New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-15
THE YEMEN.

The announcement Of disturbance In the
Yemen comes with the assured regularity of the
ax-collectOr or the equinox. II would not he
the Yemen without II. Old as the Yemen IS
and II rivals Egypt itscf-thcre ls no chapter
Of its history free from ructions. II is the
land that enjoys the unique distinction Of hav-
ing governed itself 40 badly that II was con
strained 10 invite the Ottoman Turks 10 come
In and reform It's administration. That was
only twenty six years ago the Inst conquest
Of the Ottoman Empire. If the reform has been
effected and matters are better than they were
Imagination is appalled, ut what they must have
been before. one Of these days. no doubt. the
whole country will be under British rule. AZ "A
corner of It now is Then there Will be- peace.
and the Yemen will no more be the Yemen II
has been for forty centuries.
Professor Sayce deems II probable that the
Yemen was the birthplace Of civilization. Why
not? The Yemcntcs trace their line back. not
10 IshmacI. az do tho Arabs about them. but TO
,Ioktan, one Of tho great grandsons OF Shem. the
son of Noah Joktan was the son of Eber. and
the father Of Sheba and Ophir and lIavilah, be-
sides various others: though whether these were
individuals. or tribes. or countries. who shall
say? The Yemenites founded the great MlnTan
uNnIS1l. WHICH WIS JOIlDMiu Dl lIlnl vi
one Of whose queens made an historic visit TO
King Solomon. She must he suspected of hay
Ing hattercd the Jewish monarch beyond the
bounds of veracity when she talked Of his
wealth and greatness, since she was herself the
owner OF the mines from which his treasures
had come. and had Mt hcr own capital buildings
and public works SURPRISING his. Finally rs 10
learning. there Is reason to believe that the
Yemenltcs taught the Egyptians heroglyphic
art. and gave 10 the Phpnicinns their first al
phabet.
In comparatively recent times the Yemen re-
tanned much OF lis earlier splcndor. II was at
about the beginning OF the Christian Era that
the great Queen Balkis flourshed. who got rid
OF a dangerous rival claimant 10 the throne by
marrying him one day and poisoning him tho
next Later came King Tubba. who led his
con1uerlng armies TO Samnrkand, to China. and
to the Caucasus. An Abyssinian king came
over and conquered Yemen, but was quickly de-
stroyed with his whole army, by storm Of
sand and pebbles. which pious Yemcnltes say
fell from heaven. but which sceptics say came
from the Desert OF I'll Ahkaf With the rise OF
Mahometism the Yemen became involved In the
rlvalries OF the Calphates. and was at last con-
quered by Solyman. A century later the Yemen
regained It's independence. and retained II until
1872 when II invited In the Turk.
When the time comes for British control. the
Yemen. despite Its furnaceke climate. may rise
to great prosperity. Despite their turbulence
the Yemenites are industrious. hosp!tablc. and
indeed. possessed Of most Of the elemental Writ
ues. The country Ia productive and capable
Of developing great wealth. The ono thing lack
ing In the Yemenite. and the one thing ncedful
| for the renewed greatness Of the Yemen. Is
order. 1t will lie supplied from outside, from