Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-05-23

The occupation Of the Moroccan town of Ujda by the French, under the command of Gen. Lyautey, may very likely prove an, event of the ut most importance to the future of the Shereefian empire Moorish fanaticism and arrogance have indulged, during the past few months, in perfect orgy of outrage at the expense of the French. One Frenchman has been shot dead on the beach at Tangier, others have been attacked and nearly murdered, and now the stoning and stabbing to death of Dr. Mauchamp at Marakesh has brought matters to climax In view of the fact that the authors of these outrages have never been punished, and that the Maghzen evidently disbelieves in the determin- ation of France to exact punishment and compensation, the French govern ment have decided not merely to re- sort to the futile method of naval demonstration at Tangier, but to send troops across the Algerian frontier and occupy Ujda until such time as their demands shall have been fully compiled with @
 It has been said of the northern coast of Africa that the farther west you go along it, the farther east you get That sounds like paradox, but 1t is perfectly true: Suez is infinitely less primitively oriental than is Cape Spartel. Whereas we use the term western" as equivalent to civilized" Moghreb-el-Acksa, the far west" as the Moors call Morocco, is the com plete negation of everything that we mean by civilization. The tourist who crosses from Gibraltar or Cadiz to land at Tangier, is apt, in his inno- cence, to imagine that he is going to see Morocco. He will see nothing of Morocco in Tangier. He may climb up the long street past the mosque, may watch the Cadi administering what is factetiously termed justice in the open air, may stare at the wretch ed prisoners. in the gaol (which gaol is extremely Moorish), and may marvel at the picturesque crowd of buyers and sellers in the treat Souk, or mar ket place, at the top of the town; but all the time he is In a cosmopolitan center, filled with the social fiotsam and jetsam of the Mediterranean lit- toral, and rocking with the diplomatic intrigues of the powers whose repre- sentatives abide under the forest of flags which waves over the various le- gations. To your true Moor Tangier is an undertaken place. a veritable gate of Gehenna. polluted by the pres ence of the "Nazarenes," whom Allah fin his good time will surely sweep to perdition. No; We must go further afield to find the real Morocco: it Is not to be met with in Tangier.
 Where, then, shall we find the real Moghreb-el-Acksa? If things were fairly quiet, and the road to Fez were open to tourists, we should only have to hire horses, tents and. perhaps. ragged escort of Moorish soldiers. and ride across country to the northern capital. Fez is called the northern capital because there is another in the south. which is Marakesh, otherwise called Morocco city. There are. fur. thermore. two other cities which claim the dignity of capital, Mequinez and Rabat: but these are really only halt ing places for the sultan in the course of his peregrinations. Fez-or Fas- was founded as long ago as the eighth century of our era by the son of Mu- Tai Idrees. a "Shereef" or lineal de- seendant of the prophet, and one of the first Arabian missionaries to ar rive fin Morocco. The foYnder of the city lies buried in the greAt mosque of the city-a spot so sacred that the "Nazarene" or Jew who should at- tempt to enter 1t would inevitably share the fate of poor Dr. Mauchamp at Marakesh. The population of Fez. which belongs to the old Berber. or aboriginal. stock. rather than. as at Msrakesh. to the Arab race. is exceed ingly fierce and fanatical.
 Marakesh. the southern capital. lies. ss DIT illustration shows in an oasis of date-palms at the foot of the range of inc Atlas. High above the dark green of the palms and the white walls of the houses rises. like a tall llv from a garden bed. the mlnaret of A mosque of the Koutoubia-the elory of Marakssh- The city covers a large area with it's network of narrow lanes. and the Jaws. as is customary fin Morocco. dwell exclusively in their -Nellah-~ or Ghetto. which is com ple,ely walled or from the quarters of the true believers l. Eas within the walls of the -Mellah- that some French residents took shelter on the e=csssUn of the murder of Dr. Mau- shamp.