The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-21
THE EMPEROR OF ETHIOPIA.
Union or THE LINES OF SOLOMON
AND QUEEN OF SHEA.
4 Ring who PresfSes over y
Of J.ssiee-A Civilized e"af'
Many Respects-An fsaciea'
r.... ..a Two Royal Daughters.

-. v,oyr.sner,f.y before tire pnaics siis ~
Iourfrz aeer,asnt Of tais H'iie KNOW a. te-~sA
en,ry,re related to rne by b@ssfah oA-ISe4.
-snsn.Iv returned from Ethiopia. ma
fss.rs-xt The reign Of AeneAg
.rsngu~s,e. in the history OF Anfsslii.a
$500 .srsafrfe'' The country ieHos
stSeif easily TO civilization. ana IL u -
sza,ss,n. stiff encountered oy fsnaa4 la .
lions. tends more and more 70 become 49,
.lea an tFe tines O. European consfltaIloaiAi
..s.s,ss-.sssssa N4aeEik. a powerful and re-
snect.S sovereign an enlightened reiof iHr
ara administrator has revealed nsnstH a-
q rsaIt, great sovereign. worthy OF 40
r-trxffon as well by hts conduct as y ~.
dignity Of his character. Waesi ssehs.aA
vf.s e.oxned emperor Of Ethiopia OF ~
ysn,hsr fsss after the death Of King Jo-
haunes killed on March 10 OF the same year
in a battle against the Dervisne7s. ne wa
far fran being the powerful monarch 1sa1
he IL today.
King Of Choa by divine rigat, ne was
COMPELLED 10 fight for his empire a9alds1
those eh!sftains who did not feeogiii1 80, =.
him fae SUCCESSOR OF johannes 10 fui4S
understand ta.s question Of inheritance.
n must bs remembered that A5yssnla or
Ethiopia an empire composed OF several
klngaoms In not peopied BY saVages' gig
great majority OF ths Inhabitants atF
Christians and they are governed ~
feuaai constitution similar Ia the one
Middle Ages Thoroughly monarenicai.
this constitution has a very distinct tdea
Of regular succession 10 the thfoSte. ana
OF kingship by divine right Tue ancient
eoyereigns OF Ethiopia boastsd OF snef Ill
rect decent In uninterrupted succession
from Meuelik or Meneiick. son OF hins
Solomon. and Of Makada, queen or snena'
The descendants of this ilastrlous race.
after having ruled over all the countries
OF Ethiopia with imperial power. had their
domination reduced 10 the Kingdom OF
Choa. in the southern portion OF AnSs-
sinia
II = to this royal branch that saiah-
galassse belonged a sovereign VINO pro-
PISSED great friendship for Louis philippe
and admiration for the French people ana
nation. He ended % making MS peace
with the Emperor Johannes. and mar
rage united the two rival families; the
sofl of the emperor, the Ras Area. mar
fled The daughter of Salah- Aariem. and
Il was arranged that at the death OF Jo-
hannes saiah -MarieE should succeed 70
the throne which hs would IN turn leave
10 the Ras Area Bat IL so happened that
the latter died first! bat at Johannes
death salah-M arIefn maintained his pre-
tensions 10 the throne by force Of arms
and was crowned emperor OF Ethiopia.
with the title OF Menelk. Such IS briefly
the succession of events. which permitted
Menelk TO reconstruct the ancient empire
OF Ethiopia, which he had the good sense
not 10 extend TO the sea, like his predeces-
sor Theodoros.
The Ahyssinian people belong in great
majority 20 the Chamite race, like the
Nanians but there also To he found
In the empire certain negro elements.
which are. however. in minority, The
Inhabitants OF the two Kingdoms of Choa
ard Of HarraF are the most open 10
European civilization and progress. The
Ahyssinians are mostly farmers; courage.
strength of VIII and a strong sense of
justice are their dominating charaeteris-
ties.
