The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-11
The Khedive of Egypt tam Interview With
His Highness i'm the Abdine Palace---How
This Moharmmedam Ruler Lives and Works
ny FRANK g. CARPENTER.

'|ulTO,
have just had an audience Will
His Royal Highness, the Khedive o.
Egypt. The meeting was arranged b,
the diplomatic agent Of the United
Stntes, and 1T took some time to bring
IL about. The Khediye Is the NIohani-
medan ruler of these 100000 Egyir.
tians, and the many tribes of the Su
dan bow down to him as their chief
Although the country Is really ruled
by the English the Khedive holds the
place of King in the minds of The peo-
pie. He lives in great state and ap-
preciates the dignity of his position
1T was only through letters of intro
duction which ] have from washington,
that I was able to enter his presence.
i lily appointment came from the grand
master of ceremonies of the Abdlne
palace. The letter from the Khedlve
was written in French, and 1t Informed
ME that His Royal Highness would re-
ceive me Tuesday afternoon.
When arrived at the palace found
regiment of soldiers drilling in front
of Il and company of fierce looking
Arabs on guard at the door These men
presented arms as I entered. first
came into hall where other dark
faced guards in full uniforms stood.
and passed between these to the
foot of the grand staircase where one
of the Cabinet ministers met me. With
him I walked UP to the second floor
OF the palace, and was taken into a
great parlor where 1 waited untid the
exact moment for my Interview came.
Tewhk Pnslla's Throne Room.
AS I looked about this room 1 recog-
nized it as the audience chamber In
which the father of this Khedive. Tew.
FIX Pasha. had received me when he
was ruler of the country now more
than twenty-one years ago. At that
time 1 had most remarkable inter-.
view with him. and as looked about
mo the man and his words ca me to MY
mind.
The room is the same as 1t was then
all of the furniture being European,
Notwithstanding Egypt is land Oh the
orient. The sofas and chairs are or
carved woodwork painted white ana
mated with gold. They are upholster-
ed in white brocaded satin decorate"
with flowers, and the carpet OF Euro
mean make is woven in one piece. AT
one end of the room is great pro-
ended sofa, as wide a a Turkish divan.
II was upon that sofa that His High
nass Tewfik sat as he chatted with me
ahn,,t himself and his country. He
smoke English we'll and talked freely
about the then condition of Egypt AM
IRIS future. He was not averse u
speaking of religion and his Monam-
medan subjects. and he spoke little
concerning himself.
Tewfik Versus Abbns.
Since then great changes nave taken
place in Egypt. The present khediVes
father was always afraid OF assasslha-
ton. and when he suddenly died II was
supposed that he was carrlea 'h ~
poison. / asked him how ne ikeo .ne
life of Khedive. He replied:
at don't like It. I am told that many
neople envy me and think that my 10,
must be a pleasant one. They do not
understand the troubles that surrouna
me have seen many time when
should have been glad to have ialu
down all the honors have Tor res.
and peace. My ten years OF reign nave
been equal to forty years OIL "or.s.
& and If life were a matter OF plcasute
you'd be q fool to remain on inc
throne. / believe. however that e'o''
put man into the world for purpose
\ other than pleasure. 1t IS dut3 una una
is mans chief end. I am trying 10 ~
what / can for my country ana PEI
pie, and am happiest wen an WIZ WIZ
Ing the hardest"
English had taken hold OF the Egyp-
nan situation. AS you will remember
they came in at the end of ARABIA
pasha,s rebellion, and after they mao
nut down the revolution of the Mahdi.
Tewfls was ground between the upper
and neither millstones of the rebels ana
The English, and his bed was never one
of roses.
1t is different with the present Khe
dive. He has practically nothing 20 40
with the actual government and the
English relieve him from most Oh 'he
troubles of the ordinary ruler.
Mohamn,ednn Rulers.
Both Tewfik and Abbas have upheld
the principles Of Mohammedanism Duf-
ing my talk With. Tewhk cigarettes
were brought iEs and Twas ottereu
smoke. Observing that His HishneSs
aid not take a cigarette, I refused,
( end a moment later i asked the Aiie-
dive if he did not smoke He repl'eu
that he neither smoked nor drank, a'ld
,hat he did not drink because 1t was
against the laws of life as lad down
In the Koran. l understand that thH
+ present Khedive never touches tobac-
co or intoxicating liquors. and that ne
is almost as good Mussulman as was
his father. He has recently gained
great favor with his subjects. not oniy
In Egypt but in the Sudan, by maKips
II a pilgrimage to Mecca, and the 1act
THAT he has increased the size OF Ills
4 harem will probably be another point
An his favor.
AS to Tewfik Pasha he told me that
he could recite the Koran backward
from beginning to end He knew The
whole book by heart, and could COM
mence at any place and recito back
and forth. He said that he thought
every man should be faithful to the
beliefs of his fathers, and that he was
In favor of religious liberation. He
went to mosque regularly, and urged
the pushing of he Mohammedan reli-
glon. Abbas is also regular in MS
= mosque attendance, but / doubt wheth-