Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-06-02

That promise still stands, but eVacua-
ton is as far away as ever. Five years
ago the French and English came to an
understanding, and since that time
there has been no power to suggest
be it in ever so mild manner that II
was time for the British to move on.
Yet it is not fair to condemn 'perfidi-
Gus Albion" for its square-mile fever
and to accuse the British of taking ter
ritory without any excuse, on the basis
of the present peculiar condition in
Egypt. When England came to Egypt
il was absolutely necessary for some
outside power to interfere to restore
order in the country. During the quar-
ter of a century of British occupation
the condition of the Egyptians has i'm
proved so materially that it must be
admitted that the English have done
more for the Egyptians than for them
selves.
When Ferdinand De Lesseps per-
suaded the Egyptian government, then
prosperous and free of debt, to engage
in the Suez canal project, he plunged
the knive into the heart of Egypt.
When the miserable fellaheen were
scooping the sand out of that great
ditch with their bare hands, they dug
the grave of Egyptian nationality. Am
bilious to be considered an enlightened
ruler, the Khedive Ismail lent all the
credit of his country to the canal,
robbed his people of everything they
had and brought his nation into bank
ruptcy.
The European bondholders demanded
their pound of flesh, and the united
powers of England proceeded to cut it
from IsmaiPs heart An international
commission was named to administer
the finances of the country and to ar
range to pay the interest coupons. An
international court was established be-
fore which even the state of Egypt
must answer TO its creditors. Finally,
the British and French governments
practically assumed control of the state.
Ismail rebelled against his slavery and
was banished to Europe. His son,
Tewfik, was made khedive and the dual
control continued.
Then came a movement among the
Egyntians to expel the Europeans,
which eliminated in rebellion led by
Arab Pasha. That rebellion brought
about anarchy in the country. The
British invited the French to join in an
armed Intervention. The French de-
clined and the English took the re-
sponsibility upon themselves. AleXan-
dria was bombarded and portion of it
destroyed, and shortly afterward the
British soldiers met and defeated the
Arabist army at Tel-el-Kebir. Two
days later, on September Is, 1882, the
British army occupied Cairo, and here
it is today.
A year later Sir Evelyn Barring was
sent to Cairo as consul general. He
assumed practical control of Egyptian
affairs and set out to enforce pro-
gram of reform. Later, he was raised
to the peerage as the earl of Cromer,
and he remained at the head of affairs
in Cairo until less than two years ago.
AS a matter of fact, England in
Egypt" has meant simply Lord Gro
mer in Egypt" He complained bitterly
of the lack of any definite policy of the
British government to support him, but
for all that he ruled almost with the
power Of a despot and always with the
conviction that he was doing right. OPP
position to Lord Cromer personally was
very strong at times. Agitation against
the continuance of the British rule has
been rife ever since the first troop of
redooats wheeled into the citadel
square in Carlo
There are many who sympathlze with
this opposition Even some of those
who admit that British interference
was a good thing in its time proclaim
that the time has ended and that only
OWL will cOn1e of q continuance of the