New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-15
SAYS FRANCE PAVED THE WAY.
Correspondent Tells of Moroccan Growth
Fostered by That Nation.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
s,-. students Of the situation in Morocco may
end light IN that remarkable book Tn the Desert.
nv /, March Phillips which was reviewed in The
Tribune some weeks ago
The real beginning Of French influence in North
Africa dates from June H. 1880, when French troops
landed The occasion provocant was when the oid
Bev of Algiers slapped the French consul IN the
face with his fan. Algiers had begun TO be nest
Of pirates in 1916. when Aruch Barbarossar the
Turk cheerfully accepted the invitation OF an Al
gerian prince to come and drive out the Spantards
From that time tin the French interviewed Algiers
was the pest OF Europe. In fact, for thirty-tWo
years after the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
United States OF America began 10 use, as an inde-
tsnisg neIon FOR protection from the violence
Of enemies, we were paying tribute to the pirates
Of Aigiers to let our ships alone. The French
changed all that And. although their prayers have
been irregular. that was the beginning or the
French sphere Of influence in North Africa.
There are TWO keynotes TO the power OF France
n that region which have not seen mentioned IN
One was the capture OF kairwan. In go Okla
struck his lance into the ground at spot lGg
your KaIrwan' T. 2, caravanserai. For LIP years
Kairwan was more than what Durham has been
called Half church, half castle ga1nst the SCOT.
II was the sacrosauct shrine and ipresnable fort
ress OF Islam in Africa In 1882 the French finished
that 100 Since then kairvAn has lost the peculiar
spell Of sanctity which strengthened the effective
power Of religious fanaticism. and has ceased TO
ee an inaccessible centre OF military power Tor the
Inc second keynote Is the Introduction OF eEteSldn
wells by the French a glance at the map shows
how the Sahara lies between Morocco, Algeria,
T1pon and Egypt, the NORTH and the great
Soulan. stretching across the continent at the
south. Now II peaceful commercial intercourse is
70 be maintained between these countries, II is alb
soutely necessary that the caravan routes be kept
open The Arabs and their friends are perpetually
doing what the Turks did for the trade between the
East and Europe. which forced Columbus to dis
cover new wor!d.bIoGkiRg these routes. After
the convention Of 1880 Lord Salisbury remarked
The French cock loves TO scratch in the sand.
As Mr.. Phillips says ne has been doing II to good
purpose The French push along the caravan
routes sink arJeSian wells, establish guards and are
pacilylug the desert In view Of all this the in
iTusion OF Germany into Morocco comes with i'll
grace. France IS doing the work, and France ought
To- have the reward
But furthermore the whole North African Ques-
con IS a Latin problem France has the lead, but
italy and Spain have interests Their people know
now 20 work those lands, and they are flowing over
into Africa and doing IT. 1t is one sign Of the great
IAjuvenation Of the Latin race. which has surely
begun. The rest Of ought TO keep our hands
OF. and lei that work out It's happier destiny.
MELVILLE K. BAILEY.
Grace Clerg- House No. AT East 13th-st.. Man
haitian, Jan 70 1906.