The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-12

Abbas Pssha, Eldest Son OF the Late
Khsdiys TsWnk.

II Is a short but memorable dynasty
which 10 now represented on the khedival
throne by Abbas Pssha. q lad OF seven
teen, whose disposition 10 take or not TO
take his British medicine may plunge all
Europe into o war.
The sudden death OF the Khedive OF
Egypt has caused somo stir In England,
much excitement In France. and consider
able apprehension In Europe generally.
The French resent the presence OF Brit
ish soldiers on the Nile almost as much as
they object to the German occupation OF
Alsace- Lorraine. and not year is allowed
10 pass without o demand, more or less
direct aud imperative, for the evacuation
OF Egypt.
1t is impossible TO doubt that the Access
sion to the khedival throne OF an inexperi-
enced youth will be followed by French
attempt to prevent him from falling ex-
clusively under British influence. which
might result In the permanent exclusion
OF France from the country which at one
time she regarded almost as her own. The
direction and manner in which that at
tempt will be made are not yet apparent,
but there Is fear at nearly every European
court that France will try to induce the
sultan, who is the khedive's suzerain, TO
help In destroying or cripplinR British
influence in Egypt. and should his majesty
OF Turkey consent serious trouble 10 cer-
tain to follow.
Egypt contains only about ont fourth as
much farming land as the State OF New
York, and IL contains about six and one
half million people. or these 5000 900 are
peasants who live In mud huts In little
villages which are scattered up and down
the Valley OF the Nile. They are the poor
est OF the poor, and they make their living
from the tilling OF the soil. For every acre
OF land they cultivate they pay from four
to nine dollars annually In taxes, and in
addition to this there are export and I'm
port taxes on everything they buy or sell.
On the edge OF each village and city there
is tax ofice, and the farmer who brings
In a chicken to market must pay per-
centage on its value before he can go 10.
1t Is the same way with a donkey-load
Of grass, a basket Of vegetables. or any,
thing that the farmer raises. and there is
tax upon date trees which amounts to
5000, 900 a year, and upon salt. which
brings in more than a million dollars a
year. There arc taxes on sheep and
goats, which are paid whether the animals
are sold or not, and there are taxes on
wells and fisheries, and the general tariff
tax on all imports amount to eight per
cent.
These immense taxes are largely the
result OF the extravagancies OF the khe-
dives OF the past. Egypt pays every ycar
moro than $4,000. 900 to Turkey, and OF the
$50 900 900 which she grinds out OF the poo
pie every year In taxes more than $20, ,000.-
600 go to pay the interest upon debts
which were contracted before the late
khedive ascended the throne.
Ismail Pasha. a previous khedive. spent
nearly $500, 600, 900 on public works. and he
borrowed money right and left. When
he assembled the throne the debt was less
than $40, 900 900. and when he left 1t. IL was
very nearly $500. .o0O. 900. He spent $1,000.
600. on the festivities at the opening OF
the Suez Canal. The result was that when n
the powers elevated Tewfik Pasha to the
throne and opposed lsmail he found he
had under him the poorest people OF the
world and over him the biggest debt and
the hardest creditors.