The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-12-03

ury run low, he orders the arrest q,
some wealthy citizen and has him con.
veyed to Morocco or Fee, tho two cap.
itals OF the snltanate. No reason i.
given or expected for such arbitrary
action. The prisoner knows that his
sovereign needs money, and as soon as
he reaches his destination opens nc.
gotiations for his release. As the sui.
tan rarely appears personally in these
transactions, the unfortunate victim
has to pay heavy tribute to the min.
lister in charge of his case, besides his
ransom to the greedy potcntate.
Sometimes the sultan gets hold of q
particularly obstinate creature who
values his money more than his life.
In such a case the gentle ruler of the
faithful has tho recalcitrant captive ex-
ecuted with neatness and dispatch or
bastinadoed until the wretch confessea
the hiding place of his treasures. Off,
GERS are sent to his house and, if the
poor devil has told lie, the building
is torn down and every stone examined
until the money is discovered.
Although the Mohammedans despise
the Jews the government looks with
displeasure upon their emigration. The
present sultan has, in fact, gone 80 far
rs to issue an edict prohibiting Jewish
women from leaving the country. The
jews control the foreign and a large
share Of the domestic trade of the coun.
try, and an occasional raid of their
Quarters at Tangier, Morocco, Fee and
other towns produces excellent results
for the profigate court.
It is safe to risk tho assertion that no
semi-civilized nation under the sun is as
unprogressive as the Moors. They have
clung with unparalleled tenacity to the
tradition of remote ages The farming
population manages its affairs with the
simplicity which characterized the oper-
ations of the patriarchs, and could not
be persuaded to try labor-saving ma.
chinery and devices. The same holds
good OF the mechanics and artisans,
The leather, for instance, which made
Morocco famous. is tanned and dressed
rs it was thousand years ago Masons
and goldsmiths pursue their avoca.
tions with an equal disregard of modern
methods.
The sultan is the spiritual as well as
the temporal ruler of his subjects.
Fanatical devotion to the Koran and
strong faith in the liberal interpreta.
ton OF its injunctions have produced a
race OF stern, gloomy fanatics who
would hail with delight the utter ex.
termination Of Christianity. Intoxicat
ing liquors are eschewed by the Moor.
whose only stimulant consists of coffee
Polygamy is practiced by the wealthiel
members Of society. wife can be sc
cured on trial If found unsatisfactory
she can be returned to her father.
house, but after the marriage has once
taken place the husband is compelled
to provide for her. Failure to do SO car
ries with it severe bodily punishment
Occupation of the empire by the Eu
ropean powers would unquestionabl,
work wonderful changes in the empire
1t could, however, be accomplished onl,
at a great expense of money and life, a.
the fierce Arabs of the interior woule
never consent to Christian domination
without terrible struggle. The Cros
and the Crescent would have to b.
matched until the followers of one O
i the other have been wiped from th
face OF the earth. g. w WEIppIERr.