The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-01-14

treme. lsmail Pasha collected taxes twice a
year The land was larmed out 10 tax-gather-
ers, and these collected taxes for the same
thing again and again, and the peasants had
70 work for nothing for the Government. Is
mail Pasha spent nearly S2O0O00 600 on public
works, aud he borrowed money right and left
When he assembled the throne the debt was less
than $2000O.O00, aud when he left il, il was
very nearly $JOOOO0000. He spent $50O0,00O
on the festivities al the opening Of the Suez
Canal. The result was that when the powers
elevated IcW6k Pasha 10 the throne and Oh.
posed lsmail be found be had under him the
poorest people Of the world and over him the
biggest debt and the hardest creditors.
All his life be had been dominated by these
creditors and the good that be was able TO do
was iu spite Of the clamoring Of the Roths.
childs and the bankers Of Europe. Among
other thinEs he cut down his own expenses In
order 70 reduce the taxation Of his people lie
gave up number Of his nalaces wear or SO
ago, aud be bias always lived within The $500.
600 year which constitutes his civil list
ln ls-s, when Egypt had very poor crop.
DC directed that The salaries Of an bis officials
Dc cut noWn 10 per cent, and set the example
BY cutting Of about $4,000 from ais own al
lONaHce, bad the other khediVes OF the past
been as economical, Egypt to-day would
have been rich country instead Of q mOrtpaged
one, aud the peasants would be wel-t0-do in
stead Of being practically paupcrs As il "a, be
has done what be could, aud among other
things be has brought about just collection
Of the taxes.
Heavy as the burdens OF taxation are the
hhedlVc hHE made IL impossible Tor any official
10 collect taxes twice from the same man for
the same thing, aud lac has abolished tie coll lee.
tion VI taxes by means of The bastinado and has
tried 10 give the poorest OF his subjects their
right under the law.
lt war in the Abdien Palace that had an in.
tervieW with the khedive about three wears
ago The audience bad been arranged by the
American Consul General, Col. Cardwell, and
We drove la the consular carriage accompanied
by the DragOman OF the Legation, 10 the palace.
This DruR0nan was g briPhi-eyed syrian.
lie war dressed in the most gorgeous Of Turk.
lhh Clothes aud hls vest and coat were covered
with gold embroidery aud he had a Damascus
sword of Immense Size at his side lie sat be.
aide the c0achman, aud we drove IN state
through tic busiest scenes OF Cairo. Now we
passed df0Ycs OF donEcys, the dTays Of Egypt
then went by caravans Of Camels, through
crowds Of vailed women and tuTbanued men,
and out boz 'front.' Of the palace IN which the
present khediVe lived as q boy while Lila
father, lsmmi, was on the throne, and then
onto great square containing about 10 acres
at the end Of which, IN the form Of q horse
shoe, was the Abdien Palace. ID "a q vast
building Of TWO stories OF brown stncco with
many windows and grand entrance at the
center.
AZ the left there "a q door which leads q
The harem, and az the central entrance stood
pompous Turkish soldiers with great swords IN
Their hands They wore Turkish Jackets Of
blue aud gold. Their full Zouave trousers
were OF blue br0adcloth, aud upon their heads
were great turbaus from undCr which sbone out
bf0nzed faces such ar possessed by those that
conquered this Oriental world in The trium.
phant days of Mahomctism
ne palace door was opened by an Arab
dressed in the high cut br0adcloth clothes OF \
preacher, aud wearing a red fez cap, and we
fere ushered into q grand entrance hall floorcd
I'm mosaic. The hall was very wide, aud 4
was hlled with officials Of various ranks
among others were some Of the Khediye',
AADlnet Ministers, who had been holding a con.
ference with His Majesty, aud who chattod
with nc d moment before we went on "a tb,
second hoor in which the reception room OF IN,
EhedlFe was. Al the door OF this we ,,er,
met by another official in black clothes and RED
cap. and this man opened the door aud invited
VI 20 enter
We stepped In. The room was not more thar
Ky feet square. ID was walled with satin, ant
The furniture consisted Of a small table n dozer
chairs aud long diyan. ln the center of III,
room stood the khedyo and he moved toward
~ aud shook the hand Of the American Con
Eul.General cordially.
Inc c0nsul-Gcneral presented me and th,
AhealFe IA the simplest manner possible cav,