The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-07-15

Egyptian railways for supplies. Them
England's citizens own land in Egypn
and they are also interested In the
Egyptian debt, which. by the way,
amounts to about $5OO,0OOGO0. or ap-
proximately, 500 per acre of the tillabla
land
The irrigation schemes now Develop
ing will require the expenditure &C
large sums on contract and these will
give opportunities for English capital
The second reason given by Lord
Miner is emphasized by him and is
probably the paramount one, viz, that
she cannot afford to have the valley
of the Nile held by a rival power. Her
interests n the Soudan and in India
lead her to guard the Suez canal with
jealous care. Lord Milrer suggests as
a reason why England should remain
in Egypt that her withdrawal might be-
followed by such an abuse of govern
ment as to lead % bankruptcy and
French intervention. The old argu-
ment. IF we don't do it somebody else
will. s presented as the strongest sup
por; of British Interference.
English influence, however. has been
less harmful in Egypt than i'm India,
and this is probably due. i'm the main,
to two causes; first, her influence is eX-
whose authority she acknowledges: and
second, because the interests which
other nations have in Egypt make them
oppose any encrOactments or the part
of England, while in India she has z
free hand. As an illustration I might
cite the fact that she cOmpels the In
dian TO support the Indian army while
she pays the ordinary EXPENSES of tbs
5000 British soldiers in Egypt and only
asks Egypt to pay for the extraordi-
nary expenses. It is no reflection upon
England TO say that she IS better for
being watched. We believe that i'm re-
gard % our own public men, ard it is
simply a recognition of the frailty of
human nature. Lord CrOmer has been
in Egypt for tWenty-siX years, and his
reports Indicate a desire to advance this
welfare of the people of Egypt. He has
doubtless been helpful TO the khediva
He has insisted upon honesty in tha
public service and has been a friend oe
education.
While the national debt contains a.
large amount of uSuriOUs interest and.
is therefore much heavier than il ought
to be, it has been funded at a lower
rate Of interest and is being gradually
paid off. The debts that are being in
CURED for the extension of irrigation
sale Of the land reclaimed, and the
country will then have the benefit, not
only of the reclaimed land but Of the
increased value Of lands indirectly BEN
Gifted. Although the salt tax (con-
trary to Lord CrOmeT's advice is still
over 200 per cent, the per capita rate
of taxation has been reduced; agricui-
turai and postal banks have been es-
tablished. and the government rail-
way telegraph and telephone systems
have been extended. In his 1903 report
Lord CrOmer presents an argument i'm
favor of government roads as against
roads owned privately.
The great danger that Egypt has TO
fear is the disinheritance of the fell
lah and the alien ownership of the land.
Unless great care is taken Egypt will
drift into tie condition of Ireland and
India and be drained of her resources
by foreign landlords 1t is very diff
cult for a foreign representative to ar
Ditrate impartially between his own
people at home and the natives among
whom he temporarily resides. and Lord
Cromer will deserve great credit if he
is able to protect the Egyptians from
exploitation. However well meaning
the English advisers are now or here
after may be, Egypt's safety must lie
in the development of her own people
The legislative council understands this
and insists upon the extension of the
school system. It is wise in so doing,
for every educated man or woman adds
10 the moral force that restraints and
directs the government
An increase in the number of the ed
ucated not only tenos to the preserEa-
ton of law and order, but furnishes a
larger number fit to be officials. and
thus lessons the excuse for the employ
ment of foreigners. There has been,
among reformers. some discussion of a
constitution but as that would curtaiI
the powers of the khedive as well as
define the. authority of England, It
would probably be opposed at present
by the MOslem leaders.
| cannot conclude without q refer
ance to the pioneer work done in the
field of education by the United Pres
byterians. They have several churches
and a number of very successful schools
and must be credited with having con-
tributed largely to the progress which
Egypt has made and is making.
Copyright, 1906, by Joseph B. Bowles.