The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-12

dignity before tho king and court they
watch him with intensest interest. In his
answer to tho king he refers to himseh
but once, and then in deprccatory terms;
but his testimony to his faith in God is
both solemn and sincere. After inter-
preting the dreams OF the king he mod
cstly suggests n method to provide for
the seven years OF famine and incidentally
to strengthen tho hands OF the king.
Tho king was impressed with the
sagacity Of Joseph. and invests him
with authority to&crcnte new depart
mcnt Of tho government. Flo was adj
united into the bureaucracy OF Egypt
and elevated to princely rank. He was
given to wife young woman of noble
birth. by whom no had two sons.
The Scriptures glveEus but the barest
outline Of the life and ideals OF Joseph,
yet these are sufficient for our study.
Now, at last he is free to work out
his political ideals. That his motives
were good. his government bcnchcent,
no man can doubt; but his political
ideals are not to be used by designing
ministers to-day.
To liken tito activities Of Joseph
throughout tho country in building
great granarieB and storing the gurplus
grain during the seven years of plenty
to tho operations of a syndicate of
grain spectators in trying to corner
the market, is to miss the lesson en-
tircly. It Is as far distant from the
shepherd kings of EGYPT.
THE gathering and storing of the
grain was but an incident IN his scheme
OF political reform. He found Egypt
bnrons and the nation growing weaker
| and weaker. He hits upon q magnlfi-
cent scheme for centralizing the power
Of the state In the hands OF the king,
| thereby weakening the power OF the
land barons, and ameliorating the con-
| Editions of tho people.
His scheme includes Capitalization
1 of power. public ownership of all util-
! tiles and d single tax on land, and IL
the only one that can work such u row
4 .up one-fifth Of the produce during the
| seven years of plenty. and then to COM
1 pei the l1gyptinns to buy 1t back to thell
| own 8Impoverishment. may not seen
4 when we consider that ut was tho
money and tho land Of these great LAND
4 barons that found Its way into tho
treasury Of the king. and gave tho
4 central government. thereby strength.
ening 1t and making It possible for the
government to innugurate and maintain
II u system Of irrigation. ON which tho
4 fertility of the SOIL OF Egypt and tho
prosperity ofathe country is dependent
i then we can see the wisdom and justice
!. Of the scheme.
i lie bought al the cattle. allthe land
l. ana lastly MI tHt pSDpIc'a 1uS hlHE
was supreme. the people were subjects
il Government ownership was complete
i He instituted q system whereby thu
i Egyptians could secure cattle am
lands, but imposed on them a tWent,
per cent. tax, one-fifth Of the increase
4, for the support of the government, ~
Joseph used his high. office, not ~
4 himself. hut for his king ana ~
!, adopted country. He strengthened TN
!. arm OF tho king and made him sp
prone; he taught the people tlflift
economy and Industry. He used. u!
! ndministration was SUCCESSFUL ant
Z beneficent; hut there arose "a king
! who knew not Joseph"
The liyksos dynasty was overthrow
!. and 5-all this power and wealth cam
into the hands Of another who ,enslaye'
i the descendants of the man that ha'
i created the power and wealth of. tn
government This new dynasty bull
Z great treasure cities, and compelled tn
I. ~ esl 1 "a " .