big as France.
living almost within rife shot Of Europe. jet a.
unknown to Europeans as the heart OF tno
Soudan II is country of marvellous lertnlSy
and with the most perfect climate in tho world
vet inhabited by beggars. Its people are superb
physical specimens Of the human race, ana oy
no means to be despised in natural intellect. got
DEGRADED. and still sinking hopelessy, down,
down. down. There Is scarcely mole mournful
spectacle in all the world. Yet just now, amfd
the hopelcsSness there is one CLEAN OF hope. ~
ia kiodled by insurrection. 1t is rebellion
against the awful burden that has been for ages
crushing heart and life out Of Morocco; and IL
may succeed.
The curse of Morocco is its Government Inc
supreme ruler is the Sultan, tyrant and brute
He loves to build temples and palaces just tos
the sake of building He is luxurious, rapactous.
and almost infinitely cruel. Re cares nothing for
his people, save to require from then an income
sufficient to crafty all his tastes and whims
Over each of the provinces OF the Empire
Governor or Bashaw, is set. Ihey receive NO
salaries On the contrary. each one pays tho
Sultan a round Gum, from $4,000 to $4,000
onf hain
sultan gets his income. And the Bashaws got
theirs from the people. There is no fixed tax
rate or system of taxation. The Bashaws simply
take everything from the people save the baress
necessaries Of life. The process is appropriately
called "soueezng" II is organized connsca-
ton.
Nor do the Bashaws hesitate to use torture as
a. means of collection. If bapless subject does
not pay as large tribute as he Is supposed
he able TO pay, he is bastnadoed, or spnnKieo
with boiling oil Under such gentle influence no
becomes ready to surrender his last Iai'hins
Naturally. the people do not exert themselves
to acquire wealth. Why should they, when IL
,yould he taken from them? They strive simply
70 sustain life, that is all. SO the rich lana hes
untitled and country of almost illimitable re-
sources remains poor and undeveloped. why
should we plant palm trees they ASK "o
shall never be permitted 10 eat ,nc iiui'.
Nor is the condition Of the Basnaw always .
happy one He is generally able to wiring from .h'
neonle Of his own province splendid income for
himself besides the tribute he has to pay 10 tho
Sultan. Sometimes he may have for himself twice
"a much as he sends to the Sultan Yet ne is
not secnre: and the richer he grows the les
socurc he is. For now and then the sultan
hears that certain Bashaw has become very
rich Wbereupon he Invites him TO visit the
capital. The invitation is fatteringy courteous
in terms But il simply means. Come ana us
gorge" You have grown rich by squeezing inc
people. Now the Sultan proposes to squeeze
you"
Sir J. Hooker has given striking account o.
sucb an enisode A. it came under his personal
ohservat,on lie came upon body OF armed
horemen on their way TO the capital. hiho"s
them was solitary prisoner: man poorly elod
and heavily burdened with chains ana ietftS'
So large an escort for single captive leu 'io
spectator to ask who the prisoner was re wa
replic1 the commander of the troops, few days
hofor, .hc nowerful Governor Of q great province
tn. Sultan had invited him to the capital lie
had hesitated TO accept the invitation Consc-
ouentIv an escort was provided for him. Doubt-
les, the unfortunate Bashaw was compelled 10
Weld cvery dollar Of his ill-gottn fortune, ana
II he did not do so promptly or If the amount ala
not eonal the Sultan's expectations. he was PROB
ably put TO torture. ~
For ACES the people have endured this pitiless
oppression, and they have become so crushed IN
snirit that one could scarcely expect tlem ever
"a rise against the tyrant Yet at this very mo-
mcnt they are doing so, and that with fair
prospect Of success. For some time past there
have been reports Of risngs here and there; winch
the Sultan's troops have not been able 10 quei'
The truth is that these are the manifestations OF
q national patriotic movement, which mas lot HS
object nothing short Of complete poht'cai reVo-
luton.
Tho Good work hesnn here In Tangier a year
ago The Bashaw Of Tangie, was particularly
outrageous tyrant and his rule became intoerable.
TIE people rose aaginst him and demanded that
NO he removed The Sultan hestated. The
Bashaw was not yet rich enough to be =" invited
10 court But the popular clamor grew louder,
md finally assumed the form OF rebellion.
Foreisu powers were interested. too. having many
subj cts resident in or frequently visiting langier'
So the Sultan family yielded The OBNOXIOUS
Rashaw WAC removed and more decent man was
put in his place.
Railroads are unknown in Morocco and news
papers are few Yet in some way or another news
travels Presently it became known in other
provinces that the people Of Ianaier had carried
their point And the question was asked, WHY
cannot other provinces do likewise? Perhaps the
worst governed province of them all was Angern.
The Bashaw there was notably brutal, even for
Moorish Bashaw. But the people are magnin-
cent set Of hardy and daring mountalneers. 50,
encouraged by the example Of Tangier! they
asked the Sultan 10 remove the Bashaw and send
them another. The Sultan refused and there
upon they took up arms in open insuTection
Their leader is one Hannah, perhaps the best
soldier and most skilfnl general In the whole
empire He has Mt his back a splendid army,
and is looked TO all Morocco as the leader IN
n national struggle for reform apd for freedom