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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND Chinese labour in competition with Ameri- can, there are the Italians and Hungarians, also cheap, who are not excluded. Wo TING-FANG, however, is willing to admit
(May 12, 1900.
MISSIONARY'S PRO1 EST.
(Daily Press, 9th May.) A correspondent, whose letter appears
portient success as a commercial some reason he does not say just reason in this week's issue, is very indignant about
KËNG
With regard to Weihaiwei, no fresh light was thrown on the probable course of action, Mr. BRODRIOK discretely silent. Mr. WALTON said thint the place might have been a
we had not tied our hands by pro- mising Germany not to connect it with the interior of Shantung by railway; although, as he pointed out, the First Lord of the Treasury had been absolutely wrong when he stated that such a connection was physi" to the United States, or their residenceterisation of these remarky as “' interesting " cally impossible, for the fact was that there was not a hill 100 feet high between the place and Chefoo. The opinion which we quoted yesterday from a service correspon- dent, that Weihaiwei is commercially valueless, is practically that held by Mr. WALTON, and he could only suggest that it should be hauded over to Germany in return for her support in securing another naval base at or near the mouth of the Yangtsze. Sir Edward Grey, who pointed out that members on
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for the exclusion of Chinese labour in the a paragraph which appeared in the Daily Treaty of 1880. The first Article of this Prew of March 8th, in which we quoted some treat thu" Whenever, in the remarks from a correspondent on the cons opinion of the Government of the United duct of certain missionaries in China. Mr. "States, the coming of the Chinese labourers CAMPBELL takes exception to our charac-
"therein, affects, or threatens to affect, the and considers that “the quotation is so made "interests of that country, or to endangers to give some ground for the idea that it "the good order of any locality within the expresses the editorial mind." We should territory thereof, the Government of China not have thought it necessary to say that in agrees that the Government of the United quoting our first correspondent's remarks "States may regulate, or suspend auch we had no intention either of approving coming or residence, but may not abso- them or disagreeing with them, had not Mr. lutely prohibit it. The limitation or sus- CAMPBELL shown that he attached more pension shall be reasonable, and shall meaning to the word “ interesting?
than "apply only to Chinese who may go to the was intended by us when we wrote it. The United States as labourers, other classes not deliberately expressed opinion of a man being included in the limitation. Legislation who has lived in the country of which he side of the House had deprecated in regard to Chinese labourers will be of writes is often interesting, whether it be n the original occupation of Weihaiwai, "such a character only as is necessary to correct deduction from the facts or not. said: We were told that it would not in "enforce the regulation, limitation, or sus- We cannot here enter into the question any case be of commercial value; though pension, of immigration and immigrants whether the missionaries of China are all it turns out that it is of commercial value. "shall not be subject to personal maltreat-auch men as Mr. CAMPBELL has been for- He was of the opinion that a stronger
tunate enough to meet or whether our first · position nearer the mouth of the Yangtze For this Article the Chinese Represanta-correspondent's words do a grave injustice would have beeu a better second naval tive in Washington allows a certain amout to those of whom he speaks. He is prepared base in China ; but feared that the occupa-of reason. Bat the Treaty of 1894, which to maintain his position, as will be seen tion of Weihaiwei would cause a reluc- by its first Article absolutely prohibited the from a quotation from a second letter of his, tance to take another station nearer the coming of Chinese labourers into the States appearing in another column. We give both contra of our commercial interests. As except under specified conditions, went writers' statements as their honest opinions, preparing the way for any common agree-
on to exempt, in its third Article, based on the facts which have come before ment as to the future of Weihniwei the officials, teachers, students, merchants, or their eyes. Beyond that we have not ex- travellers for curiosity or pleasure." In pressed and do not now express any judge. September 1898, says WU TING-PANG, this inent on the måtter. clause was held to exclude all other classes. What is the consequence, he asks ?
"The "Chinese banker, the Chinese doctor, the "Chinese missionary, the Chinese lawyer,
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debate was useless; it certainly did not draw any indication from the Government of the official view, and we cannot suppose that it was expected to do so.
CHINA AND RECIPROCITY.
(Daily Press, 11th May.)
