The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-31
Sultan Muley Abdul Aziz, of Morocco,
Is a Strenuous Oriental Potentate
Young MANY Is In Hurry eherH Works
and n o % Strange to He
Has Zealfo eform. and Runs Much

ty," he said. This son of dog has black
ened my face! Let him die at once!s
But, he is a dervish,' the court officials
urged, "and the people regard him in
spired by Allah. If he is killed there will
He should die even were he a descendant
of the Prophet"
But he has taken refuge at the tomb
of a 'marabout'-the hottest place in all
Morocco. How are we to get him."
Drag him from the tomb ordered the
shelter criminals"
A MAN OF COURAGE.
Seeing. from the frightened chances of his
officials that not one of them dared to un-
dertake the task, Abdul Aziz ordered his
horse and rode to the tomb himself at the
head of mounted force of his bodyguard.
Regardless of the screams and threats of
the mob, he made his soldiers drag the
man from the tomb and shoot him. The
mob howled with fury, but the soldiers
cowed them. Soon afterwards the revolu-
ton broke out
The Sultan is chivalrous as well as brave.
At a review of his troops two years ago
he announced that in future graft and
oppression throughout Morocco would have
To stop. All officials would be paid regu-
lar salaries and no longer be allowed to
extort money from the people. The tyranny
of the tribal chieftainS would, he said, also
be curbed, and If they robbed caravans they
would be sterny punished
A few weeks later a Bedouin chief who
had heard of the proclamation came to
Maraketh to see the Sultan and DEFY him
to his face. His forefathers had always
robbed caravans just as they pleased he
said, and he intended TO do the same,
whatever the Sultan might order.
Some kings would have executed him,
or, at least have thrown him into Jail for
that bold proclamation. Not so the Sultan.
Go back to your tribe in safety and
honor. In ten days time L will follow you.
with my army, and teach you that my word
| is law in Morocco"
After whirlwind campaign Muley re-
duced the tribe to subsection, and the chief
is now one of his closest friends and one
of the strongest supporters of his reform
| policy
Muley finds plenty of grievances and
wrongs to redress, for no country is in
greater need of reform than Morocco.
Wealthy men buy posts from the govern
ment or have bought them in the past, as
governors, judges and tax collectors. They
generally pay heavy price for them and
| get their money back in the most primitive
manner. Being authorized TO collect the
| taxes and to throw the natives into prison,
| they are. almost without exception, merci-
less robbers. They have Spies who report
to them any native who is rich in money or
goods. They send for him and demand a
| considerable share of his wealth. If he re-
| fuses he Is thrown into a noiSome Jail TO
starve until he pays or dies.
The Sultan is doing his best to break up
| this system, but ii is not easy to destroy
1 In a year or TWO the corruption or centuries.
He has raised up for himself a host of enc
mics by discharging and Furnishing tyran-
| nous officials; but, the other hand, he
has ,endeared himself to the mass of the
people.
THE WAY OF REFORM.
He is popular, except with the fanatical
element. They hate him because he is fond
of the society of Europeans and is always
playing with such 'feringhi toys" as magic
| lanterns, bicycles, automobiles and cam
| eras. They resent his efforts TO introduce
| into Morocco some of the features of West
| ern civilization. The path of a reformer
| is hard in an Eastern country, even when
| the reformer happens TO be an absolute
The Sultan is fond of hearing about the
| great rulers of the civilized world. He asks
his European friends dozens of questions
every day about President Roosevelt.
| Kaiser William. President Loubet and
| King Edward. He wants 10 know how they
rule their people. and whether they are
| faced with the same troubles and perplex-
| tiles as himself. The careers of Presidents
Roosevelt and Loubet interest him intense
| ly, for he cannot understand how a man
can rule a country unless he is its king by
why do the people obey?'' he once asked
| European visitor TO his court why
| should they obey those men any more than
| others? Are they the greatest men in the
| country? Does everybody see that they are
mo" was the reply. ''They are good
men, but not necessarily the best They
| rule because they happen TO have been
| chosen. But they do not rule as you rule.
| They simply administer the laws made for
| them, as your governors carry out your
| DEGREES.
| "Bsmillah:" exclaimed the young ruler.
| "Then they are not rulers at all, / make
| the laws what L choosea subject only 10
| the Koran. and my people obey me because
Allah has chosen me 10 rule over them.
| How can a man rule in any other way?'
In spite Of the reforms which the Sultan