THE FUTURE OF MOROCCO.

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 68, 21 March 1906, Page 7

THE FUTURE OF MOROCCO.

PROCEEDINGS AT THE CONFERENCE. [pees* association.] MADRID, 20th March. At the Algeciras Conference Germany is not disposed to attach, decisive importance to the institution of neutral command at Casablanca (on the west coast of Morocco) if adequate guarantees are forthcoming of the efficiency of a neutral InspectorateGeneral. INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESI. DENT. The Duke of Almodovar, who presides over the labour of the Conference at Algeciras, in the course of an interview which the London Telegraph's correspondent had with the eminent Spanish statesman on the sth February, gave some interesting views on the existing situation, and its probable consequences. "What does your Excellency think," asked the journalist, "of the current of pessimism which for the last few days has been noticeable in certain quarters here?" "I know that current," replied the Duke of Almodovnr. "It is only explicable by the certainty which each one has that the momentous hour has struck. Up to the present we have been slowly climbing ihe hill, We have arrived at the summit, and are, therefore, at this moment in a particularly good position to render an exact account of the situation. The thing now is to descend the declivity. Wo shall come down without encountering any obstacles. Yes, I am — I must be — an optimist. How can one be anything else when one trusts not to fanciful impressions, but to realities? With everybody, at this present moment, there is an equally strong desire to come to a happy and speedy conclusion. You may catch a glimpse there, even already, of the -beginning of the recognition by Europe that the world to-day has great need of peace. The political crisis through which we have just passed has wearied everybody. Business bns suffered much nnd is now languishing. Tranquillity is necessary in order that ib may recover its energies. But that tranquillity — or, rather, that definitive peace which all countries await as an inestimable benefit, must arise from the Algeciras Conference. I dare to hope thati we shall not have to wait for this benefit much longer. How can anyone think that catastrophes will spring from this MorocJan question, which ia not even a colonial one, since our first duty here was to proclaim the sovereignty of the Sultan? My optimism is based upon the reality of facts, and at the same time upon reason." "One last question, your Excellency : Is is true, as hns been said, that the Spanish Government has been charged by the Holy See to present to the Algeciras Conference a motion in favour of the Catholics in Morocco ? It has even been asserted that the Marquis de Tovar, Spanish Ambassador to the Vatican, presented to your Excellency a memorial drawn up by Cardinal Merry del Val on the situation of the Catholics in Morocco." "That is inaccurate," replied the Minister of State. "The Sovereign Pontiff has not asked us to present anything to the Conference. What has given rise to the report you have just mentioned k nhat in* 1880, at the close of the Madrid Conference, Senor Canovas, who presided, read a letter from the Cardinal Secretary of State demanding that assurances should bo given for the protection of Catholics in Morocco."