The urban populations of all countries agree on this. And since in all Egyptian cities there is a varying number of Europeans, their presence prevents them from enjoying the current foreign privileges and hinders progress. Alexandria, which is almost considered a European city, is an exception to the other cities because a municipal council was established there after the Egyptian government negotiated arduously with the international community for a long time. Municipal councils were not established in other cities except where the inhabitants agreed and imposed voluntary taxes upon themselves. The first city whose inhabitants did this was Mansoura, an important city where a mixed municipal council was established in 1896. After that, mixed municipal councils were established in five other cities: Fayoum, Tanta, Zagazig, Damanhur, and Beni Suef, all of which followed the example of Mansoura. Their total expenses for the current year were estimated at 7,790 Egyptian pounds, of which 4,210 Egyptian pounds are taken from the government treasury, and the remainder from local taxes collected by the municipal officials from the residents with their consent. Each municipal council consists of the governor as president, four European members, and four Egyptian members, all of whom are elected. The conditions for being elected (with kasra) are: 1) to have reached at least 25 years of age, 2) to pay at least two Egyptian pounds annually in property income, or to own a house whose annual rent is estimated at at least 24 Egyptian pounds, and 3) to have undertaken to pay voluntary taxes. The conditions for being elected (with fatha) are: to be generally literate or to be a genuine owner of property worth at least [amount missing] Egyptian pounds, or to be involved in any significant commercial business or a member of the liberal professions. These mixed councils have the authority to borrow money after obtaining government approval.

As for the cities where voluntary taxes are not collected, the government provides the money for their needs. However, it has made efforts to encourage the inhabitants to take an interest in managing their affairs by establishing local commissions in twenty-seven cities. The head of each commission is the governor, and its members include an inspector from the Ministry of Public Health, an inspector from the Ministry of the Interior, an inspector from the Ministry of Public Works, and four others. The inspectors are appointed based on their positions, and the other four are elected. The conditions for the elected members (with kasra) are the same as those for the elected members of the mixed municipal councils, except for the undertaking to accept voluntary taxes. This is a common practice, and any elected member (with kasra) may become a member of the local commission. These commissions prepare their budgets and disburse the funds that...