Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-15

large numbers are coming over to Tunisia
to buy lands and to take advantage of the
Inducements offered to colonists. Boats can
go from here to Naples in thirty-six hours
and the voyage from Palermo Is made in a
night.
The Sclians just now are terribly poor.
and the taxation Is such that they can
make no money in farming. They are
thrifty and do we'll on these poor lands of
North Africa
AS 1t is now there are perhaps as many
Italians as French IN Tunisia. The French
peasant loves his home. and he will not
leave without he thinks he is going to have
things all his own way.
The chief trouble with farming, in this
part of the world. is the scanty rainfall.
Centuries ago the land was heavily wood
ed. and in the times of the Romans there
was a great olive forest extending all the
way from Tunis to Algiers. distance about
as great as from Philadelphia to Chicago
This has long since been cut away, and the
only vegetation now on the mountains Is
scrub oak, with here and there forest of
cork. Every bit of wood available is used
for fuel. and even the roots Of the olive
trees and the trimmings of the grape vines
are Sold A large part of the wood is turn
ed into charcoal, and this forms the chief
fuel of both Algeria and Tunisa.
How Tunisia Is Governed.
Now that we have colonies Of our own,
1t Is interesting to know how the French
handle their dependency in this part OF
North Africa. Tunisia was conquered by
them only little more than twenty-five
years ago. and they have been the real rul-
ers Of 1t ever since At the same time the
Arabs have been deluded by the idea that
they have their own rulers, inasmuch as
all the orders affecting the natives go out
through the hey and his Arab officials
The hey. however. Is only the monkey on
the stick, and it is the French resjdent
general who pulls the string which makes
him act Indeed. he has very little oppor-
tunity TO act at all. except in special in
stances and as to natives. His army, in
Guiding both officers and men, has been
reduced to regiment of six hundred; and
his income, which was formerly millions Is
now cut down to three hundred thousand
dollars a year. He still occupies the fine
old palace of the Bardo here on the edge
OF the city. and he has in addition several
smaller palaces outside. At present he is
living IN one at Sidi Bou Said On the site
OF old Carthage: it Is about twelve miles
from Tunis. and he drives into the city
in a lacauered coach. with soldiers and out
riders IN uniform. 1 have seen him several
times during my stay
Native Courts for Natives.
The French are governing Tunisia much
as the Dutch govern Java. They issue
all of their orders through the hey and
his sheiks. The country is divided I'D into
thirteen districts, each of which has a
coutroleur clVlie ms man has number
OF French assistants, but he has also a
native governor and subordinates to help
him and all the orders as regards the
natives go out through them If the French
man or other foreigners get into trouble
they are judged only by the French: and
If foreigner has trouble with a native
he comes before the same powers. AS to
disputes between the natives themselves
they are handled In the Arab courts and
after the koranic law. The hey holds a
court every Saturday morning. and he can
condemn native criminal to be hung IL he
pleases. He often does so; and as the ex-
ecutions are public any foreigner can go
out to see.
These methods of procedure are salts
factory to both natives and French. In
fact, they suit every one excepting the
Tunisian Jews. There have been Jews here
ever since the Princess Dido came from
Tyre to Carthage and the Jews stand on
the same ground as the Arabs. They dress
in Arab costumes, and. as to the men, one
could not tell the difference.
OF late years unler modern conditions
some of the Jews have been growing pros
porous. and many of them are now learn
ing French and aping French ways. They
have begun to dress in European clothes;
and are anxious to rank as Europeans and
be tried by European judges At the same
time the natives despse them, and an
Arab sheik considers the word of one Mus
sulman worth more than that of a score of
Hebrews. Off this reason the Jews are
claiming that they do not get justice and
are demanding a change.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.