The Daily News FRIDAY, AUGUST 28. MOROCCO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 212, 28 August 1908, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, AUGUST 28. MOROCCO.

For many monies pasc., it has bee:i dUlicult to know who actually ruled that comic opera kingdom, siurocco. 'i'lie weak-kneed Abdul Aziz was nominally Sultan, bin his brother ami enemy, Mulai iiaiiil, Ji.nl been acknowledged, as tile Sovereign iu tile south, gradually increasing iu power till lie bee,line Sultan in everything but name, and last week lie established his right io this by force of arms, overthrowing liis brother, whose forces abandoned liim io the most ahaineful if truly Moorislh way Aziz is now a past number, a.id Muiai is tlie force upon which foreign diplomacy, and particularly French diplomacy, lias to count. It remains to lie seen if the situation, which is important iu that it has an important .bearing on international policy, will improve under Ohe new order of tilings. The ex-Sultan did little to improve the condition of either his people or his country. He seemed to be concerned more with his o\r,i personal enjoyment and the aping of the customs or Europeans; he took no iniercst in tilings that really mattered.

Morocco is a strange land, lis peo- i pic are among the most turbulent on ( earth. They have strong prejudices, and it goes hard with anyone vvlio does not respect their feelings and a-- ' pirations. They did not lilw their tjul- ' tail's action in connection with tli« French. Tlioy foresaw in the coming of bile French the thin edge of the wedge of European occupation. 'Die crisis was hastened by their ruler wanting more money. Before the loan : was possible tlie sanction of the ecclei siastieal authorities had to be obtainI ed. A new loan, it was said, meant | further subordination to European, . power. A huge crowd gathered in one Of the principal mosques. They trfed to temporise, asking for a day to think j things over. Hut Hie notables who led the people would grant no delay; a hastily written summary of the peoI pie's verdict was presented. "The i man calling liimself Abdul Aziz has betrayed the faith of God," they said. "He has sanctioned tJie formation of a State Bank, an institution contrary to our holy religion, which condemns usury. He has borrowed money without consulting you, has endeavored to introduce foreign police , has given j- away the territory of Soos, the Sahara, i; Tou'at, Oujda, and Casablanca, he Bias i* cast in his lot with our foes and brought ruin on our land. What say you of him?" An hour later tlie Ulema's answer was given. The Kadi of Fez pronounced the momentous words: "His reign is ended."

The next two days were passed in preparation for the great ceremony of proclaiming the new Sultan. On the third morning after the deposition of Abdul Aziz tire notables, tribal chieftains, and others met and acclaimed the 'name of Mulai Abdul Ilalid. There was a short discussion as to wihpthAthe throne should be offered on conditions; but as reservations in the power of Sultan arc opposed to the teaching of t/he Koran, it was decided io offer the throne absolutely. A prominent Sheikh stood fort'li and recited tire acts whereby Abdul Aziz had forfeited the throne, and then raised the prayer, in which all joined, ''God Send our master Abdul Ilalid victorious.'' Since then .Mulai has been virtually at tlhe head of the nation. After last week's battle, France would not recognise Mulai as Sultan till he had accepted the terms of the Algeciras Convention, of which so much is heard of in connection with Moroccan affairs. Mulai. according to yesterday's cables, lias now notified the Powers that he adheres to this agreement, and accepts the responsibility for the country's debts, but insists oil an inquiry into his predecessor's peronal debts before paying the court purveyors' bills, which he characterised as exorbitant. It is known that Aziz's tastes "were extravagant in liie highest degree, nnd for the sake of bis people and country it is be hoped the present occupant of the Sultanate will bring iiuo personal force his objection to his brother's extravagance.

The Algeciras agreement, above alluded to, was arrived at by the PovoJJ-i----in 1110(1. It includes;—(l) A tV.-c-lam-tion relating to the organisation of a police force of 2000 to 2500, .which is 10 be recruited by the Maghzeu lrom among .Moorish Mussulmans, commanded by Kaids, and distributed among the eight ports; Spanish and Frencii instructors, ollicers, and lion -commissioned ollicers are to assist the Sultan in tiiie organisation for live years, subject io the control of an InspectorGeneral selected from the Swiss army by t!iu Swiss Federal Government. The instructors and ollicers are to be Spanish at T'etuan and Larache, mixed at Tangier and Casablanca, and French at Rabat and the otilier ports. (2) A declaration as to the suppression of the contraband trade fa arms; (•'!) a concession for a State Bank for 40 jwirn, worked by censors appointed by th« Bank of France, England, and Spain, and the Imperial Bank of Germany; (4) a scheme for improved collection oi taxes ami the creation of new source of revenue by means of specified duties; (">) regulations as to customs duties, etc., with a proviso tuat on tin: fromi'T of Algeria tile regulation should bo ohe exclusive allairs of France and Morocco, and similarly of Spain and Morocco in the Kill' country; (0) a recognition of the principal of economic freedom ana the non-aliena-tion of public services and public works. If the Sultan succeeds in carrying out those provisions he will deserve. well of his own people, as well as Europeans, anil do away with the necessity of the French keeping an armed force in the country. If not-, Morocco's troubles will begin anew, and the iu-\v Sultan taught a lesson that the Khedive of Egypt was compelled to appreciate after Arabia's Pasha's rebellion in 1883. In this event Morocco would, in the course of time be to France what Egypt has become xo Britain.