Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-09
FUTURE OF MOROCCO
A Talk With the SuItan's Form
er War Minister.
81 EL-MEHDl EL-MENEHBI
He Declares the Country is in a Sad
Condition.
THE MOORS AS SOLDIERS
Chat With the London Times Cor
respondent, Who Was Kid
mapped by Raisuli.
THE MOORS AS SOLDIERS
Copy .ght, 1906, by Frank G.. Carpenter.)
ON THE STEAMSHIP EMIR,

on the coast of Morocco.
One of the best-posted men on Morocco
and its future is Mr.. Walter B. Harris the
well-known correspondent of the London
Times He has resided in the country dur
ing the greater part of the past sixteen
years and has Travelled by caravan over
the most of it. Some years ago he made
an expedition from Fee to the oasis of
Tablet and he has written the only good
book about that part of Morocco. Mr.
Harris has also travelled widely In other
Mohammedan countries; he has gone on
camel back over Arabia and he speaks the
Arabic fuently. During his stay in Fee
he was a close friend of the sultan, and he
has now an intimate acquaintance with
some of the most powerful of his ministers
He Is also closely associated with 81 ell
Mehdi el-Menehbi, who was for a long
time minister of war, and who as such,
through his influence with his majesty,
Abdl-el-Aziz, practically controlled Moroc-
co. Menehbi lost cast when he failed to
quell the rebellion of Blu Hamara. He was
then forced to leave the sultan's cabinet,
and is now living as a British subject in
Tangier. He Is one Of the most progress
sive OF the Moors, and will probably be
heard of in the regeneration of Morocco
! shall give you an interview which 1 had
with him further on in this letter.
Kidnapped by Raisuli.
To return to Mr.. Harris he was the
first OF the foreigners to be kidnapped by
Raisuli. He was living in his beautiful
home on the seashore, just three miles from
Tangier. when $500 brigands, with Raisuli
at their head. carried him Off They held
him In captivity for more than three weeks,
but released him without ransom. During
this time Mr.. Harris had close view of
Raisuli. He describes him as a man of
strong character and buffer. He says
haf hn. h,,xI ,s.p
he is afraid of the two great rebels Raisuli
and Blu Hamaa, and that he has bribed
them to keep the peace. Blu Hamara has
now about one-fifth OF Morocco under him.
and Raisuli, with comparatively few SOL
diers. Is growing rich off the country east
OF this city. He is, i understand laying up
money since he got the big ransom for
ierdlcaris, and Is buying business proper
ties here in Tangier.
Mr.. Harris thinks it rather hard lines
that he dare not live at home, although the
British nave treaty with the sultan which
provides for the protection of foreigners
His villa Is within fifteen miles of the forti-
fcations at Gibraltar. and within an hour 8
walk of the walls OF the sultans chief port
Nevertheless. It's owner has to live at one
OF the hotels in the city for fear of kid
napers. The governor OF Tangier keeps
fifty soldiers guarding the villa and its con-
tents. but still it is unsafe.
At the same time Morocco insists on all
the rights that she has under her treaty
with foreign nations, and the foreigner Is
allowed no favors. The other day Mr. Har.
ris attempted to send two white peacocks
TO friend who was living at the hotel at
Algeciras. across the strait. He brought
them to the custom house. but was told
that they could not be sent out of the coun-
try, as there was nothing il the treaty
with Great Britain about the expectation
of peacocks.
Mr.. Harris tells me that Morocco is a
poor country. The people have but little
money. and the riches of the few have
been magnified a thousand fold. He thinks
that the total revenues of the sultan are
not more than 5000 900 a year, and that in
good times Just now they are less, as the
government is out of favor. and the people
will not pay taxes. He tells me that