Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-11-27
the seaports, even II they were al.

been trying to overthrow him. He /
an impostor, but has a large numbe
Of followers. particularly from the dis
contented classes. and has made
great deal of trouble. The presen
} sultan, Mulai-abd-el-Aziz, or 9Th,
Prince of True Believers" Is .th,
thirty-sixth lineal descendant of tn,
daughter of the prophet Mohammed
He Is 27 years old, and came to tn.
throne ten years ago. He has very
little education, but is said to be
man of good intentions. The govern
ment is an absolute despotism. He 1.
the chief of the state and the head OF
the church, unhampered by constitu
ton or laws, civil or religious. The
oretically his authority is unlimited
and absolute; but actually he is
hemmed in by all sorts of restrictions
and so weakened that he can not
even maintain order. Both he and
the thinking people of the country
recognize that Morocco has fallen into
condition of anarchy, which the sui
tan Is powerless to relieve. and that
foreign Intervention is absolutely
necessary to save what little is left.
If present conditions continue much
longer the entire country will be de-
yastated and the sultan and his sup
porters are willing to accept foreign
assistance and protection. provided
they can preserve their independence.
Most of the intelligent natives. Mr.,
Perdicaris says, realize the advantage
Of having the country opened up and
developed, and that this can he done
only by granting liberal concessions
to foreign capital and enterprise.
For several years mis- majesty has
French government has been trying
10 absorb Morocco. Its policy has
been aggressive ard comprehensive
hut has been checked by Influences at
home. Mr.. Delcasse, minister of for
eign affairs. entered into an arrange
ment with Sultan Mnlai. under which
the French government was to secure
him the loan of a large sum of money
and In return ne was to admit
French resident to the imperial pal.
ace, to direct his government and
supervise the granting of concessions
for the development of the country.
This scheme was not approved by the
people of either nation. The influen-
tal sheiks in Morocco thought It
meant practical annexation. They
sent deputation to the sultan. threat.
ening his throne and his life. On the
other hand the French chamber of
deputies refused to guarantee the loan
or to allow troops to he sent to Mo.
rocco. Thus the entire plan was hung
up, everything was left unfinished and
affairs have since been in a demoral-
ized condition.
BY temporizing with France. the
sultan lost the confidence of mis- own
supporters, trade came to a standstill,
anrchy prevailed throughout the on
tire state, and the government mas
been practically powerless Tor nearly
two years. Both native and foreign
bankers, merchants and other resi-
dents appealed for protection to the
other European powers. Great Brit
ain, which was first approached, re.
fused 10 interfere because of an
hands off. Germany, however. re
sponded promptly The kaiser visited
Tangier personally and declared that
he did not recognize the right of any
power to exercise exclusive control,
or even a predominating influence in
the affairs of that country
The powers of Europe. met at Ma
drid in 1880, and entered into con
vention, which placed them all upon
an equality in Morocco; but Germans
negotiated treaty at a later date
of wider scope. and has sent Count
strict adherence to it. The sultan Il
powerless, however. and could not do
anything. nor has ne been able to do
anything up to this date. He has
Germany on one side of him and
France on the other side, and admits
his obligation to both. In his help
lessness he appealed to the other sig
natory powers to assist him out OF
MS scrape. The people of Morocco
are willing to accept, and in fact they
favor, joint protectorate; but they
will not consent to a single protector
ate. Hence, they approved the action
Of their sovereign who issued invi
tations to tine United States and nine
European nations to send delegates
10 Tangier to consider the situation
and recommend some permanent ar
rangement for tine restoration and pre-
servation of peace and the develop
ment Of the material resources OF thai
country. The Spaniards, who are di.
rectly Interested. objected to meet
ing at Tangier, because the original
meeting was held there in 1880. IN
that case the prime minister OF Spain
would preside. and have a powerful
pull on the other delegates. Sultan
Mulai would not agree to this. how
ever, and Algeciras, beautiful lit.'e
town. on Spanish soil. opposite Gibrai-
tar. was selected as a compromise.
II has one of the most comfortable
hotels in Europe, the climate Is per
feet, 1t is accessible by water and by
rail, and a more appropriate spot
could not have been chosen.
All of the powers nave accepted the