The Washington herald., 1911-07-28
MOROCCO.

Il
arisen in Morocco through the actor
Of France and Germany, few salient
points In history ought to be recognized
fairly before judging the upheaval IL
that sorrow-stricken country ever sine.
the dawn Of the ,present century. Al
that time Morocco was an Independent
Moslem state. whose Sultan was described
as an absolute despot," which, however
was greatly fiction. AS matter Of fac
he was between the two fires Of his self
seeking official (viziers) on the one hand
and of the representatives of the for.
eign powers on the other. And also he
found 1t to his interest to keep on terms
of friendliness with some adventuresome
merchants.
| The Sultan's effective rule did not ex.
tend to more than a fourth of the area
known as the Moorish empire. The re-
naming three-fourths was and is oc-
cupied by the Kabyle tribe. ruled by their
own 'kaids' and not acknowledging the
Sultan or his government, called Maghzen.
However, as far as external relationships
| were concerned. European countries
dealt only with and through the Maghzen.
| even SO far as to holding It responsible
for the acts of the independent tribes.
British interests, commercial as we'll as
political, predominated, followed closely
by those of France. Spain had territorial
interests and historic associations to say
nothing Of a large community of Span
ish subjects living and working in Mo-
rocco. German pioneers of commerce had
established themselves in coast towns
and the up-country as well, and by their
fairness in trading and push they de-
veloped an important business in a per-
fectly peaceful and legitimate manner.
The United States also had opened mar
kets In Morocco, notably in the supply
of oil and lamps. Holland and Italy hao
lesser commercial interests.
1t was palpable to any one at all OBJ
servant of matters that France had an
eye to the extension Of her North African
colonies in a westerly direction. The
vexed question OF the Algerian and Mo-
light Of subsequent events, who can doubt
Frances ambitions?
In 1900 the Moors still looked upon
England as the natural protector of
their independence, as the great and
powerful barrier to their being "eaten
up" as they expressed II. by France
So highly were the British esteemed that
the Moors relied implicitly upon what
Englishmen told them. All that has
changed. The young Sultan, Mulay
Abd-el-Assis, succeeded his father, Mu-
lay Hassan. apparently under good aus
pices, and under the guidance of his
adviser, ''Kaid" Sir Harry Maclean,
made rapid progress in gaining European
ideas, at any rate as far as amusements
went. But 1t is said that the dusky
monarch had sincere ideas for the re-
form Of his country and the benefit of
his subjects.
Everything went on swimmingly until
1902, when Blu Hamarra, the pretender
arose and brought about a serious insur-
rection Of the Berber tribes in the Me-
quines region. Following this, the world
was taken by surprise with the an
nouncement OF the Anglo French con-
venuon concluded by Lord Lansdowne.
by which France received a free hand
in Morocco in consideration of France
giving up her antagonistic policy toward
England in Egypt. That was a shock
to the Sultan and his Moorish people.
But II was also a bitter pill to all Eng
lishmen residing in Morocco
Germany, as was to be expected, was
not complacent at finding such an ar
rareement in reference to an independ-
ent state, in which she had commercial
interests being entered by two other
powers without even having been consult
ed. The first result was the visit paid by
the Kaiser to Tahgier. as a consequence
Of which the Germans soon became to
Moorish eyes all that the English had
been before-that is, the barrier against
the French.
Then came the conference Of Algeciras.
The agreement there entered into pre-
served the integrity OF the Moorish en-
pire and provided for a police force in |
the open ports-a force which has been
the cause of more disorder than had ever |
been known there before. The next hap
pening was the cruel bombarding of
Casa Blanca, ostensibly to protect the |
Europeans there, but It has since been |
stated by a reliable English resident |
that at no time had any European there |
been in any danger until after the
French troops had been landed.
That was the thin edge Of the wedge.
We now have seen that wedge driven
into the very heart Of Morocco, under |
the same pretence, this time the rescuing |
Of Europeans in Fee.
One of the things that most surprise
and after bit delight an American
visitor is the great number Of clubs
there are in London. To men of other
a club Is a good place to
90 when they have nothing else to do
Or nowhere else to go. but the English
man makes a home, and a most COM
Portable one, OF his club. In America,
FOR instance. a man rarely thinks OF ad-
dressing to you a letter from his club.
He sends them from his house or his
office; but in London a man invariably
writes to his friends from his club; he
lines you and luncheons you there; he
makes appointments to meet men on
business there. In fact, there are some
clubs in the West End Of London where
he volume Of business daily transacted
II lunch hour exceeds what is done In
many of the largest offices east of st.
Paurs.
II American wives could know what a
blessing this custom is. how It keeps
husbands stupid. semi-business friends
rom being imposed upon his family. and
'aves women from being driven out OF
heir most comfortable room by the ar
ival of some fellow who wants to buzz"
he head of the house for an hour or
wo about matters, financial or political,