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or private gentleman, are not admitted "because they do not come within the five "classes mentioned in the treaty. Ameri- cans want to develop their trade with China, want to be good friends with China. "That is very natural; we are glad to hear "it, but the present state of things satis- factory? How can you expect Chinese "merchants to give you much business in "the face of these facts?" That there in a genuine grievance here it cannot honestly be denied, and there should not be much doubt that the growth of Ame rican trade in China will induce a more lenient interpretation of the doubtful clause. But it is also to be feared that the labour exclusion question is only dormant for time; in the Philippines and Hawaii it has certainly not been finally settled. Asiatic labour difficulty in British Columbia is very acute just now, and Japan has shown her active concern on the point. If China should ever awaken to a sense of nationality, the subject of a fuller amount of reciprocity of treatment between other nations and her- self must arise, when the economists, more- especially those of America, will have before them again a serious case, which hitherto they have been contented to treat with the knife rather than seek for a more scientific method of curing,
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HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
On Monday afternoon, the 7th inst., a meet- ing of the Hongkong Legislative Council was held in the Council Chamber at the Government Offices, there being present:
His EXCELLENOY The ACTING GOVERNOR, Major-General GASCOIGNE, C.M.G.
The Hon. F. H. MAY, C.M.G.. (Acting Colonial Secretary).
Hon. W. MEIGH GOODMAN (Attorney-Gene- ral).
Hon. A. M, THOMSON (Colonial Treasurer). Hon. R. D. ORMSBY (Director of Public Works).
Hon, A. W. Berwin.
Hon. H. O. NICOLLE.
Hon. C. P. CHATER, C.M.G. Hon. Dr. Ho Kai. Hon. H SMITH.
Hon. R. M. GRAY, Hon. WEI A YUK. Hon. J. J. KESWICK.
Mr. R. F. JOHNSTON (Acting Clerk of Coun- cils).
NEW MEMBERS.
As the intimate relations between the United States and China grow (and of the rapidity of their growth one has ouly to use one's eyes to be assured), it is inevitable that some solution must be found of the Chinese labour-exclusion question which will satisfy the Chinese that they are to receive a just equivalent for the concessions which they are being prevailed on to make. The more advanced Chinese thinkers, who look with favour on the idea of the spread of European and American enterprise through- out their country, are not content that, while this movement receives their assistance, on the other hand the boycotting of Chinese immigration into the territories of the re- cipients of their good-will should continue to grow rather more than less stringent. In his article in The Forum, from which we quoted the other day, the Chinese Consul- General to the United States brought for ward among other points this question of reciprocity in the relations of the United States and China; and indeed Ho Yow
The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY laid on has on many occasions called attention to
the table the following papers-Extracts from the necessity of altering the present state of
despatch No. 50 of 16th Feb., 1900, from the affairs if China is to extend a cordial wel-
Secretary of State for the colonies regarding come to strangers coming to her for the
the memoranda from unofficial members of purposes of trade, &c. The Chinese Repre-
Council and the protest of the Hon. T. H. sentative in Washington, Wu TING-FANG,
Whitehead on the subject of the estimates for takes up the case in The Independent and
1900; report on the health and sanitary con- vigorously defends the rights of his fellow-phreys and Son, General Managers of Olivers report of the Director of Public Works for We are informed by Messrs. John D. Hum.dition of the colony of Hongkong for 1899; countrymen. The Americans, he says, have Freehold Mines, Ld., that they have received 1899, financial returns for the year 1899. not thoroughly studied the question, nor do the following telegram from the Mines they look at it broadly and impartially. The Chinese who goto America give an honest equivalent in work for the money they take. "They are exclud- ed," he exclaims," not because they called for tenders ainking for the shaft 200 shall be able to resuine in two menths. Have too bad, but because they are fest. Short of mɔñey. Remit" by telegram good." As for the cheapness of £2,000,"
409
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During April 428 tons of stone were crushed, yielding 153 ozs. retorted gold; the mill ran 25 days. We shall have to suspend orushing till better developed. It is very probable that we
the oaths on taking their seats as members of Messrs. R. M. Gray and Herbert Smith took the Connoil.
PAPERS,
FINANCIAL.
The Aqrixe ColoniaL SECRETARY laid on the table Inancial minutes Nos, 15 and 21, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee.
The COLONIal Treasurer seconded, and
motion was carried.
FIRST READINGS, The following Bills were read a first
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