RAISULI AND KAID MACLEAN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 18, 16 October 1907, Page 5

RAISULI AND KAID MACLEAN.

v THE POPULAR MAN OF MOROCCO:

Our surmises ro Raisulihavo proved correct, remarks a writer'in"the "Glasgow Herald." Ris siloncb and , constant ■'change' of place with'Kaid Maclean/.of "Alkrpny, , " as' the natives likd to call him, were riot from any waning of' his influence' over tho tribci, but simply because he was'.preparing to lly at biggor game..-. -~....- ~-• . . ■-. •

As a. matter"' of, fact there is" no ■ more populaf.- man' to-day- in' the whole of; Morocco, although ho one. plays less'to the'gallerj than Ssi'sulk: ,'..',-.-.'.':l'. '.':'. -. ".'■-. ... •"--/

1 ,"Ah 1' but ; ho, is a- man," tho peoplo rich and poor sayVof. him; aliko, and'justly so from a,'nativ'o". and .patriotic, point 'of rioyi'. . There 'is', no' quicKcT.'ior 1 suroi- method of gettiiig ; the cold shmildor, ' to say tho least- of it, from' a native of Morocco than-to' speak ..slightingly 'of' Raisnli;.'and 'if: one ' should in better"class company' refer' s i» 'him as a bahditjor - morifcion .iomo of the flippant things do. freely said of him; in tlio ;Eiiropean ;■ press. he '.would bo surprised ; to.'';■■'find; they' have quite, suddenly rohibmbered'other'and pressing engagements; Th'is,'' ! tb'o, from'.'a'class..whoso mottoes' "Hasto'is from'the 1 ' devil,"' "To-morrow if God- will." -r' v -;.-l"--'" .;:■;■■-■■■.■■' ',

Regarding; the' Sultan himself,-MoulaiAbd Alaziz,:n6 subh respect is;'sHowm!'Opbnly: and ovorywhero-peoplo'speak of his "of the ; shepherd"who;sloeps' while the jackals dovour :and; the' sheep'.' - ar'o scattered;! , and only'thd'^fact-that lib is 'a descehdaut of; the, prophet, -.and' therefore "in l ai, manner sacred, prevents 'tliem; going further.''. :■ ■ ' "•■'."■ "j ■ Intoryie'ivjng not long ago an old Moorish ficntleman who has lived in the reign of. three Sultans;'"yet.; is. ablo io attend to his business' (daily,"he; saidji; '."The; Sultan.? Our; Sultan - is ,- : only ;'■ a ; ball ■ which : -anyone" who, cbnien : Mbhg'ijiiiy fake up arid. ! play.'with'." . "Look at-Sorilid-so' and So-arid-sc^—referring to'various peopkrabpiit; the'Sultan—were.'.th'oy/riqt : comparatively vpoor' a , few' years ago" when they'cariio ''to^th'e , Sultan? And] : now seve'ral flf 'them i , are.'rcjiuted' millionaires and possess much real -property, • some "of .it actual;prer' sents' from-bur -lord' the - Sultan!;,- Then; look ono of.the Viziers; does! ho"''ri6t' fortnightly; Send hirgo ■' sums or, , P'old-t6' , thn European Biiiik iii v through Herr—-?' Yot', ; dnring all 'this,' or, 'rather, be-causo-'of) TiH"'this,;' our /master -th6''Sult'ari is daily l getting' debt. Atprosont ho'is playing with -a- little "motor" latirich.oria riyu : let noar. Tei in'eVidenf-'igrioranca'of'what- isv actually';'happening- ; in• his-'count'ry; -and ho will'foraain- so , as long : a'sj'-it is to''the profit of'-those'-wlid-Tire interested in" ke'epirig hini amusod.;«'Just:' > l&tely : Baisnli has: boon';' ac- ; tivoly-e'nga'gefl. hi' makiiig' thV.'necessary ■ preparations for a, grand attack" ' troops ' : ih ! '-'thft-'.eventsof a/ .furtlie'r'- 1 a'dvanc'o. ,Their , . , oncrdachments'on' the' territories 'of his friondsji.where'they burned'and looted, some small villages nud cutoff a few heads, had to bostopped'-lcst' murmuring', disaffectiori;''.arid consequent' treapheryr-that' bugbear Iqf bycry leader and .reformer in be prevented.' l ..'lt/ , was- first necessary•''to 1 get AI--krony^-the" safe'placo, i: ;and to-bb dai e.'it ■ must' be secret, ; known' only , to the '■{ ow trustworthy friends, left : to guard'him'-during the absence of ; Eaisuli.,himself.;;The real danger: to the Kaid is riot from Raisuli,'who,' as an Arab'gbntleman;'' will, ! we feel assured; never ; knowingly ,or . willingly ■ treat-, his ' 'guest" : - btherwifeb. than with , every ■ courtesy andr.kindnessZ -'As.:for- his/guards, 'soirib-500 ..lashes, ."andf thenr.thrqwn'iritO '•α^mafmdro;'" or underground grain store, would bq'tho-lot , of :any"'who should, dare'to commii a. grosi breach.of hospitality and' , "spoil . /.Uaisuli's face," i;e/," injure 'his'reputation, .by ill-treat-ment of tho'Kaid.; ;.In fact they, are answer-, able to.-. Raisnli:' witH their heads for- tho Kaid's safety;' Raisuli's authority, among his 'own people is absolute, and moro powerful' by, ajong way than-the Sultan pn-his throno. ■>' -.Now..that- -Raisuli is, once, moro victorious, , thero ,will-be a rokindling '.''of-i enthusiasm among the surrounding tribes, as also among the disaffected and .rebellious everywhere throughout tho country... ;,..,,' It almost 'certainly means fresh . trouble' doiyh soutli,-where one or, two buddirij; Roi--Bulis. havo been pfactisins; on a /small .scale' 'for-the' ; lttst few Sir Harry Maclean's groatest-danger—and Buisuli is fully alivo to ;it-4ies in tie possible treochery emonpc Raisnli's 6wn:peoplo)dr qf tho surrounding tribes, |wlio, for a"'.bribe! that open sesame of' n,carly all doors in .Morocco^.- from motives of re-' vengo, or some religious fanatic, who, resenting tho slayinp of so many true followers of the prophet iind,the devastation of -their homes "for'the'.sate of one accursed Christian," and who at tho.same timo cherishes the ever-present hope/that he may obtain merit and be placed on tho calondar of Mohammedan saints,' may seek to assassinate the Kaid and thus effect the consummation of their desires. Should, this untoward event take ■place, Raistili's influence,:for tho blamo.would: naturally. Ho", at his door, would bo gono for, ever. No decejit Moor whose -,g'qod opinion was worth having would. over "countenance such a crime. Eaisuli's own existence is dependent on s»fo' custody. Wo can therefore well imagine ho already feels tho genial Scotchman a thistle in his hand, which ,ho would gladly got rid of-fif hecould do sb; and still save his "face"—to lift up'the banner at this grave crisis of popular lender arid ;patriot whoso watchword' is ."Morocco for :the Moors;" I' , " 7 ."-,.•' ■ '' ',-" "■ '■■' ";' ;■. ' "• ',;'■"