The organization OF the Abyssinan state
Is extremely we'll defined and regularly
constituted IL Is estah ilzhed on the lines
af a tendai society. All the estates held
In fef furnish soldiers and taxcs 10 the
sovereign. The taxes on land are the prin-
clpal resources of the empire. Every prov
fnce Is governed by "ras'' or by a fHnc-
tionary Of high degree. appointed ny the
emperor. The r4s is a military As well az
civil officer. The army Is composed Of
regulars. volunteers and Of the militia,
who are liable 10 he called upon for active
service At any time. The volunteers. re-
cruilcd for enc year al a time, form small
permanent armies in the service Of the
emperor. The volunteer soldiers have a
right 80 their food and keep In much he
same manner as In Europe, and they are
paid small salary The army is net quar-
tered in barracks but is scattered among
the peasants, who are compelled 70 pro-
vide for them. this being a portion OF their
yearly taxes 10 tho government.
The Emperor Mencik Il himself emf
nentiy OF y peaceahe nature: he aims
a. lifting his country To the level Of Flu
ropean civilization and asplres n the sur
name Of the Just" Resides his army he
has splendid police force as the fero-
cious hrigaud hordcs Of the desert know
10 their cost. BrigaudaEe. once 80 CON-
mon IN Abyssinia. is now souvenir Of
the past Outside Of their regular milf
ssry service no Ahyssluiau Is allowed IA
carry wearous OF any kind Meneiik has
also brought about great reforms in the
Judiciary. He personally pressdes over the
slttings Of the supreme court Of the king
dom. twice a week The ''sta nces'' Of this
court are public. and "Mencuk the lust
Eses hat no act 81 Injustice ia commit I'd
A. supreme Judge there II no appeal from,
hts decisions: he listens patiently "a tse
nleadngs ~ the most Aumhp ~ his sub
ieets Surrounded ny hts 'likaouents -
r justices. he represents az the Sarus
ime the president Of the court and the
ury. The emperor has not. however. fhe
acwer ~ pardon \ sentence az death
shen once passed IS final Rut Menelik
ass long since dore away with she hcrri-
Sic taTtuTes and mutiiatsons which once
prevailed In the empire
ISnsi{ka Who * EeUerafiSS'rao ~ fhs
,rmy has done much for the military or.
IaTzization of his eDU.re ana hls greatest
achievement in shts direction Is tn. slsc{
s'i'}e he has imposed un his tr,sops Tes
'sNRiry, Infantry ara artillery ar, organ
rsd IN the saule manner as ~ Eurona
aenelfk s himself noted for his t,erxons
s0urase or tho field 1T bath, ~ - ,he
saVest au1ong the brave. II IS particular
~ his manner ~ treating his val,0ufsh.
Il foes that MoUeilk displays himself a =
efcrnler, The sovereign ~ n state. fuSt
nergirr from ha-hsrsSsf, he has mat
Farfare ia his empire as humane as n ra,
sosssbfy Dc. and abolished slavery He :.
every respect a friend ~ civilization
"a SssIisss fanatics. 20 whatever sect th.,
nSy hs1onc- Though the sovereign, ~ :
iaristjan country he allows fun hher11
= conscience 20 ali his subjects What,
yer ther Political or Religious creed ma,
.. E%ijsto,s persecution has indeed al
tsys been = rare occurrence IN A},v.xtr1s
Msasltk generally resides a, h4x r7,s,,t-,
lace few yal}vS from the can{,al ~ ~,
uns1ofa. Ertotto rbts tnsnerfal ara roy.
j palace l. called A3i<ssha. or .hs ..Nau
Flower" At,ssAN& is. indeed new Srr,,,
Ore. ard ear IN G3cSt rrzasets SEMINAR,
hvoTabtv with the country residence .,
INV Eng6Hsar oob'rman. TIE ca~3ysf I'm
estc. Is slt3Stod 81 an ahrslpt r,aer,sf,
tide much ake an eagles nest sna haS ~
lhe necessary advantages for rasaI resi-
seace> A3iNsAba. at the foot ~ tla Eyastsa
tain, eatnys 4 gEUeh u2aer climate. II -
therefore. the Versailles 81 taa FfhAs,,fa Al
CAPITAL: moreover. tts hot SPRINGS have !
widespread reputation. These sovsny,
fiike the famous waters ~ Aix-la.tvha
pelisl attract tire Emperor Meael5k fsgst =
The EsantSA tawv formerly attracted -, 3 -