BRITISH RULE IN EGYPT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1761, 28 May 1913, Page 6

BRITISH RULE IN EGYPT.

Tun outside world has heard very little about Egypt of late, and this may be taken as a sign that the country is passing through a period of peaceful development. The silence lias now been broken by a cablegram (publisher! in another column) which informs us that Loud Kitchener, the British Agent, has reported that there has been a marked diminution in party strife, and greater confidence in the Government. This is welcome news.. In May, 1912, Loud Kitchener reported that a happy feature, was the progress of education, there being 45,173 boys and 5500 girls in the elementary schools, besides 10,000 boys in the higher schools. This sounds very satisfactory, but it is to be hoped that the Egyptian Government will take warning from the experiences of India, where many competent observers do not hesitate to blame the education system for a great deal of the prevailing unrest and recent outbreaks of sedition. It is not suggested that the young people of India should go without education in any form, but that they are being instructed on wrong lines. The need for reform is 'encrally recognised, but it is not easy to discover the best method of developing the character and intellect of the people, without unsettling their minds and fostering political discontent. Some time ago it was rumoured that a new system of Parliamentary government was to be established in Egypt, but so far nothing in this direction seems to have been attempted. AVhen once a scheme of this sort i 3 started it is a very difficult matter to abandon it._ Political experiments are sometimes dangerous, and it is satisfactory to know that the British Government is represented by an official of Lord Kitchener's experience # and judgment, who may be relied upon to discourage foolish' proposals for conferring upon the Egyptian people advanced political institutions of a democratic character before they arc ready for then;. For some time after his appointment, Loud Krrciir ener was faced with a Nationalist agitation, which might have bccome dangerous had it not been firmly dealt with, but now tho movement has been almost completely suppressed. • The interests of the country have, however, been steadily advanced by the inauguration of works of utility, such as drainage schemes which will bring large areas of land under cultivation, railway extension, and the encouragement of cotton growing. The steady development of the country by public works of this character will do more to make the Egyptians a happy, prosperous, and contented people, than ambitious schemes of Parliamentary government, for which they are ouite unfitted at the present stage of their development. ,