The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-01-18
meet TO SETTLE
MOROCCAN AFFAIRS
lxwrrnnATfoNAL coxrEREro1
AssEMpLEs. AT A1GEcIRAs.
OPENING Is HARMONIOUS
Spirit Of Cancellation Is Apparent
Spanish Foreign Minister, Duke Of
* Alnodovar, u Selected al
Presiding oflcAr.

0ACSNh augt shhs a tAfs.--fA Nv A1lCI uh'
tional conference on Moroccan reform
opened here Tuesday afternoon. The
duke OF AlmodoYar.. the Spanish min.
lister OF foreign affairs. who took the
Palliative In arranging plans for the
beginning OF the deliberations, deliv.
cred the speech OF welcome.
Herr Won Radowitz, chief Of the
German mission, proposed the duke
OF Almodoyar as president OF the con.
ference and the other countries rep.
resented, including the United States.
Rseeonded the proposal The duke was
unanimously elected president and
the conference adjourned at 1855 p.
m. until Wednesday.
The dukes speech OF acceptance
breathed concord and peace. 1t coun-
gelled the nations to adjust their diff
ferences and emphasized the essential
principles OF the sovereignty OF the
sultan, the territorial integrity Of Nor.
occo and the open door.
Ambassador White was most salts,
fed with the result Of the meeting and
70 the duke OF AlmodoYar empha,
sized the necessity for the independ.
ence OF Morocco and the open door, in
which he was Immediately and strong
~ seconded by the French and Ger
man delegates,
The conference decided 20 first take
up the question Of the surveillance Of
contraband and then that regarding
the reform OF Moroccan finances. This
decision indicates the disposition oi
the conference TO put OF the more doll.
cate questions involved until the last
Issues Given in Detail.
September 20 last M. Rouyier for
France and Prince Radolin for Ger
many reached an agreement on the
enact programme OF the Morocco con,
ference. This programme is quite
sapgt aa Al MAS park -ok R0uviersf
ekiilfh1 diplomacy 70 bring the con
ference within the closest possible
limits. The programme agreed on
was as follows:
"The two governments are In &C.
cord IN proposing h. the sultan the FOL.
lowing programme:
~. Organization, by international
accord, OF the police, except on the
Algerian frontier.
%. Surveillance and repression Of
contraband arms, except along the
Algerian frontier
g. Financial reforms, with the
creation OF state bank, with the
privileges Of issuing currency.
~. Study Of the customs. and new
means Of raising revenues"
The agreement contains some other
minor features, but the foregoing are
the essential questions TO be pre-
sented.
The vital Question.
France throughout the controversy
and up 10 the opening Of the confer.
ence has maintained that she had a
special or privileged position in
Morocco. That IL the vital question
about TO be considered, for the Ques
tons OF contraband and customs are
largely detail. II the special position
Of France Is recognized, then the con.
ference win turn over TO France the
organization OF tho police and mill
tary, and the surveillance Of contra.
band.
All OF tho questions involved hinge
on the main question whether the
special position Of France is 10 be
clearly recognized. BY the foregoing
agreement Germany has recognized
the need OF some outside supervision
over Morocco. II remains 70 decide
who shall exercise this supervision.
Germany win doubtless contend for
international supervision, in which
she and all other powers shall take
equal part, something like the inter.
national administration OF Macedonia
and Crete. On the other hand. France
consistently uphoids her special and
paramount right based ON gsosraph.
ical position, 10 safeguard the future
OF Morocco, acting thus as the virtual
trustee for The nations.
The issues before tho conference
are, therefore, comparatively simple:
nrst, shall France be charged with the
necessary reforms for Morocco: and
second, the detailed consideration Of
these various reforms relating 70
finances, police customs and contra
band.