Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-18

"A Jew who had gained considerable
wealth as a merchant IN Fer sought the
protection OF his friend. Who was an in
nuential Mohammedan. The Jew said that
he had heard that the kaid was envious
OF his riches and was already conspiring
to confscate them. He asked the Mo-
hammedan TO permit him to share his
home. The Mohammedan promised to pro-
tect the Jew, took him home. and received
many gifts from his guest in return:
The kaid. learning what had happened,
Immediately vent to the Mahometan and
asked him 70 sell him the Jew. A bargain
was soon struck. the jew was thrown into
prison and beaten nearly to death. All his
property was conhscated and divided be-
tween the Mahometan and the kaid. After
many years OF suffering the Jew regained
his freedom. and lie at present living in q
little hovsl with bis wife, a donkey and a
few fowls. I dare not possess more he
said to me-"
The prisons Of Morocco best illustrate,
perhaps, the utter depravity OF It's govern
ment In most cases the prison in merely
a pit. open to the air and rain overhead,
with only the ground for a floor. Here the
innocent ana the criminal are huddled to-
gether tndiscriminately. They are like ami
mails in a pen There are no means Of ssni-
tation- The prisons are no expense to the
state, az the inmates must purchase their
own food. Should one at last become pau
perized he then gets only a piece Of coarse
bread. barely sufficient to prolong the
agonies Of starvation. Water is granted
these prisoners only every other day. and 1t
- .aNg - IT. -
the tropical heat and their close connne-
ment hat they fight over a cup Of water
like dogs over a bone. No list is kept Of
the prisoners Of Morocco. A man simply
disappears.
Progress StFanEled.
The constant fear OF confscation and i'm
prisonment has stifed all the industries Of
Morocco. A man is afraid to become
wealthy, OF even to own more than the bare
necessities Of life. Miles on miles Of fertile
plain and mountain plateau lie barren be-
cause the owner OF the land is afraid to cul-
tivate IT.. Wheat and barley. coffee and
sugarcane could be grown and a prosperous
trade established with the European ports
across the Mediterranean, but instead the
terror stricken subjects barely raise enough
grain to supply their own needs. As soon
as a crop falls the country IL Frustrated
with a famine.
The population of Morocco has de1ed the
statisticisn. Some OF the cities OF It's plains
are closed against the foot OF a white man,
and the wild tribes of the mountain, which
have now poured down from their Businesses
to sack the city of Fee, have never been
counted. for among them the art Of counting
is confined to fingers and thumbs. The ma
fOTifv Of wFftarq however, graz that fha
sultan rules over from 1900, 900 to 5000. 900
people. OF about the same number that live
in either Ohio or Pennsylvania. The boun-
daries of this country where It extends into
the desert are loosely defined. but by the
least conservative estimate the area OF Mo
rocco is 10000 square miles, or about the
size Of Texas and Louisiana.
District Races.
Since the Arabs first penetrated into Mo-
rocco in the sixth century and the fierce
tribes Of the Atlas mountains were finally
overcome, four distinct races have emerged.
There is first the Berber, the descendant of
the aborigine, of fine physique, courageous,
temperate and Industrious. The Berber
tribes are the chief agriculturists, and by
reason Of their skill as masons they live in
stone houses and are TO be found for the
" - ~ ~ mountainous
The Arabs and Moors have a common an
cestry, but because the Moor has for CEN
turtles lived in the city, while the Arab still
clings to his tent and roves over the plain.
the former has acquired polished manner
and city ways. For this reason he thinks
superior to his country cousins.
Both are descended from Mahometan In
vaders.
According to Jewish writer's. the Hebrews
of Morocco form about rs per cent of the
population. They are to be found In the
cities and closely restricted to a certain
quarter, outside Of which until recently they
were not permitted unless barefoot. They
are the sole dealers in bullion, and many
have secretly acquired considerable wealth.
Jew is continually reviled by the Moor,
but as he has learned that the slightest re-
taliation means Imprisonment, II not death,
he accepts this treatment as the inevitable.
Many Jews have sought the protection of
foreigners, and thus enjoy certain liberties.
the infringement Of which would cause the
Intervention OF an outside power. It has,
accordingly. been the recent custom Of a
Jew on becoming prosperous to put himself
under the protection of a foreign repre-
sentative.