The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1899-05-26

wee, or forced labor system, by means
Of which peasants n artisans were
torn from their homes and forced to
labor on public works for months, some
times ear together, without pay, and
receiving nothing but their nourish-
ment. The Suez canal was construct
ed almost entirely by means Of labor
Of this character, thousands Of the Fe-
laheen perishing under the whip Of the
taskmaster. Indeed. whenever any
question has arisen as to the nature Of
the reforms instituted by the English
in Egypt, the abolition of forced labor
has always been cited as the most inn
portant. It would seem, however, that
it has been revived by Lord Kitchen
er, for the latter is building the extern
sion of the Soudan railroad, as well as
rebuilding Khartoum, and fortifying
the various points in the Soudan, by
means Of forced labor. The forcing Of
the labor is done in a slightly different
fashion-namely, by means of military
CONSUMPTION.
The civil governors and provincial
authorities of Lower Egypt are called
upon to furnish a certain quota of men
for military service. and it is impress
ed upOn them that artisans and me-
chanics are the men of whom the army
stands in principal need. These men
are torn from their families and from
their homes, where they have been
making from 16 to 20 piastres a day at
their respective trades, are sent up the
Nile thousands of miles away for a
term Of several years, and when they
reach their destination are set to work
at their trades for the benefit OF the
government, receiving as sole remun-
Grafton their military pay Of one pias-
ire and rations. OF late the demand OF
Lord Kitchener for recruits of this
kind is more excessive than ever be-
fore, and the natives are gradually be-
coming convinced that England's much
Wanted abolition of the orv labor
was merely a sham, and that it on
tinues under another name. The true
reason why there is to be no advance
against the khalifa until next autumn
is because Of the 5000 Egyptian troops
that Lord Kitchener has now under
his command at Khartoum, who are
the only ones available for a march
upon The khalifa. Close upon 1000 are
entirely fresh and unframed recruits,
who have never been under fire before,
nearly ail of the Egyptians and black
regiments that were present at she
battles Of the Atbara and of OmSur-
man having since that time completed
their term of service and been muster
s3 out of the army. In addition to this
the condition of the Nile and the abso-
Lutte impossibility by reason of china
tic conditions of employing English
troops until autumn renders any move
against the khalifa impracticable. This
is most unfortunate, for every day that
passes without his being attacked and
c1ushed by Lord Kitchener tends to
increase his power and prestige among
the nations OF the Soudan, who natur.
ally ascribe his immunity to fear on
the part of the English and to his al
legged supernatural powers.
No little comment has been excited
by the fact that when Lord Kitchener
encountered the khalifa ne will be
without one of his former chief officers
and principal %lieutenants by his side.
Archibald Hunter, Gen. Rumble, Col.
Macdonald, Gen. Hallampart and the
English chief Of the Egyptian cavalry
have all left him, and accepted em-
ployment in England and in India.
Col. Sir Reginald Wingate has ceased
to be the chief Of the intelligence
department and. as chief OF stah. is
now forced to remain permanently at
Cairo, while Slatin Pasha, who spent
SO many years as a captain Of the der
wishes at Omdurman. has thrown up
in disgust his commission in the
Egyptian army, his cautious remark
here last week concerning Lord Kitch-
ener and his policy making II clear
that he did not part on altogether
friendly terms with his former con
handing oncer. Lord Kitchener, when
last here, was so much lionized that
there was bound to be a reaction. II
has now set in. and is daily becoming
~f--wmn-