Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-12-09
MOORISH ISSUE ALIVE
Spain Expects United states Will Be
Forced to Act in Matter.
RAISUll FORCES HAND OF POWERS
Offers 70 Drive Franco Spanish Police from
Land Of Sultan.
RULER is L0SlN G POWER OVER PEOPLE
Real Control Exercised Only in Neighbor-
hood Of the Capital
ILER is LOslN C POWER OVER PEOPLE
FOREIGNERS FURTHER WEAKEN SWAY
AZ Present RRisuli and Men of
His Kind Seem TO Be
Real Rulers of the
Moors.


not because OF the operations OF brigand
chiefs like Ralsuli as has been intimated,
but because Of the attitude Of that coun-
try against the reforms which France and
Spain are trying to introduce. Ra.suh
himself has sent a letter boasting that he
will drive the new FTanCo-Spanish police
out Of every port from Tangier to Mo-
gadOr II the sultan will let him.
1t Is even reported here that Moroccan
affairs will figure prominently in the United
States congress this winter Diplomats
here say that President Roosevelt is dis
posed to turn the subject matter over to
the United States senate. The international
agreement entered into at Algeciras pro
Vides that final action must be reported
back by each country signatory to the
treaty of December 81. According 10 adj
vices received here congress may be ex-
pected to take its vacation for the hoH-
days about December %, and this will
leave only few days for the discussion
and the final consideration Of the treaty.
Although Americas representatives, in
the conference of last winter signed the
treaty only after the inclusion Of a special
paragraph relieving the United States OF
any responsibility joint or otherwise, for
enforcing any OF the provisions of the
opinion as to the advissb bility Of the senate
yielding its adherence TO the treaty.
Time for Action.
Some months have now elapsed since the
representatives of the European powers,
by the signature Of the Algeciras conven-
tion, solemnly undertook not only to re-
spsct the integrity and independence" OF
the shereehan empire. but also to provide
for the policing of the coast towns and to
superintend the introduction of much
Ineeded reforms in the finances and the gem
eral administration of that country, Since
The assent of the sultan to the Algeciras
convention was duly notified some time
ago II is time the diplomats say, to look
for some practical outcome of the grave
and prolonged deliberations and the def
mite decisions of the international confer
ence. II must be confessed, however, that
no outward or visible sign of anything OF
the kind is yet discoverable. On the con-
trary the situation in Morocco is to all ap-
pearances a good deal worse than It was
q year ago. II Is true that little has been
heard lately of the activities Of the pre-
tender, who seems to have had the worst
Of Il In his last trial of strength with the
Bultan's troops. But the authority OF the
sultan himself, or rather of the handful OF
magnates who profess to govern the coun-
try in his name, has well nigh disappeared
everywhere except in Fez and its immedi-
ate nelghborhood. The hill tribes on the
northern and western coasts have never
paid more than a nominal allegiance to the
central government but whereas former
sultans were accustomed to remind them
by the primitive method of periodical mil.
itary expeditions, which carried fire and
sword through the villages, no such disci.
pllne has been administered to them since
the beginning of the present reign In
Tangier itself, the principal port and busi
ness capital of Morocco, all real power
seems 10 be I'm the hands Of that enterpris
ing bandit, Raisuli. who was rewarded
year OF two ago for kidnapping OF Ameri
can and British subjects by the appoint
ment 10 the governorship of the surround
ing district. and whose authority even ii
the city appears to overshadow that OF tn,
Maghzen.
RaisuIIs idea OF Duty.
His notion OF his officiai duties has beer
exemplihed in such incidents as the recen
attack by a rabble OF Moorish boatmen OF
the crew OF a boat belonging TO a Frencl
cruiser in the harbor and the fOrcible clos
ing by his agents OF the works OF the Span
ish company which supplies electric ligh
70 Tangier because its employees refuse,
20 pay him blaokman In point OF fact
the position OF the European communit!
Is az the present time In Tangier itsel
much less secure than at any period dur
ing the last century. In southern and east
ern Morocco, and especially on the "de
batable land" adjoining the Algerian from
tier. there Is nothing but confusion an
disorder The tribes in that region,
af IA %
olsm-are openly planning an attack on tn
French frontier outposts; a "jehad"
being preached among them by a knsma
OF the sultan, and II Is believed by thos
who are best able to form an opinion tina
q serious collision would already have take
4 place II the warlii1e ardor OF the tribes
men had not been cooled by the knowledg
that the French troops and the Frenc
navies were being prepared for Just sue
emergencies.
The plain truth is that the only practices
result hitherto OF the European "diplC
matte" Intervention IN Morocco has bee
the extinction OF the scapty remnant
The sultan's authority with the Iuevitab
consequence OF something scarcely al.
ansuishable from anarchy IN its place.
No National Organization.
The Moors as a people cannot be said
have possessed any national organizatio
y for centuries past. and there are very fe
deals which they have in common, b,
here IL at least one thing upon whic
hey appear agreed, and that Is an intenl
hostility TO the establishment among the
Df European influence whether by "pacif
penetration" or by any other method.
is known that they watched the proese,
inrs OF the AIgeciras conference with sulls
nt..--.-a 44aTglra and fha onfv .t,t....
OF Il which they were al all disposed
4 accept was the formal recognition OF Nj
4 roccan independence and integrity und
the sultan. For their sovereign PERSONAL
however. Il Is quite clear they have no r
speot or regard whatever. and since AFT
all he Is the only legitimate head OF a
state--at least the only one recogniE
by European p0wers-it naturally follo'