New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-05
NUBAR PACIIA.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GREAT EGYP-
TIAN STATESMAN RECENTLY DEAD.
~ Londnn ~.

TlAN STATESMAN RECENTLY DEAD
From The London News.
To say that Nuhar was far the best statesman
whom the East has produced in our time wouie
not necessarily be paying him compilncnl
II would Dee contrasting him with nobodies. Tn
East does not produce statesmen in our sens'
or the name. Il produces men great IN certain
way. such VI hcmct All. with his barbara
passion for Justice and his barbaric ways OF
gratifying II. as by trouncinc up unjust judge"
ard eNtOTtiOnate governors and hastlnadpini
them there and then. as If that could 90 any
Nubar was not merely the best Of Orienta
statesmen He would have been distinguished
anywhere. and in the most cultivated society
no less than in the political arena Never was
there a kindlier more genial. witticr more ias
cinatins host than Nuhar Now that he rs gon'
Cairo will not seem the same place to those "h'
knew Il in Nubar'S time. The visitor VINO knew
Egypt and its foremost statesman III the cgh
ties will perhaps pause before certain wen
known house. about half way between Sh"p
heards and the railway station, and recall mem
cries Of its former occupant He VIII picture
Nubar sitting i'm his corner seat by the window
overlooking the pathway leading from the bif
gate in the high wall. which separates the mouse
from the street and listen III Imagination 10 one
of the very best takers east "r west Z" ''in'l'S.
An artist in talk though ~ was. Nubar never
talked for talking's sake merely. lie was no.
an art for arts SAX" man There was Soiu
serious stun IN his talk. hut with neXhauSiloi'
wit. and mother wit and humor On one ot my
visits 10 Nubar soon after the occupation "ul
topic Of self-sOvernment for Egypt
Just at this time Lord Dufferin was deep II
his plans for administrative reconstruction
PEI haps he was polishing of that famous Mem
non sentence. wherrat ne may haV" smiled since
though / can imagine his generous emotona
81 IA IN the act Of composition. Sell govern
nent" exclaimed Nubar, what do they NEAR
10y self-gcvernment2 Is II seli-governmeht OF
the Thames? Bat this is the Nile. ! want then
TO define self government The Nyah--> y ann
have sclf-c )Vcrnment. You know VINO th'
ma i4ff
the Southern Soudan. Well. when the house
hold slave carries a plump baby into his NSaui-
Nyam Majrsty's presence for His Majesty
breakfast. that's part of self government among
the Nyam- Nyams" But the Illustration Nuhar's
dumb show. was the thing. Nubar got W from
his corner. And with that light, elastic step 81
his and with his feZ tilted slightly on one s'df
IN its habitual fashion Nubar initiated tn'
imaginary slave dangling the plump baby IN ms
arms before the Nyam-Nyam monarch And
now. my dear" said NuhaI, as he sat down. ms
eyes twinklnC let's have another coffee
often. when NuDar spoke English. ne ioi-
lowed the French dom, hence my dear fo'
mon cher" And It was always Let's have
another coffee" MY dear don't 30 away
yet Stop and cts have another coffee
In his sense Of fun. and IN his indif
ference to ceremonialism Nubar had in hin
nothing Of the Oriental / have often watched
the expression Of good atilred. patient boredom
on his face while d procession OF native visitor;
made elaborate ob-isance before MIN. each bow
ing down. with his forehead almost touching NJ
carpet and with open palm scoopng up thf
imaginary dust of humility
Another trait which distinguished Nuhar ron
the traditional Oriental was his humanity. wiiirf
had i'm il nothing Of capricious impulse. hut ga:
Instructive. as in the highest Western type
Nubar's humanity revealed itself IN sirikini
/ manner during the cholera outbreak OF lNi.i
when ne pers onay attended 70 the needs 90 Ia
sufferers. while the khedIve. Ismail. lied from
the p-Stllence. i mus not b. understood from
what | have said about ms cGmlcal illustration
Of differences in self-govcrnmcnt that Nuba
was lacking ~ the liberal spirit a Liberal b.
was every inch o. him Bur not in the InI.s
eliminating temper Of certain enthusiasts who's
S0-calIcd Liberalism would 90 more harm thar
good What Nubar work "a EGYPT Du
Liberalism Of the highest and finest order
There could have been more eloquent t@Stl
m0uv 10 the European appreciation OF Nuba
than the suggestion made by many leaders %
opinion in England ard on the Continent durin.
the height Of the Armenian crisis that he shOui,
be intrusted with the task Of mediation be
and OF dcYising for her some form Of autOnO
nous government IN Ter European guarantee
Nubar could have done ii II any man could
But there we're obstacles which il were profitles
now to discuss
To know Nubar was 10 love him Those %
us who were privileged with MS acquantanc
viii not his like again. Engishmen shOul'
eyer hold his memory in high regard. for h
died as he had lived. a firm believer In the hu
mamizinG power OF their race, while all mel
upon whom the name o. Egypt exercises h.
peculiar spell will honor the statesman WIN
did more than any other 10 rescue her iron
her ancient seryitude.