New-York tribune., 1907-08-25
THE LAST SLAVE M4Rk Ell.
Human Beings Still Bought and
Sold an Morocco.
Ey W. c. FitzGera!d-

slave trade alone estimated by Livingstone
at half a million year, but civilization mas
waged a grand and successful fight against II
si7ce. his dav. Shameful traffic of this kind is
now almost altogether q thing OF the past anu
The severest penalties are enacted against 1t by
All enliqbtened nations. And yet, in spite OF
-fs one e,nlire remains where, with Iylic'iI III
difference human beings are bought and sofa III
ot.en market. purchasers having absolute CON
trol over life and limb.
Stranger still this empire. far from beng re-
mote from civilization. is within cannon Siot 'l
the fortress OF Gibraltar and the COAST VI
c,.afn 7 aIIude to Morocco the last independent
Naholnetan empire of Africa, whose tate may
soon he decided by France. For hundred
wears determined efforts have been maoe' po
Ntically and otherwise. to suppress the MooI4'N
slave trade. yet without avail
.,1orocco. said Lord Salisbury, in notahie
sr.ob ..renoains the home of the worst abuses
of tho greatest cruelty of the greatest ignorance
and haclwarCiness in all that conduces 10 pro9-
perity or humanity.
If any power has influence IN thd' S'i'e
land from Tangfer to the Atlas MouitainS II "
England and Vet her minister SIT JOHN Dt",'. ~
rnond Hay. confessed that, althousH he an -
PREDECESSORS had brought moral suasioh 10 pe'l
IN the Sultan, his viZiers ana the Noui'i- "
elders Morocco a slave state "d9
Aucean stable beyond my power 10 ce""9.
Tho nations do what they can. Thus ln1iuehti"
NIoors recurring protection from their OWN gov
,,o,+ and seeking that of France, Great
1,,;..i,. nv Germany are absolutely forbidden 10
hold slaves.
-,.h 20 +an This ordinance is entirely inef-
fo,ruaI and men women and children are at TINS
hour sold openly. not only III the lii'erloi' ou'
,,..ier the very eyes of the TanS1er dipioIi'i'9'
So delicate is the political situation as res'rus
Morocco that each of these ministers is afraid 10
take any step in the matter without the CO.
op,rution of all his colleagues
An that has been gained is the aboii'ion "i
ruhlic auctions in regular slave markets IN the
r,ast norts But in the northern capital, Fez'
ana Narrakesh. the southern capital, lhefe Is i"
norton of each city set apart as the slave mar
Ect exactly as there markets for sfaih'
fruit. horses mules and camels, cloth stufts ana
o,hor commodities and the rich Moors attitude
coward his human purchase is best seen IN the
following anecdote told me by Sir John Drum
mond Hay:
friend Of the Spanish Consul in Mogador
--ae on 4 visit to Caid Sidi El-Arbi. Governor OK
Aida and one night in an inner court OF 'he
.s,ah or citadel. the Spaniard began 10 $40"
nj elkiu with a Mauser rifle. He got his own
servant to hold a playing card between ms
fingers and he pierced it three times out OF
four al a hundred yards.
Throwing back his haik the Caid leanri up
CRYING. Il too can shoot; give me the gun
n-Earuk" he said to 4 Nubian slave squatun6
7,nc,r the red mud wall take that barrada
,,.ater iar) between thy legs" El-Arbi got the
s,,,r,,n ia measure of 1-I0 PAGES, then brouSht
m, rife sharply to his shoulder. and with d
,,,,r,,,r.rc1 Praise to the one and Great. tooh
Him and fired
The slave fell over sideways. pierced 'hf"uE"
both ankles His master, throwing up his h1hds'
walled: ..YalatIf. yaldtif: gave $50 Tor thA'
fellow last week and he is useless!
There is not in all the world spectacle more
i1lilessiye than the public slave market OF Mar-
ralcsh II i an open square fenced round Win
hIte near the centre Of = vast rambling, cruhip-
linz, city of tabia, red mud. with walls over
twelve miles in circumference. The avenues
lcading to it rooted over with names pam
leaves and vines. and the auction takes place
three times = week just before sunset
Icutered the market about o'clock. Not slave
was to be seen as / entered the great square
r-l1 sG1!attine down all around were many hum
are5s Of Arab men in robes OF Spotless wool and
silk often with their own little children by their
side gorgeous in every color of the rainbow
scarlet and gold. crimson and mauve, emerald
green and indigo blue.
Ar Arab comes riding through two ear
.!nreG blacks with bright yellow slippers run