Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-11

IaxeS Cut Down or AOodshed-H0n-
esty Replaces Corruption in Cow
eminent Administrations.
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
CAIRO, December %, 1908.
The rapid increase OF the population OF
Egypt In modern times, to which alluded
yesterday. IL chiefly due to the introduce
ton Of modern sanitary measures to protect
the health OF the people. although there has
been a large immigration from Arabia. Al
giers. the Sudan and other countries Of the
interior. attracted by the Improvement that
has taken place in Egypt. the higher wages
that are paid there and the excitement Of
city life
The foreign population is not SO large AZ
many suppose. / gave you the figures yes
terday. The death rate has been very much
reduced by the introduction of sewers. pure
water. the establishment Of quarantine
against contagious diseases. the enforce
ment Of laws prohibiting the sale of impure
food, the revival of prosperity which has
enabled the poor to secure adequate nour-
ishment. the filling up and draining of
swamps and other hotbeds of malaria, and
numerous other sanitary reforms which
have saved millions of lives and have en-
abled the natural increase of the popula-
ton to be protected and felt
The birth rate Is very high. AS In In
dia, China and all densely populated semi
civilized countries, nothing but plaques.
famines and flood can keep the population
the British have not only increased the
number of mouths to be fed. but have pro-
vided the food by extending the productive
area of the land and by increasing its pro-
ductiyeness.
Result Of British Occupation.
The British Occupation" has now con-
tinued for twenty years. and Lord Cromer,
who as told you yesterday Is the de facto
ruler of the country, can congratulate him.
self, as well as all others concerned. upon
the marvellous Improvement that has been
accomplished during that period. He has
proved himself to be one or the most Iar-
sighted and able administrators In history.
and the record of his reforms in Egypt is
not surpassed by thato OF any other man IN
modern times. If we knew more about the
reforms of Joseph. prime minister OF fha-
raoh, we might possibly find an appropriate
comparison, but few men have ever had SO
great an opportunity and few have ever
made so much of 1t. "a
member Of the famous family Of bankers.
He had served in the ARMY and had the
benefit of several years. experience In the
civil service in India. land. when 1t became
necessary for the British government 10
send a representative for the settlement of
the Egyptian finances he was picked out as
one who could be trusted. being appointed
to the nominal position,of diplomatic agent,
he gradually gathered authority into his
hands. and with tact but determination,
made himself the master Of Egypt with UNI
limited power. He has done this without
exciting the hostility. or, opposition Of the
representatives OF France and other powers
that were equally Interested, and It Is a .re-
markable tribute to his ,iBtegritysand ability
that they should have conceded him dicta-
torial authority. =. &c ~
The British government has permitted him
to shape as well as, to carry out It's policy
in North Africa. and has bestowed great
honors upon him. having elevated him sue
cessively/to knighthood, to a barony, to the
peera2E and finally made him viscount.
He mas been offered seats in the cabinet at
home and the viceroyship Of India, but has
declined them because he feels that no one
can relieve him of personal as well as po-
litical responsibility in Egypt
In speaking Of the experience Of the Brit
ish Occupation and its results the other
day, Lord Cromer called my attention to
the revenues for the year 1902, which. after
a twenty years race with bankruptcy.
showed a surplus of more than So 100000
and they were $1,000, 600 in excess Of his ex-.
pectations The revenues. for the year were
only sec, coo less than the highest figure on
record. Notwithstanding the fact that it was
an exceptionally bad year and there had
been a large reduction IN taxation. The
land revenue. he said, has been reduced
about 500. 900. The octroi. the taxes i'm
posed upon food and other articles at the
gates of the different cities. has been en-
tirely abolished, involving loss of more
than 81 800 600. and several other taxes
have been removed and reduced, while there
were extraordinary expenditures that had
not occurred in previous years.
Lord Cromer was particularly gratihed
to be able to say that 81 1856 900. of the debt
was paid on last year; that $10O00.O0O re-
mains In general reserve fund to be ex-
pended on works Of public utility. and more
than 100000 in a special reserve fund for
emergencies.
During the next year the railway admin
istration will be allowed to expend IS per
cent of the gross earnings. instead Of As
per cent which was the previous limit
This, Lord Cromer believes will enable 1t
to make improvements that will be of great
benefit to the country: $4,000 will here
the irrigation system. which Is the best Of
Investments. The greaN reservoir which
has just been completed. will add not less
than 10000 a year to the value OF the
agricultural crop.
Lord Cromer explained that very few
people could appreciate the improvements
that have been made In Egypt because the
public does not thoroughly understand
tic CUuultlOIlS tnat existed Wnen the pres
ent arrangements were adopted. A COM
mission of inquiry. composed of representa-
tives of the European powers, found that
the abuses in the government service were
almost beyond belief. and they had to deal.
not with patient suffering from single
malady. but with one whose constitution
was shattered and whose every organ was
diseased. Writers who were in Egypt In
those days declared that they could not
describe the misery that existed; that taxes
made life almost Impossible, so that many
people gave away their lands because they
could not produce enoggh ON them to pay
the demands OF the Eovernment. At the
same time the administration was SO cor
rupt and incompetent that 1t became
question whether any remedy were pos
sible. ~ r. 81
The Work pf Rstorm.
But the commission finally decided that
1t would reduce taxesn Arst and postpone
the reform of the administration until later,
It decided also that a large expenditure
was necessary for drainage and irrigation