Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-02

tionably one of the greatest men in the
world today. * ~. 9
His first chance came in 1866 when he
had been an humble lieutenant for seven
years. and saw very little chance OF get
ting much farther. He was appointed sec
rotary to a royal commission sent out to
Jamaica; West indies to inquire into a
negro outbreak To this day the ability
which lie showed on that mission is remem-
bered in Jamaica.
You could see berry quick dat him great
big somebody" said an old negro who gave
evidence before him. 1T was no use fe
mex up stories. He could see de lies at de
back of yo' head
Diplomat and Financier.
After that successful mission Barings
talent for diplomacy and finance was dis
covered. He was taken from the army, and
in turn made private secretary to the vice.
roy of India, commissioner of the Egyptian
public debt, controller general in Egypt,
and financial member of the council of the
viceroy of India. Then, when the British
government needed the strongest and ablest
man it could find to undertake the gigantic
task of reforming Egypt, Barring was Sc
lected.
He soon made his power felt to the utter
most ends of the country An oriental
country, governed as tyrann1cally and far
more corruptly than 1t had been in the days
of the PharaOhS, honeycombed with the
spirit of revolt, practically bankrupt in its
finances, and soon to be fighting for its
very existence against the fanatical hordes
Of the Soudan-this was the apparently
hopeless problem which Evelyn Barring
faced. That he has solved it is proved by
the fact that Egypt has now reached "a
condition of administrative perfection
worthy of any European state" and far
superior to that of some European states.
He soon found that his Turkish friend
was right There was graft and tyranny
in every department of the government,
from the khedive down to the humblest
tax collector and military officer.
Barring at once set to work to straighten
things out and make the government hon.
est at any cost" said a British colonel
who knew him we'll in those days. IF an
official was found to be receiving brides
or depressing the people-and a dozen OF
them were discovered every day-he had to
go. ->A5 p. -s - ----
mo plea, no argument stopped his cru
sading zeal. 1t was useless to tell him
that such scamp was related to the khe-
dive, or that such another scamp was q
lineal descendant of the prophet and his
dismissal would therefore arouse the IA
naticism Of the people.
Downed the Khedive.
Il remember once he went to the khe-
dive-not the present one, but his prede-
cessor-to demand the dismissal Of one OF
the leading officials of the palace. who was
an intimate friend of the khedive. Bar
ing made. his demand in plain language
Either he must go or will co. he said,
for I am convinced that he is plotting
against England and doing his best to
spoil my work here
1.-THE khedive, white with passion, re-
fused violently. Am I a king or a dog?
he asked. The man Is my personal servant
and my friend. will never send him away.
If l did SO, my people would know that
am nothing but the shadow of a ruler
AZ leave the palace In five minutes re-
piled Barring. Unless I have the order or
dismissal then, l shall go straight to the
cable office and wire to the British govern
ment that am coming home, telling them