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CHINESE TOPICS.
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[November 26, 1906.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
absorption and disappearance of the foreign | Provincial Authorities to the introduction inspectorate."
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of a system which must necessarily be in opposition to so many of their most cherish. ed traditions. It is, however, no little thing that the question should have ben enter- Tim: Wis taine at all at healquirtore when any suggestion of representative government would have been met by a blunt non possumus at Peking and indeed throughout the Empire. It would have been pintel out that the idea of consulting the common people as to the way in which they were to be governed and taxed was absolutely opposel to the fun- dumental principles of paternal rule in the Celestial Empire. And it must be con- feased that, upon merely abstract principles, there is a great deal in the argument. Indeed from a Chinese point of view it would seem to be conclusive. It is, there- fore. 80 much gained that we find the Chinese have got sufficiently out of their old grooves even to entert in a question of this kind. What particular circumstances have induced them to adopt this attitude is a matter of speculation. Past experience would lead to the supposition that this may be only one of the many instauces where the Chinese have deemed it alvis. able to make a show of progress the idea of a peasing foreign nations for a time, while they were finding means of going on in their old way and were fully determined to do notwithstandin all their professions. With some of the more reactionary officials this is probably the cise. It would hardly be wise for them to mani- fest too strong an opposition, aud t'he Chinese instinet, when that is the cas, always been to give a general assent and to excuse of modifying it to such an extent trust to circumstances to afford them an that it becomes prictically abortive. admitting this, there are still signs that
gonre statesmen among South of the Yangtsekiang - Kwangtah to Chinese who are capable of looking a little Wuhu, about 7 miles; Shanghai to Hangchau, further ahead; who grasp the fact that if about miles: Ca ton to Wachang (Haukow) about 581 miles; auton to wang, batter China is to hold her own, some rulical miles: Chaochaufu to Swatow (Sbautao), about known as Whampo-the old anchorage-16 change must be made in her internal al- ministration, an who are consequently ut 35 miles; Cinton to Nanchang (capital of unwilling to consider whether the intro luc Kiangail, about 20 miles; Cautou to Amy, tion of representative institutions may be a about 365 miles: Amey to Fuchan, about 13 practical solution of the difficulty. miles; Canton to Nanning, about 360 miles, arriving at this view it may be reasonably Yunnanfu to Kweiyangfu, about 125 miles concluded that the beneficial results from Yuunanfu to Chingtu (Suchnen capital), about I railway), about 741 mies; Chingtu (Suchuen;; has influenced the Chinese much more thin 450 miles Kinsa to Ili (the Ili frontier that course which have accrued in Japan to Lhasa (Tibet), about 650 miles."
(Daily Press, November 17th.)
A very naive explanation of Japan's China gets its fair share of atteution in the ambitions in China has appeared in another British newspapera arriving by yesterday's journal, which had the advantage of a mail. As usual, there are comments both Japanese contributor. From both Mau- wise and otherwise. The Times' correspond. churia and Korea, all Japan wanta are ent at Poking certainly must not be placed 1ool stuffs and raw argricultural products, in the latter category, and we are glad to In return she will supply manufacture l note that he is now, with regard to the goods and machinery for development. que-tion of Customs control, allowing at There will not be any excessive emigration, last those who are able to read between the in spite of all that was formerly said of lines to see that there is more than one side Japin's surplus population. The truth to it. To revive a phrase dating from the is," we are told, "the Japanese are not s› last Parliamentary campaign, there is more keen on emigration as is hy some sup in his message than meets the eye, and his posed." We suppose this refers to the information with regard to Sir ROBERT Food Japanese. Anyway, Japan is resigned HART's present position cannot be written to competition and a fair field for it; for on a half sheet of note paper. Dr. MOR; instance, she will leave to others the RISON insists that the INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S exploitation of Manchuria's mineral re- circular to the staff in no way weakens the sources, Beat crops and wool she has effect of the Imperial edict, which is particularly ear-marked for herself, with admitted; but it does seem wrong to all the food stuffs that can be got. This persist that that edict made a
