ess!!•DRWI**
128
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
find altruistic motives for wishing the continuance of American administration in the Philippines; while on the other side we feel that by putting our views in a proper light, and showing how honestly we have an interest in the affair of good government, we risk no danger of being misunderstood. So on this occasion we can honestly look Uncle Sam in the face, and advise him to sit tight and face the Devil.
CHINESE DECREES.
[September 2, 1907.
for adopting this cry not as indicating a desire to set up China and the Chinese in active hostility towards the foreigner and everything foreign, but as indicating a desire to preserve their national independence and the territorial integrity of their great country. It would savour of the paradox for a Chinese newspaper published in a British Colony, where its founders and promoters, its editor and contributors, have lived and flourished, where many of them were born, and where others have found an asylum from the rigour and persecution and injustice of their own mandarins, to advocate the old policy of Chinese exclusiveness. We take it, therefore, that our new contemporary is prepared to take a broad and generous and enlightened view of its own olicy and the aspirations of its party. and that its advocacy of modern
accordingly the Americans set about to weaken the authority of the Church. They however did not take stock of the fact that, before loosing one form of belief, it would be well to have some practical substitute; the American theory was that the ills of the Luzon islanders were due to the teachings of the priests; if they removed this incubus on the people, and left them free to make a new departure, they would of themselves see the necessity of reform, and of their own motion purge the abuses which they saw around them. That the faculty
(Daily Press, 30th August) of self government by no means came by
The unkindest things that are ever said nature, but required a long preliminary training, was something the Americans ofthe present administration of the Chinese themselves and failed to learn. John Filipo Empire are always to be found implicated had indeed ideas on the subject of govern-in Chinese official publications, Imperial ment, but they mainly consisted in his Decrees in particular. There is no need to belief that it consisted in his being per- draw on imagination to show that sme. mitted to do as he pleased, without any things are rotten in the state. conception, that the right of government Decree relating to the funds for the relief carried any corresponding duties. Enthus of the sufferers by the floods in Chibli iasts of this kind existed in plenty province orders the Ministry of Finance to amongst the Filipinos; and at first Uncle disgorge all the funds that have been Sam conceived that all he had to do was to accumulating in that department for years take them by the hand, and encourage what for famine relief. This comes rather late under his own traditions he was willing to in the day, in view of the enormous sum believe was the nascent spirit of liberty. recently contributed by foreign sympa Under this belief he with a light heart thiers, and there appears to be a good deal undertook the task of ruling the islands, of siguificance in the addendum to the convinced that he had only to show John Deeree, which is thus translated: "Further. Filipo the charm of good government, for more, in future monies sent up annually to make before they can walk alone, without
the latter to at once acknowledge the hoon conferred upon him, and get to to make himself efficient in the art. Nothing was further from John's ideas on the subject. Good government might be a very superior sort of business for others, but good govern- ment meant work, and he had no greater love for work under an ideal constitution than he had in the old times, and for his part he preferred idleness with a little excitement now and then.
A recent
our
civilised methods in China will be in no wise tinctured by hostility towards the nations and peoples with whom they have been brought in contact, and from whose influence and example and protection they have benefitted. With the aspirations of the Reform Party we sympathise unreservedly. They represent a people grop- ing after a higher national existence. Their experience abroad has taught them the back- wardness of their own country, and they realise that this retrogr. ssion is dus, almost entirely, to the rotte state of the administration under the Manchus. Their weakuess lies in a supreme confidence in their own unaided efforts. The
Chin-se cannot afford to dispense with for- eign aid. They cannot measure their olitical and industrial abilities by the success which has attended them in commercial enterprise in foreign lands. They have a long journey
the guidance of the foreigner; and we hope the Chong Shing Yit Pao will never allow its readers and subscribers to forget that fact,
nor
the Straits Chinese how much they are indebted to British authorities for the protec tion afforded them in this Colouy and the opportunity of carrying on in peace and safety the businesses which have brought them un- bounded prosperity.
