Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-08-04
Mistellaneous Rsadina,
TROUBLE IN MOROCCO.
Summary of Events Leading UP to
Threatened War.

nOVerlnS over MOrOcco diu lhe peoNS
of Europe Is threatened by the condi-
ton Of affairs in the Sultanate on the
northwestern coast Of Africa, oppo-
site Gibraltar In point of fact 1t Is
nothing new for Morocco to be In the
limelight and 1t Is not so many years
ago when it looked as II the United
States might have to send an army
there to punish the famous bandit
Raisuli, who captured citizen of the
United States and held him for ran
som.
But that was only bubble COM
pared with the present situation In
which France, Germany. England and
Spain are involved and from which all
sorts of international complications
are liable to arise.
The Moroccan question might nave
been settled years ago In manner
satisfactory to England, France and
Spain-the three nations whose mate
rial interests are closest to Morocco
had it not been that the German en-
peror at a critical moment landed
from a warship at the port OF ranger
and in a dramatic way announced In
speech that Germany, had interests
In Morocco which must be recognized
and further announcing that the sultan
of Morocco could rely on Germany
for protection.
That was on March 81, 1905, when
Abdul Aziz was sultan. Since theh
Abdul, has been dethroned and an
older brother is on the uncertain
throne-Mulai Hafid. The royal house
Of Morocco is descended from All,
son-in-law of Mahomet the prophet,
and this fact is of some moment 10
the entire Mahometan world. 1t Is a
fact which has always given the great
powers some concern.
The result of the kaiSer's visit to
Tangier was an international CONFER
ence at Algers few months later'
at which the status Of Morocco In the
affairs Of the world was outlined ana
the interests and influences OF the dlt-
ferent powers in Morocco and In the
internal affairs of the country were
clearly defined.
The important thing was that the
kaiser had bluffed France and Eng
land into recognizing Germany as a
factor in Moroccan affairs, althougn at
the time the commercial interests Oh
Germany were very slight In MOROCCO,
nor have they grown to any very great
extent since then. But that Is only 0i
minor consequence to Germany, al
though It was the excuse she gave for
her action at the time; the real object
was that Germany was determined TO
butt into the affairs Of Morocco and
block II possible the further growth OF
French territory in northern AFRICA
and British commercial influence In
Morocco.
The French have acquired enor-
nous territory in Africa since 1884,
when they seized Algiers. From Al
giers they have spread east to Tunis
and Tripoli and south across the Sa-
hara desert around Morocco to the
Atlantic and as far south as the Con-
go free state which the late King
Leopold Of Belgium organized and
which Is still under the sovereignty
and government Of Belgium. About
decade ago France seized the island
of Madagascar on the east coast OF
Africa-an empire In itself.
The tremendous activity or france
in Africa has only been equaled by
England and In fact the French seiz-
ure of Madagascar was winked at by
England and regarded as fair eX-
change for the control or Egypt
which England has vrested from the
French. All Germany was able to get
out of the African scramble was
,ouple of pieces of territory OF uncer-
tain value. which have cost her dear
ly to maintain, on the east and west
coast, south of the equator.
Germany wants more territory, put
she has been blocked In most OF her
moves for territory by both France
and England. She got bit or emma,
but the alliance between England ana
japan has blocked her ambitlons III
the far east; she got Samoa In the "a
cific, but the United States blocked her
further ambitions in that part OF the
world. as II has in South America.
Germany has a railroad concession
through Turkey to Bagdad and the
Red sea, but England has blocked her
in the matter of Red sea terminus
and the Partisan bourse refuses 10
list the Bagdad railway securities. so
Germany is sore and she Is looking
everywhere for a preteXt to putt III
and get some territory.
So Morocco has become once more
the scene of Germany's impatience.
She has set up her flag OF defiance III
the port Of Agadir, which is the near
est port of any real consequence 10
Gibraltar, where the English are III
control. As all French vessels nave
to pass through the straits or GlDral-
tar going in and out OF the Medlter-
ranean sea, the attitude or Germany
is of more than passing interest 10
France. All English commerce TO
South Africa and Australia and South
America must pass by Agadir, and In
point of fact Agadir Is the nearest
mort i'm the eastern hemisphere TO
South America. That is one good rea-
son why England Is excited over Ger
many's attitude.
So much for the international as
pect of the Moroccan question. IL Is
necessary TO go back to the Algeciras
conference of 1905 to properly under
stand the present preteXt OF Germany
By that conference France was gwen
police powers in nearly all OF Moroc-
co except q strip on the noftn Oh the
Riff mountains. This, Spain was given
certain authority over and she mas
had lots of trouble in exercising her
limited aulIOTlly OVER tiio "iie iN'i
tribeSmen.
1t will be recalled that there were
riots i'm Barcelona three years ago De,
cause of the military defeats inflicted
on the Spaniards by these tribesmen.
Since then Spain has been strength
ening her position by means OF fortih-
cations and roads i'm the Riff country
and France has not been any too
pleased at Spanish activity.
France, however. was given FAR the
largest contract by the Algeciras con-
ference. 1t meant that France must
protect all foreign interests In one OF
the most turbulent nations in the
world, in which tribal chiefs anu
governors of provinces are all power
full and ever ready to plunder each
other.
The traditional policy of Morocco
has been one OF isolation from the
world. The natives are fanatical Mo-
hammedans. They detest Christians
and merely tolerate Jews. All chris
tians were slaves in Morocco up 10
1914. and piracy was not abandoned
The ayDDrt of cereals ana