fun-is all very interesting, but smacks. rather damental" change." In the circular Sir of the tailors of Tooley Street. R. HART notified the service that on two We note als in the same journal a some- occasions, the 12th and 15th of May, he was what to optimistic account of the share personally assured by the Chinesa Con- which China contemplates taking in the trollare-General that the relations of the | building of railways." The word con- staff with the Inspector-General would contemplation" is very apt as applied to much tinue as heretofore; that there would be no of Chia's enterprise; and though it may change; that the new board would simply be quite true that China contemplates exercise the authority formerly vested in doing more in this direction than is con the Wai-wu pu. Sir R. HART, therefore, mouly imagine 1," we have learned to adjured the staff to abstain from expressing observe these contemplations with some by mouth or pen any fears regarding the show of patience. The article enumerates situation or hypothetical conjectures which nearly six thousand miles of lines that wight produce comments detrimental to to be built by Chinese," as follows: the dignity of the Chinese Government. As we have several times suggested, the author of that circular is Chinese" HART, and he is hanging on-tooth-and-nail for purely personal and sentimental reasons. Even the Globe has now discovered that be is no martyr in the sense that the turliar agitators made out; it remarks "Any decree emanat- ing from the Throne holds good until set aside by a fresh decree; explanations not bearing that authoritative impress are of no use whatever. As Sir ROBERT HART is perfectly aware of that fact, his present subserviency, so radically different from his conduct in the past, can only be attributed to a personal conviction that further protest would be undignified and profitless." We have attributed it from the beginning to the real reason, and pointed out that the real danger is not the bogie of Chinese control (that would be insuffer-
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able) but the appointment of an INSPECTOR GENERAL who would not keep great Britain's paramount interests in the forefront of his mind. We quote here the vital part of Dn. MORRISON'S despatch:
The circular, which has given cold comfort to the staff that hus rendered to Sir R. Hart such loyal service, concludes with the si nifi. cant admission that it has been submi ted
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North of the Yangtsekiang -Peking to Changchiakon, ie, Kalgan, about 130 miles north-west direction from capital; Haukow about 75 milas: Hsi-an Fu to Tungkwan to Chingto, in Sachuen, via Chungking. about 75 miles; Sing yang to Pukon, opposite Nankin, about 270 miles; Kaifnng to Haichan (on Yellow Sea), about 250 miles.
Some of these items are said to appear for the first time "in a hst given in English": we might have expected a much larger list, seeing that it is oue of lines still under contemplation,
CHINA'S ONE STEP FORWARD.
(Daily Press, 19th November.) Although it would b to sauguine to to and approved by the Controllers-General, expect that anything very definit: will be As a matter of fact, it was amended by dous by the Chinese Government with Tang Shao-yi, who excised whole respect to introducing represent (tive insti paragraph. Thus Sir R. Hart hopes to allay tutions for some time to come, there is still anxiety by citing verbal assurances given i reason to bel eve that they are desirous of immediately after the issue of the edict, which assurances have apparently since ben
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making some movement in this direction. At least, the despatch of the Commission to Europe to obtain information, and the subsequent consultations with the Viceroys would seem to indicate that the question is being dealt with in earnest, and that it is regarded as at all events one which is worthy of careful consideration at head- all the commissioners. The assuranc-8 DOW quarters. This, of course, is a long way off trausmitt d by Sir R. Hart were in his any practical action in the matter; but it is possession when he wrote those letters, so as much as could be expected when we bear disquieting to the service, iu which he in mind the magnitude of the change announced his ly 'iremen' and fore. shadowed as a consequence the transference; proposed and the difficulty which must be of the Customs to Chinese control and the experienced in gaining the support of the
forgotten by the Controllers General while engaged in stripping Sir R. Hart of his power, recasting the administration of the service, ordering delay in the publication of all returns and reports until they have, been first submitted to the censorship of the new board, and traversing the authority of
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any very great appreciation of foreign institutions. The idea that China could not do anything which Japan had succre led in doing is one which would little commend itself to the Chinese, who have always con- sidered themselves far superior to the small nation in the Eastern Ocean. They have seen how Japan cousolidated her internal power, improved her foreign relations, an I Gually was able to cope with a formidable foreign enemy, by the timely adoption of internal referius upon a liberal basis; au lit may naturally occur to some of them that
they could attain to the sine results by the same me ins. In this idea they would b encouraged by the Japanese themselves to whom of late they have gone for advice upon to suppose that among the more advanced many matters. In this way it is naturel Chinese statesmen there is an honest belief that something might be done to improve affairs in China by representative insti.u- tions. At the same time, even those disposed to reform in this direction are not likely to be in favour of any very rapid alteration of the existing state of affai 8, and are alive to the fact that the matter is oue in which they must proceed warily. Whether those who are thus disposed will be able to hull their own against the more