Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18
MOROCCO AND ITS PEOPLE
Present r welt Of Fauatioism Against the
Influences Of Civilization.
FACTS ABOUT THE CHINA OF THE WEST
Cause and Cry Of the Boxers Repeated
by the Arabs-Characteristics
of the Country and
It's People.

Morocso has again indicated its ancient
title Of the China Of the West" An in
surrection has rent the sultanste Of Muley
Abdul Aziz. which In origin is strikingly
similar TO the Boxer outbreak OF 1900 in the
iF1owery Kingdom. In both cases. relates
the New York Tribune. II has been,a revolt
of fanatacism against the civilization OF
the Christian. The Boxer cried. Down
with the Christian dogl" The Arab is re-
lpeating that same cry.
Abdul Aziz. when he came to the throne,
in 1894, although only a lad Of 10. is said
10 have already evinced a yearning for bet
ter things. He read the histories of the
powerful nations OF the earth, and in his
boyish fancy he believed that Morocco. in
spite OF all it's centuries Of murder, fratri-
eide, cruelty and rapine, could be lifted to
q higher level. When Sid Ahmed. his
grand y%izier. the chief exponent Of the Ma
bometan extremists, died a year ago, the
young sultan began to show his hand more
boldly. He treated foreigners courteously,
sometimes spoke with them in their own
language, and, to the horror OF the gray
boards OF Fec. he rode about its streets in
ar automobile.
The rumbling of discomfort with which
these Innovations we're greeted rapidly
grew louder and louder. Then the sultan
committed an act which, according to the
most ritualistic Mahometans, was regarded
as utter sacrilege. An Arab who had shot
down In the streets Of Fee a Christian mis-
sionary and then taken refuge in the tomb
Of Mulai-Idris was adjudged guilty by the
sultan. Notwithstanding the murderer was
found within the sacred precincts Of the
tomb OF a descendent Of the Prophet. the
man was arrested at the sultan's orders and
EUh1NA1u aAAN a..
Abdul Aziz has licked the feet Of the
Christian dogs" murmured the gossips Of
Fee, and the murmur went from city to city
and from the ocean to the desert. Uprisings
were reported from the plains of the in
terror Inhabited by the most fanatical de-
scendants OF the Mahometan invaders. Only
a leader was needed, and he soon came for
ward. A fanatic came down from the Atlas
mountains, riding a donkey, with a prayer
rug carried before him. Hordes soon were
marching at his heels, and although the
next day they might desert their new leader
for the sultan, they showed how thoroughly
their old traditional jealousies had been
aroused. Another insurrection was afoot,
and Morocco had again called the attention
Of the civilized world to its wretchedness.
EVIL 20 the
oSNolhlhB W NEhNtleIS, the COnQlLlOn OF
Morocco at bottom is as evil today as in the
time Of Arshid, the first sultan. The sur
face. as may be seen by foreigners, may
present a little fairer view, but 1t is a var
nish which the flame of instruction is liza
BILE to shrfyel to dust. The old foundations
OF the government are said still to stand on
blackmail, extortion and crime. Despite the
liberal hopes of the present sultan, his
Bashaws and Kalds, as of old, regard their
ornces simply as a means Of persecution and
theft, and-it is in part because OF their dis
affection toward the liberal views Of Abdul
Aziz' that the crusade of the pretender
gained such an impetus. 'a-
According to long established custom,
which Abdul Aziz has sought to reform. but
at the peril of his throne, the sultan of Mo-
rocco obtains his revenue chiefly by oppres-
sion. Besides compelling the Jews to pre-
sent him with rich gifts on his birthdays
and levying poll taxes on all Hebrew sub
1ects, the sultan was used to condscate the
entire property of any citizen whose wealth
appeared especially attractive. Such an un-
fortunate would be simply cast into prison
without the opportunity Of defense or re-
dress, The sultan also levied taxes, osten-
sibly for the support Of his army, but as a
matter Of fact to fill his private purse.
Under a sultan like Muley Hassan. the
father OF the present ruler, every subordl-
nate in the government, from the bashaws
down to the most inferior officer obtained
his income by similar methods Of extor-
tion. Citizens were arrested, for example.
on false charges and confined in prison
until they had paid for their freedom.
Merchants known to be rich were sub
tected TO the thumbscrew. or other means |
OF stil more refined torture. until they
divulged where their riches were hidden.
Open blackmail was also employed, and
thus a citizen was told he would not be
injured or thrown into prison. or other
wise molested, II he paid such and such an
officer a certain sum.
Occasionally a bashaw or kaid, or some
other inferior potentate, became too
wealthy by such means and attracted the
attention Of the sultan. In such an event
the sultan simply cast the upstart into
prison and pocketed the wealth himself.
An English traveller who visited Morocco
in the reign OF Muley Hassan tells Of the
following case of perfdy and utter cruelty
to show how officials procure revenues: