The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-10-04
MOROCCO N Revolt.
Why II Is Hard TO Subdue Its
Wild TFibesmen.
EVEN THE ROMANS FAILED.

Provinces Frena lssursion Of Moors
Mountalnous. Barren Lard on Which
No Power Can War With Light
HsaFt.
Judging BY its history and its tOpO
graphical features. Morocco where !
the Moors recently broke out I'm rebel |
lion, VIII give France and Spain. or. foi
that matter, any Of the powers. az
much A. they can do to subject her. |
says the New York Times II Is one /,
thing 10 shell few coast towns and
ar entirely Different matter 70 conquer
and hold down the Wild tribes which
tnhnhlt the mountain ranges that
make up the whole Of Morocco.
The division Of northwest Africa in
10 the civilized colonies Of France,
Algiera and Tunis and the semihar
bnrous state of Morocco bears strik.
ing analogy 10 the political status 81
thar region at the only period before
the last century during which Euro
pean powers obtained any foothoid
on importance there. The Romans
held what Il now Tunis with a Arm
grip for seven centuries; they owned
large portion OF Algeria. but over Mo
rocco not even the legionaries could
enforce the Roman rule. The Wild
mcuntaineers, whose descendants now
own 1 nominal allegiance 10 the sui.
tan, maintained their freedom and
barbarfsm at the very time that Car
fhage was the most luxurious city in
the world and St. Augustine of Hippo,
IN Algeria. was exeriing an influence
over the whole Christian world
no far indeed from really attempt.
ing 90 conquer Morocco, the Romans
had the utmost difficulty In preserving
their settled provinces from the incur.
si0ns OF the MOors. Punitive expedf
lions were common. A strong legion.
AIRY force would march through the
deales of the mountains and infict
chastisement on what tribesmen they
might find. In much the same way 40
England Ia modern days carries on
one of her "littie wars ON the north
/ west frontier Of India.
BHt they accomplished nothing The
hiilmen gave way before the legion
aries and closed In again az they re-
4 treated. Wherever the French troops
/ have penetrated they have found the
monuments Of the Romans eommem-
4 Grating the victorious march and the
Inevitable retirement OF flying force.
/ Ire real guards Of the Roman prov.
/ tnces were the legious permanently
/ stationed az strategic points near the
frontiers. They dwelt In armed camps.
and near them the legionafies as they
grew too old for service settled down
70 spend their old age, They married
the women Of the province. and their
children grew mp IN the traditions Of
/ the legion. The ruins Of some OF these
1 stations have been discovered. and
/ their extent shows with what pains
the Romans maintained this admirable
militia as m armed rampant on al
their frontiers.
| Hut not only viii any nation which
attempts to conquer the Moors find
dlfacalty from their love OF freedom
and the mountainous nature Of their
country. but also from a peculiar char
aetertistle 81 the Moorish character
ii has always been intensely sectional
and Its fanatieism eenters not around
national objects aud men, but upon
iecal heroes and causes
The revolt or Ralsuli against the sui
ten ~ Morocco Is to the Moors tbs
most natural thing in tho world. Ii b
~ normal politics IN that Wild land
as the summoning Ola national con
yantion 10 nominate a presidential can
dlaate Ia opposition 10 the adminlstra
tioa Is IN The United States
Historically the Moors have carried
this aectloanlism into their religion. II
Roman days the province was NOTED
for the numher or its dioceses. ovrl
100 assembled al general synod. and
when the great Donatist schism dlvid
ed tbs Christians In the fifth century
the schlsmatics. who represented II
the main the Moorish element OF III.
population. set np an equal number o
unorthoslax sees.
So, too, even the Mohamuaedan In
vasson could net bring real unif0rmit,
among the tribesnnen. 6libly a. thel
! would reeits the Moslam formula anG
make their acknowledgements TO th,
prophet. their real zeal centered arouns
local marahonts or saints who wer
veneratea 10 single villages So clear
" WAS this sectloaailsm IN relIgiol
recognized that In the heart Of Moroe
%. practically entirely cut oT From
Chrlsteadosa a few Christian eomgau
mites retained thelr faith for centuries
The Roman power fen before IA
: Mohammelan onslaught az the YER
! beginning II the eighth century. I
was not Until the sixteenth that II
: last Of these who had received thei
Christianity from the great Church Q
, g. AnEus were put to the swera
! Evea then Il was only because the,
! ootruded themselves upen the NOLAN
! ne1ans ard excited their Jealousy
untn then they had net only been Per
, mlttsd 10 fellow their own religion d
. p@aes. but bad received some pFavi
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