Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-09

eyes was to be- seen below his white tur-
ban. BIS nose b straight and Ids cheek
long white wooden gown. or burnouse, With
q hood at the back, and the sleeves of this
were so wide that they showed his fore
arm to the elbow. The skin was as white
as yours or mine. AS we chatted he now
and then smiled, showing q good set Of
strong teeth, and he twice perceptibly
yawned.
During my conversation I asked him as
to the condition of the country He replied
that Morocco was in q sad state. The gov
eminent has practically no control over the
tribes, and the people are now refusing to
pay taxes or to send In tribute to the sui
tan. The army has dwindled to . few hun
dred troops, and the sultan has no soldiers
to speak of outside of Fee. When Menehbi
was at the head of the government his
power was such that the various tribes
sent in tribute and presents worth many
thousands of dollars Every tribe sent
of Nppey. and there were other gifts Of
value. Upon the last tribute day the re-
ceipts were practically nothing.
here asked Mr. Menehbi as to the safety
of foreigners travelling in Morocco at the
present time. He replied that the aues-
ton as to whether the stranger would
reach his destination safely was very un-
certain. He might get through unintured.
or he might be captured by one OF the
tribes and killed. It is matter in the
hands Of God, with the chances against
rather than for the man. In other words,
God might protect the foreigner, but the
chances are that He will not.
The Military Possibilities Of the Moors
Menehbi. as head of the war department
OF the sultan for years and commander
in-chief of the army, should know much
about the military possibilities of Morocco.
During our talk I asked him whether his
people made good soldiers. He replied:
Both the Berbers and Moors are brave
to an excess. They have excellent fighting
the tribes can be organized and welded to-
gether, an army of hundred thousand
men could be raised. AS it Is now. each
tribe furnishes a certain quota of mounted
army. One large tribe may furnish 2O0G
soldiers, a second regiment and third
only a company. Such soldiers are differed
by the chiefs of their tribes, and they are
subordinate to the general of the sultan
There are many quarrels among the tribes
and it is difficult to harmonize and organ
ize them. They are always warning among
themselves, and it would be only upon re-
ligious grounds that they could be formed
into a compact army organization
Gould not any one of the great powers
of Europe easily conquer Morocco
asked Mr.. Menehbi.
"such a power might conquer u.s." replied
the former minister of war. but it could
not subdue US. Our people are fearless, in
dependent and liberty loving. They are
fond Of their religion and Of their country.
and especially of the localities where they
live. Many Of the tribes would fight until
the last man had dropped. and in this hand
of the Atlas mountains 1t would be al
most impossible to bring us into perma-
nent subsection"
do you think that the Algeciras confer
ence Will be to the benefit of Morocco?'
Yes. but much better provisions might
have been made. The number Of troops set