Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-05-13
CAPITALS OF MOROCCO.
The CrumbIing Empire Has Four
Imperial Cities.

The CrumbIing Empire Has Four
Imperial Cities.
The empire Of Morocco, which Is now
crumbling into pieces, has four impe-
rial, or capital cities, Fee, Mekinez,
Rabat and Marrrakech. Fee is the
most important, politically and relig-
iously. 1t is the center of the Berber
tribes, always so ready to rebel against
the rule of the Sultan. These royal
cities are the homes of the Sultan when
he goes about through his empire.
Fee has about 100000 inhabitants,
Isand in its best days was one Of the
shining lights of all learned Islam. It
prides itself now on its citizen life, In
distinction to the nomad life of the
savage Berbers Of the mountains and
the boorish Arabs Of the plains.
The modern FAST, as the Fee citizen
Is called, has in his veins a curious
strain. There is the passion of the
Moors who came from Andalusia in
Spain after the wars Of the Moors and
the equalization Of Grenada the Be
douin'S wild love of freedom and ha-
tired of the soil the Arab keenness, the
Jews dominance, and theFMoslem re-
ligious fervor. He reckons time, not
so much by the clock as by the hours
for prayer called from the many nina
rets. The Fasis claim the most COM
pact mass of Moorish population, and
the center of Arab culture for northern
Africa. They cling to their traditions,
and desire above all things that the
Sultan should keep the old orthodox
ways. The strange heterodox innova-
tions of recent years have been to them
omens of a coming loss of their indie
pendence and subjugation to foreign
powers. In the past, rumors of such
a danger whispered about the city by
the wealthy class have found their
way to the Berbers in their mountains
and melted them to revolt.
There is a very marked difference
between the Berbers or mountain peo-
pie, and the Arabs, or plains people.
There are often fierce quarrels and clan
feuds among the former, they always
suspect the government, they are ready
slow to draw the sword. They seldom
leave their caves and mountain fast
nesses, and rarely mingle with any one
but their own.
Marrakech is situated on an oasis
formed by the many tributaries of the
Tensift river, which, concentrating
here, have given growth to a forest of
date palm trees. which, in their turn,
shelter many other trees and plants.
1t was to Marrakech that st. Fran
els of Assist sent his first missiona-
ries. There are in this city to-day
only about two dozen Europeans, and
most of these live in the English Prot
estant mission. Marrakech has some
$4,000 or 10000 inhabitants. all pure
Arab or Arabised, and the whole plain
is peopled by Berbers who have adopt
ed Arab customs. The land owners are
pure Arabs, the merchants Moors 1t
is a typical Moroccan city, with three
entirely separate quarters, one for the
royal body, one for the Musselman pop
ulation, and one for the Jews. At sun
set, and at noon on Friday, the hour
of prayer, the gates are closed and the
city lies quiet, with only single
Waterman at the gates. There are
beautiful gardens about the govern
ment buildings, market and a bazaar
where one of the principal attractions
is the booth for Morocco leather, which
takes it's name from the city. One
characteristic of the city is the public
fountains.