Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-26
MULA| ABD-EL-Az|z
Behind the Scenes With the
Young Sultan of Morocco.
lFAVORS CHRISTIAN WAYS
Losing Caste With His People Be-
cause of Foreign Tastes.
HIGH PRIEST OF HIS RELIGION
Prey of Rebellions, Enforced Ran
SONS and Foreign Complications
May Bring in Successor.
HIGH PRIEST OF HIS RELIGION
Copyright, 1907, by Frank C. carpenter.)

TANGIER, Morocco.
Come behind the scenes and take look
at Mulai Abd-el-Aziz, the Sultan of Mo-
rocco. He is the ruler of the best part of
northwestern Africa, and his empire Is al
most one-twelfth the size of the whole
United States. More than ten million Ber-
bers and Moors look upon him with rever-
ence. and the great powers of Europe arc
counting him with a desire to get hold of
his country and trade.
The latest photograph Of the young mon
arch now lies before me. 1t represents q
tall athletic young man. clad in long
white burnous, the garment worn by the
gentlemen OF Morocco. By talks with his
officials and some Europeans 1 can piece
out the picture. The sultan is Just twenty
six years OF age, and he has all the
strength of full-blooded youth. He has
muddy white complexion and his face,
which is slightly bloated, bears the marks
OF smallpox, which he had years ago. He
has straight nose, large mouth. a long
upper lip and chin which slightly re-
cedes. Like all his people, he never shaves
his face, but his full beard of curly back
Is so thin that it does not show much in
the picture. He has rather blase air, and
in ordinary conversation wears a bored
look. He seems to have sucked the orange
Of power and luxury dry and to care more
to take things easy and have a good time
than TO rule. Indeed, l understand that
he would be glad to leave the throne and
that ne thinks the game of governing
country as turbulent as this is not worth
the candle. He is fast losing prestige with
his own people by consorting with foreign
ers. and were ii not for his position as
regards the Mohammedan religion he would
have 10 step down and out.
Related to Mohammed.
All the rest of the Mohammedans of the
world acknowledge some kind of allegiance
10 the Sultan of Turkey. This is so of our
Moros and of the fifty odd million ussuI-
mans of India, and also of the lesser num-
Der in Turkey and Egypt. These Moors Will
not let that sultan send a representative
here. They acknowledge no allegiance to
him. and they consider that only the family
of this young man has the right to the title
Of commander and ruler of the faithful.
Indeed, Mulai Abd-el-Aziz is about the
most blue-blooded monarch on earth. He
is the thirty-sixth hneal descendant of All
the uncle and son-in-aw of the prophet
Mohammed, and he is the fifteenth monarch
IN his own dynasty. His father was the
famed Mulai Hassan, who was sultan for
twenty-one years. during which he ruled
With an iron hand. When about to die he
chose this son to be his successor although
he had other and older brothers. MuIai' S
mother was a Circassian slave imported
from Turkey.
A Religious Head
The Sultan of Morocco is the high priest
OF the religion of this country as well as its
chief executive. He is called the great
Imam. and is like the Emperor of China in
That he prays for all. He is also somewhat
Ike the Car of Russia, who is head If both
church and state.
one OF the sultans chief clements OF
strength is the power of comforting bless
liigs whleh mas come down to him from
MOhammed He is supposed to have this
direct from God. and IL any other man Of
his family could make the people believe
thit he had this power in greater degree.
lie cold easily raise rebellion and oust
Null. Abd-el-Aziz from the throne.
TN was attempted by Blu Hamara the
en-cdt son OF the She-Ass, who falsely
claimed be an elder brother of the sultan.
ana VINO by sleight-of-hand tricks made
The people think he performing mira
cIes. He got up revolution, and the
soldiers broke out into an insurrectlon.
notwithstanding their cafcers gave them a
fogging and busted oct their mouths with
red pepper for speaking against his majes-
W Ihis Blu Hamara was eventually put
down l understand, however. that the
rebellion was quel,ed by compromise and
That the son of the She-Ass has like
Raisuli. been bribed with fat Office and
mat he is now ruling large section of
country This would seem to be a premiun,
on serond rebellion.
Sacrifices for His People.
The Emperor OF China has a number OF
days when he goes cut in Picking to the
Altar of Heaven and performs sacrifices
for the whole Chinese nation. This young
sultan does the same by killing a sheep on
every Bairam, Mohammed Easter.
AT this time every good Moorish family Is
supposed to offer up sacrifices, and IL Is
estimated that as many thirty thousand
sheep are killed on that day In the city of
fez. The sheep are brought In from the
surrounding country, and mutton rises in
price to such an extent that a good fat
ram or eve will bring thirty dollars II IL
were so in America the market would sure
ly be cornered.
The sheep killing Is started by the sultan
surrounded by large concourse of people
One of the holy preachers first sings out a
sermon after which the sheep Is handed
over to his majesty. He cuts Its throat,
and as the blood gushes forth the bands
play and the cannons thunder. The news
Is sent out all over the city and thereupon
the sacrificing begins, extending 10 all
parts of Morocco.
Bairam Is the great festal occasion of all
the year. The Moors then come out in their
good clothes. the soldiers have new uni