Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

and chiefly because OF her typographical
OF which the late Sir Charles
Dixie said: Egypt is country Of
transit: II is to certain point the com
mon property of the world. II may he
defined as an International highway. in
dispense bic to the commerce Of all ma
TONS
So long as a single European nation
continues its military occupation OF Egypt
there viii he An
An Egyptian "Egyptisn aues-
Question Always. m mom ,h ns TINS ~ n m"-
nict. a war OF words only between Copts
and tMoslems growing out OF an attempt
OF the former to secure more representa-
ton In the distribution OF office or clerk
ships. I'm the administration OF which the
Copts have already a fair share. having
been for generations the official scribcs
for all governments in Egypt II Is in
teresting only-this conflict between Copt
and Mosem-as a diversion, which has
been imagined by those interested parti-
sans OF a continued occupation Of Egypt
imagined because 1t may lead To strife
on the ancient principle Of divide i'm
order to govern. The affair ri Wardani,
Moslem who aSsaSsinated Routros. the
Coptic minister. has been the occasion
which has Served those interested Eng
liShmen employed in the khcdiviaI service
to excite the Christian copt against the
Moslem. II can deceive no one. except
the stranger. for whom. indeed the spec
tacle has been invented.
Two events of far more serious impor-
lance have recently occurred which tend
no. ~ he Nv,tt n
question and attract the attention of the
liberal minded of Europe and America
The first fs the publication of a book In
London entitled EGypt's Ruin" by NJ
which is distinctly the counter argumer.
Of Lord Cromer's Modern Egypt" The
second Is the publica ton in London Of a
monthly record of Egyptian and near
eastern news, entitled Egypt
The stcreotypcd citations Immediately
under the title Egypt" will attract the
attention Of the reader who i'm Europe. a
I'm America. has almost forgotten the
tragedy enacted in Egypt and accents
with unconscious simplicity news which
Is given the color which best suits Its
interested author cite the text:
The occupation OF Egypt is in the ma
ture Of a burden and difficulty. Its
permanent occupation would not be
agreeable to our traditional policy. it
would be inconsistent with our good faith
contrary to the laws of Europe. Glad
stone, May ], 1859.
Great Britain has engaged herself by
official agreements with Turkey and the
European powers to respect the sue
rainty of the sultan in Egypt. She will
keep her engagements."-Sir Eldon Gorst,
October -. 1908
In the initial number of Egypt In set
ting out It's program the editor cites
from the Nation Of August 6. 1910: Par
Ito, ,A,,A In xNf no orlr n
British policy In the near east and in
central and eastern Europe as il is of
Sanscrit."
The editor declares that the main OBJ
ject for which Egypt is issued is 10
furnish English members of parliament
and such members of the cabinet as stand
outside the inner circle OF imperial af-
fairs with reliable facts about the near
east. especially facts about Egypt There
are liberal and labor members OF parlIa-
ment who would help the cause of peace
and honor abroad II they only knew how.
They would thus become "a kind Of con-
science on the government to urge or
restrain them at critical moments and
prevent impending disasters
II the members of the English parlia-
ment are ignorant of questions OF the
near east there Is
The Near East some excuse for
rr:x, the American con-
tention Is almost wholly absorbed i'm af-
fairs of his district. Nevertheless, there
is no excuse for not knowing this Egyp-
tan question. which is a worlds question.
recent dispatch from Cairo to the
Times declares that 'the Coptic agitation
in the Assiout congress has helped re-
inflame racial difference and religious
fanaticism." II Is quite manifest this is
the voice which is Jacobs voice, but the
hands are the hands of Esau. Who. in
deed. has ever heard In Egypt OF either
racial or religious fanaticism between
Copt and Moslem! Copt and Moslem diff
ferences exist I'm the color OF their head
dress, but custom and language are the
same. for the Coptic, by disuse is a
dead language.
These people have lived at peace with
one another since the Arab invasion.
hound to each other by a common inter
est. In 1881, when menaced by the great
Europe. they banded together to oppose
the injustice. The imported employees
were given ridiculously high salaries for
doing what the native functionary had
done well, but which the imported could
not do at all. The imported compro-,
ttuScu. TIC iCtu ITO "S't pau pSct "''A
employed the native to do his work for
trifing sum.
To create dissension between the Copt
and the Moslem, in order to provoke some
act Of violence. may be the purpose of
those who would prolong the British occu-
patton, but such an object will not surely
receive the approval OF a liberal govern
ment nor it's agent Sir Eldon Gorst, who
as we have seen, has declared that Great
Britain has made official agreements to
respect the suzerainty Of the sultan in
Egypt. and that Great Britain will keep
her engagements"
Now 1t is announced within a few days
past that Sir Eldon is at Auxon taking a
cure and because Of his health will not
return to Egypt. The Egyptian Gazette,
which was the official organ of the
Cromer regime, seems to have dlfncult!
in understanding that it is liberal gov
eminent and no longer conservative
government that governs at London fhe
Egyptian Gazette as long ago as Aprii
Is, specializing upon the retirement OF Sir
Eldon suggested az his successor l.ofd
Miner. Sir Rennell Rodd, and hnaiiy
Lord Kitchener. But even the Egyptian
Gazette is conscious OF the small chance
OF Lord Miners appointment, because
the present government regards ms ao
ministration in South Africa with disap
probation He doubts IT Sir heaheii
would accept because Of the trouble ana
vexations of the post. and where the
agent Is "cribbed. cabined and conflhed IN
every scheme of reform by the capituia-
lions, mixed tribunals. etc.