Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-01-15
Particulars OF
Moroccan Case

rocco, an absolute despotism. has
been In n state OF turmoil for many
years past. owing to the natural
course Of events In a country unre'
| stricted by any laws, civil or religi.
Gus. and also On account OF the
steady warfare which the sultan,
Mulai abd-el.Aziz. has had TO wage
against the %pretenaers to the throne.
This caused q feeling OF uneasiness
among the Arab tribes In Algeria,
the adjoining French territory, and
led TO efforts on the part Of France
to assume a guardianship over Mo-
rocco. Germany was not willing TO
unreservedly agree to this, being sec.
ond only % Great Britain In the ex'
tent OF her Interests In Morocco. In
1902 the imports VI the three powers
into Morocco we're: Great Britain 49,.
100000, Germany 1850. 900, and
France S3S0.o0o, The exports Of Mo
rocco to the three powers Is 1902
were TO Great Britain s 1893. 900. 10.
German $500 and to France $685..
900.
France, pursuing her Moroccan po-
Icy, sent a special mission to Fee
last year. Germany and Great Brit.
ain did the The German EN-.
peror wen still further. He visited
Tangier, March 81, 1905, on the i'm.
perial yacht Hohenzollern. but re-
manned ashore barely two hours, Dur
Ing that time, he mace a speech OF
which several versions were publish
ed. The substance of his majesty's
remarks. however, was that he assur.
ed the German residents that the
sovereignty and integrity Of Morocco
would be maintained. The same day
the then French minister Of foreign
affairs, NJ. Delcasse made a signiA.
cant speech In the senate at Paris,
during which. after referring to the
sultan's weakness and the anarchy
resulting therefrom. "prejudicial to
everybody and especially to France
and Algeria" he declared that "resis.
lance In interested quarters would not
cause France to modify her policy"
In Morocco. This sentiment called
forth vigorous applause.
These utterances aroused both Ger
many and France and caused excite
ment throughout Europe. resulting
later in a strained state Of affairs.
and in the proposition to hold an in
ternational conference on Morocco.
France and Great Britain, April 8,
1904, signed an agreement by which
the latter In substance gave France
a free hand in Morocco in return for
a free hand in Egypt and the set
Element Of the Newfoundland fisher
les disputes. Great Britain also
agreed to support France in her Mo.
roccan policy.
But, in the meanwhile. M. Delcas-
Sc was compelled to resign June 8.
1905, after directing the foreign af-
fairs Of France since June 20, 1888,
and Premier Rouvier took herfor-
eign portfolio. Subsequent develop.
| ments showed THAT the change In
the foreign Office probably averted
war between Germany and France as
the former country was pressing the
latter very severely, automatically.
After considerable further fencing
between Germany and France, those
two powers on July s, 1905. agreed
on a basis OF a program for the pro.
posed international conference and
without entering into details Of the
reforms proposed, It may be said
that the main and most dangerous
point TO be discussed at the confer
ence Is the question whether France
Is or is not entitled to have a special
and privileged position in Morocco.
This Is the vital issue and the minor
question, 1t has been pointed out
can be adjusted once this point $
definitely settled. Germany, 1t Il
understood. will seek to secure inte:
national control If the police. tho
customs and other matters, and ar
open door, as to
On December IA, the French gov
eminent published a white Book
giving It's version Of the dispute.