SPORT AND SPECTATORS
Thit is
(Daily Press, 31st August.) The "barrick ng" and subsequent riotous damage at Lord's cricket ground last month has revivel a discussion the stuleness of which never seems to imply lack of interest. It always provokes heated debate. becaus cricket no longer means merely two parties contesting: the spectators now constitutes a third party which apparently claims as of right a deep concern in the arrangements. A correspondent writing to a London daily trusts that the incident may lead to the removal of the following abuses, which are becoming increasingly irritating to spectators at cricket matches.
to Peking from the various provinces for this fund must be deposited in the Bank at interest, and are not to be touched for any other purpose than what they are primarily intended for. Let the Ministry A Decree issued at concerne take note." the same time by the Dowager Empress has alrendy found publication in columns. The Nungkungsbangpu, equiva- a Board of Trade, with other lent to concerns in agriculture and pubiic works, Now of all others this was the one thing ad called the Imperial attention to the which an experienced government, by in- evilent prosperity of the Chinese in the stinct almost, knows must be put down at islands of the Suth Pacific;" these subjects once with a strong hand. It is the begin. of Her Majesty were waxing so rich that they nings of restlessness that require, in the had actually founded Chambers of Commerce interests of the governed, no less thau of Perhaps it would be worth while to send the governors, to be repressed. But for somebody down to observe their doings. much interested and want of experience this was not recognised Her Majesty was by the first governors of the new depen. pleased, and ordered the Vice-President of dency; and the respect, which should have the memorializing Board, who was doubtless hankering after a free trip, to go and tell been insisted on from the beginning, by a strict administration, was permitted to fizzle these people how much she appreciated away, and the picture of a speedy resignation them, and to assure them that she would dangled before John's eyes. The fact of the always be glad to welcome them. If any matter is that there is no material in the of them could and would bring to China Filipino for self government. At no period considerable sums of money for the purpose has the race been free to govern itself; but of starting important mercantile enterprises has always been subject to some outside for the encouragement of trade, they would power which has momentarily obtained be granted noble rank, and taken care of possession of the land. This has always, and protected. As the men to whom the been recognised by England, who was glad Commissioner carries that message already to see the United States, after a good deal enjoy British protection, under which they of hesitation, take on itself the respon- I have been enabled to amiss their riches, With quite the offer of the Empress.Dowager cannot be sibility of settled government. sufficient on our own shoulders there was very attractive.
Besides, it is an offer that never any disposition on the part of the has been often made before, and the eager- British Government or the British people ness of Peking to receive these pro ligals
too openly betraye1.public. to undertake a further responsibility; but has perhaps been there was a general feeling that the old Singapore, of course, embraces the majority state of disorder to which the islands were of the men in whom so much interest is chronically subject, was not conducive to taken, and if we may judge from the Straits the advantage of our large interests in the Times, there is very little likelihood of the Far East. When therefore the United invitation being accepted by too many of States stepped in, it was with no reserve of them. Auuuucing the publication of a new jealousy that we looked on approvingly at newspaper, an organ of the the islands being occupied by a kindred Party," our contemporary says: people, whom we could understand, and whose modes of thought were similar to our own. This may be a selfish way of looking at the question, but in national affairs an enlightened selfishness is, after all, the b.st security for success and good administration, and so we do not beat about the bush to
Reform
It is the organ of advanced Chinese thought, and will voice the aspirations of the Reform Party in China. It is part of the policy of this pirty, which may be regarded as representing true patriotism, to preserve China for the
Chinese.
In past times, this cry of national exclusiveness has meant extermination for all foreigners, bat we give the Reform Party credit
First, and generally, the players never come into the field at the appoint d time, and very frequently leave it before the half- hour, or hour, arrives.
11
Next, the obnoxious habit of having "trial
balls ou change of bowlers. Why should not the batsmen have a few "trial" balls?
£4
And lastly, the tea interval"
farce and the bad light absurdity.
All the time lost by these subterfuges irrita es-even exasperates-the cricketing
Others write, in the interests of Sport, strongly condemning the interference of the mob which, from under the shelter of its umbrellas, howls for the game to go on even in a downpour. It is evident that the question is one of gitemoney. People have come and paid to see a show, and the ques- tion is whether the two elevens have come to play cricket or to provide the show paid for. Ten years ago that brilliant journalist Mr. A. T. QUILL ER-COUCH presented the points for and against,
He said cricket had become a business was DOW leas concern, and that there thought of what was due to sport than