Evening star., 1904-02-01
ANARCHISMINM MOROCCO
SOURCES OF TEE STRENGTH OF
THE PRETENDER.
Country Rich and Prosperous at
Preseut-The Sultan's Rule
His English Advisers.

Tangier Correspondence London Chronicle.
Tho present situation in Morocco is by no
means encouraging to those who wish well
to this singular country. As readers of the
Daily Chronicle will remember, the young
Sultan Meulai Add el Aziz ", who succeed
ed his father ten years ago, but only as
salmed the reins of power on the death OF
his powerful minister. Ba Hamed. three
years since, has offended his people by his
pronounced Hiking for foreign Especially
English) advisers. and for costly foreign
luxuries, such as cameras and motor cars.
which have drained his purse. His chief
ministers cannot agree, and his attempts 70
introduce reforms IN the collection OF the
taxes and the management OF the prisons
have been but partially successful. All the
world. too, has read Of how the upstart
Rogui or Pretender. JiIah ei Zarhouny,
took advantage of the situation.
The Rogui is common inapostor, haif-
educated, uninspired man of the people.
Were he anything greater. ABA el Az,a
would not be even nominal ruler of Morocco
today. The R6gui. coarse, ignorant, COM
rnenplace imposter as he is, possesses these
notable sources of strength: ID He is
clever exponent of legerdemain' Wnicn
means that he can tremendously impress
the unsophisticated. superstitious trlDesmen
of the hills. (2) He has spread the report,
which enormous numbers Of Moors, annous
to accept, have accepted, even against tne
evidence of their own eyes. that he Is not
JilaI, once the unimportant subordinate OF
the late Ba Hamed, but Moulai Mohammed,
the One-Eyed, the legitimate elder nroener
of the sultan, and, according to Moof1sh
custom and tradition. the right and proper
holder of the Shereefian Parasol. (3) He IS
backed by the military party In Algeria, 10
whom anarchy in Morocco means the 1mme-
date possibility Of the realization OF their
longing for Moorish annexation. and, up TN
now he has paid his way in French gold.
(D He represents force which would
sweep away the young sultan with Els
known fondness for innovations. his known
regard for the people and things OF the
hated infidel world. and his suspected IN
clination to be himself an infidei.
Royal Prestige. ~
In Muslin community all royal prestige
Is based upon religion. It Is only as nrSt
Shereef and not at all as temporal king
that a sultan may hold sway over the IN
tanned Moghrebbin. Spiritual prestige, un-
like political, cannot be shattered. turned to
bitter resentment and contempt, and then
regained-
For close upon two years no dollar OF
taxes has been paid in Morocco. though TOT
a year the Shereefian Golfers have had 10
stand the drain of incessant nghung-hls
arm of half hearted unframed levies has
been costing Add ell AZiz t3oo0 day-anu
disinterested loyalty and adherence even 70
a stronger ruler must not be looked Tor In
decadent Sunset Land. Friendly supporters
of the young sultan-and outside the walls
of his palace at Fee you will have TO go
among Europeans, with their respect for
constitutional rights, and their inclination
to back hard-hit man, for these; they are
very very hard to come by among Moors-
will tell you that having achieved the re-
markable feat of occupying Taxa the
young sultan has now disbanded his levies
and gone into winter quarters In Fez Closer
investigation shows that the sultan never
entered Taxa at all He camped near 1t.
bent upon the relief Of the band of his men
who had succeeded in getting themselves
besieged within its walls by the ROgui But
levieS could not or would not perform this
task Add ell AZiz disbanded them in weary
disgust and retired upon Fez. leaving the
Taxa garrison to wait and work out its
own retreat upon Oudja-
That. then. Is the situation at the mo-
ment. The sultanS 8 rule runs as far as his
palace walls IN Fee. and not another yard.
The tribes are governing themselves. and
every Moor with rifie-there are wonder
fully few without one-is law unto him
self. No man pays taxes. and no man obeys
an official order because no official dares to
give one, The reformed method of taxation,
removing the power of the Shereefian army
from behind the kaids. left the kai1s with
no power at all. and the sultan would find
1t as easy. under existing circumstances. to
change the fiscal policy of England as to
gather in his own revenues.
People Have Plenty.
Now. as to the effect of all this armed
anarcry in AL Moghreb win let a leading
merchant and banker in Tangier speak for
me:
THE country has never. within the MEM
ory Of living men, been as rich and pros
porous as at this moment. No taxes have
been paid and the men who. year or so
ago. lived always on the edge of actual
hunger today have tea and sugar. In
Tangfer here you may see at a glance the
state of things Land values have gone up
enormously. building is In progress In every
direction, house rents are positively higher
than they are about Paris and London,
business huns and money Is plentiful A
desirable state of things, you say? Truly,
in sense. But it Is very like running
thriving business on the edge of an active
volcano. Call 1t apathy, the habit of fear
OF European reprisals, Or what you will.
the fact that no outbreak of Moors against
foreigners has occurred this year Is sim
ply marvellous and a remarkable tribute to
Moorish common sense. They know there
Is no law in the land. they pillage one an
other as the fancy takes them and oppor-
tunity offers.
How long will they spare the Jew and
the foreigner? How long will the state of
anarchy take to breed riot and outbreak?
Would l like to see the Rogm win? The
Roguf is nothing to me. but every business
man in this country would like to see a
strong man at the head of affairs; and to
be strong ruler a Moor must be Moor.
he must be a thorough Muslin. Progress
why. yes; as much as you will; but, Ii
the fabric is to hang together 1t must be
gradual, and upon the basis of enforced
law and order. Unassisted. the sultan can
not hold his own. Assisted by France he
would become a nonenitity. and Morocco
would become French, which means the
end of trade, broadly speaking. Look at
Madagascar! Why cannot France and
Britain lay aside Jealousy and join hands
In keeping Moulai Add ell Aziz on the
throne? That would benefit every one. It
Is simply matter of money and counsel
and if you doubt that this country would
repay it, just consider for one moment
what this country can produce In it's pres
ent state Of utter insecurity and anarchy"
In this connection English readers must
remember that the very strongest pressure
Is being brought to bear upon the French
government by Its press correspondents
here. and by he military party both at
home and in Algeria, to act in Morocco,
and to act quickly. lest the present moment