The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1905. STIRRING UP STRIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 793, 8 April 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1905. STIRRING UP STRIFE.

The Kaiser has a .great lo.ve of springing surprises oa the Governments of - other countries', and his latest effort in that direction is quite in keeping • with the line of conduct he has pursued since donning his Imperial mantle. I'robably no other crowned

ucau »uuiu ua>c tiiuujjui*. ui using Morocco as a means for raising trife, but evidently he is thoroughly enjoying the stir his action lias produced. Germany's interests in Morocco are accurately summarized by the i'ost as being purely commercial, and the extent of them only reaches' to about ten per cent, of a total import trade of a little more than £2,000,000. All that was- secured for British commerce by the AngloFrench Convention was terms of absolute equality with that af France ; and despite the appointment of a Frenchman as Financial Adviser to iha Suitaa to control the Customs! lor the French Banks, which 'had advanced him a loan of £2,000,000, we have not heard that any discrimination against Germany or any other country had been enforced or attempted. The introduction of Algerian police into Tangier, where the Sultan himself was not safe a year ago, is the chief reform undertaken under French auspices. But the Kaiser appears to be against reform of this kind or any other. He naturally objects to the penalising of German trade when and if it. is ever attempted ; but he also declares "that the Sultan is the free sovereign of a free country, and Germany would never allow any rower to act as i»termediary" ; and also that "the present time is unsuitable for reform on European lines, and all reforms should be founded on Islamic laws and traditions," This is, of course, a direct blow at the policy of France and the Anglo-French agreotnent. If the Kaiser calculated that the same spirit would be displayed by Franca as in 1898, he is doomed to disappointment, for even while ha was formulating his little scare, the march of events was drawing England and France closer together, isolating Russia and leaving Germany out in the, cold. Most pcoplo will give the Kaiser credit for having an ulterior motive for taking thi> present moment us an opportunity for expressing his disapproval ol the understanding between France and England with regard 'to Morocco, but Hi«r Majeety has done so many foolish things thai one hardly knows when to take his actjo/i and words seriously. At any rate thepe ip not the slightest, probability of Germany being allowed to establish any sort of a protectorate in Morocco, and it is unlikely that any harm will bo done by Emperor William's bluster, other than a lobs of his own dignity and a possible humiliation consequent on his riding for a fall, and getting it. Such a pitiful H|ieet»clu compels sympathy for the country over which he rules, and evokes a devout hope that as His Majesty fees

more of lift; he will attain more wisdom and modjeraf,c the unfortunate _ impulsiveness of hia miturp. ON THE fOllt'l'll I'AUli, CpimilQJ'cial. o JJjvinq Services.