The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-16
New York Tribune.l

I
kind is now almost altogether thing
of the past, and the severest penalties
are enacted against it by all enlight-
ened nations. And yet, in spite OF this,
one empire remains where, with Gym
ical indifference, human beings are
bought and sold in open market, pur-
chasers having absolute control over
| life and limb.
| Stranger still, this empire, far from
being remote from civilization, is with
in cannon shot of the fortress of Glib
raltar and the coast of Spain. l allUde
to Morocco, the last Independent Mo-
/ hammedan empire of Africa, whose
fate may soon be decided by France.
For a hundred years determined efforts
have been made. politically and other
wise, to suppress the Moorish slave
/ trade, yet without avail.
Morocco" said Lord Salisbury in
notable speech, remains the home of
the worst abuses, of the greatest cruel
ty, of the greatest ignorance and back
wardness in all that cCnduces to pros
perity of humanity"
| If any power has influence in that
strange land from Tangier to the At
| las mountains. it is England, and yet
| her minister, Sir John Drummond Hay,
confessed that. although he and his
/ predecessors had brought moral sua-
sion to bear on the sultan, his viZiers
and the council Of elders, Morocco as
a slave state was IAN Augean stable
beyond my power to cleanse" The ma
| lions do what they can. Thus, influ-
entail Moors requiring protection from
their own government and seeking that
| of France, Great Britain or Germany
are absolutely forbidden to hold slaves.
| Truth to tell this ordinance is entire
| ly Intellectual, and men, women and
| children are at this hour sold openly,
not only in the interior, but under the
very eyes of the Tangier diplomats. SO
delicate is the political situation as re-
CARDS Morocco that each of these min
listers is afraid to take any step in the
matter without the cooperation Of ali
| his colleagues.
All that has been gained is the abOli
ton OF public auctions in regular slave
markets in the coast ports. But in the
northern capital. Fee. and Marrakesh,
the southern capital, there is portion
of each city set apart as the slave
market, exactly as there are markets
for grain, fruit, horses, mules and cam
| els, cloth stuffs and other commodities,
and the rich MoOr's attitude toward
his human purchase is best seen in the
/ following anecdote told me by Sir John
Drummond Hay:
! A friend Of the Spanish consul in Mo-
gadOr was on a visit to Caid Sidi Ell
| Arbi, governor of Aida. and one night
in an inner court of the kasbab, or cit
adel. the Spaniard began to show his
skill with a Mauser rifle. He got his
own servant to hold a playing card be-
tween his fingers and he pierced 1t
| three times out Of four at eleven yards.
Throwing back his haik the Caid
leaped up, crying: Il, too, can shoot;
give me the gun, M'BaTuk." he said to
a Nubian slave squaIt,Eg under the red
mud wall, take that barrada Cwater
jar between thy legs" El-Arbi got
| the European to measure off $50 PAGES
| then brought the rife sharply to his
shoulder. and with murmured Praise
to the One and Great" took aim and
fired.
The slave fell over sideways, pierced
/ through both ankles. His master.
throwing UP his hands, walled: "Yala-
tiff, yalatif; | gave $50 for that fellow
last week and now he is useless
There is not in all the world d spec
tacle more impressive than the public
slave market of Marrakesh. 1t is an
open square fenced round with huts
near the center of a vast rambling
crumbling city of tabia, or red mud,
with walls over twelve miles in circum-
ference. The avenues leading to it
are rooted over with lanes, palm
leaves and vines, and the auction takes
place three times a week just before
sunset.
| 1 entered the market about o'clock.
Not a slave was to be seen as 1 en-
tered the great square. But squatting
down all around We're many hundreds
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
An Arab comes riding through, two
earringed blacks with bright yellow
slippers running ahead to clear a path
for him. This is El-Glawi, who col
lects the per capita slave tax for the
Moorish government. His entry is the
signal for the dilals, or auctioneers, to
come forth from the slave pens and
range themselves for prayer. The set
ting sun is behind them as their leader
lifts up his voice to the Most High
who gave the true faith through his
messenger" Blessings are called down
upon prospective buyers and their pur-
chases
The prayer done, the men break VI
and hurry over to the slave pens-little
palm matched huts of mud. 1 followed
and found in one of the largest ten OF
twelve women and girls and small chill
dren. Some OF the girls had pulled
their wooden haiks over their faces. and
seemed anxious about their fate Others
were careless and smiling; the little
boys and girls were playing games Oh
the floor
The head auctioneer allotted so many
slaves to each of his men, and the sale
began. Each dial led forth two at 8
time. noticed each had been specially
dressed for the occasion. The younger
women were radiant in crimson silk.
and jingling bangles and anklets Of
massive silver. This finery had beer
borrowed for the sale. Apart from ne
groes of both sexes [ was astOnishe(
TO see white" women, young girls anC
, children; by white is meant tn,
Moorish and Arab race, some of whom
lare as fair as or even fairer than
Southern European, with light hair an(
/ blue eyes.
With swift strides the auctioneer anC
his charges strobe down one lane O.
the market and up another, calling on
| the merits of his pair with never ceas
; ing eloquence. This young man wa
strong as one of the old heroes; tina
girl was fair to look upon and a won
der at preparing rare dishes.
| Suddenly languid Moor, THROWN,