December 23, 1907.]
That extract goes further, perhaps, than the local critics would go. The Colonial credit is not in danger, as sooner than that would come additional taxation. The existing imposts in both colonies, however, already cause a severe strain upon the burden bearers, and an almost unbearable cling on the development of these Crown Colonies, and, of course, it is the inequitable and unbusinesslike military levy that is responsible for the mischief. A auther metropolitan press chatapion in the lists is the Broad Arrow of November 10 which expresses the opinion that justice is on the side of the southern Colony, which against its will is forced to pay a subsidy to the Imperial Government out of all proportion to its size and resources for the maintenance of Imperial responsibilities. It is quoted as saying these encouraging words:
So unconstitutional were the methods by which it was obtained, indeed, that victory in the long run is bound to rest with the Straits Settlemente. But it is slow in coming. In the meantime, out of the total contribution paid by
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE CHIENTAO.
It was
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393
against the Japanese, should not count in the formation of foreign opinion on the merits of the present dispute.
R FORM FROM BELOW.
(Daily Press, December 21st. WRITER in the Spectator (signing hint- self E. G. J. M.), who is evidently well acquainted with Chinese affairs, hits the exact point in reference to reforms in
which was made in that paper to the effect China. He takes exception to a statement
that nothing good would ever happen in the Provinces until something creditable is done at Peking, and after explaining at length the independent position of the Viceroys in the different Provinces, he comes to the conclusion that “ the regeneration of China, if it comes, will be accomplished by a series of local and provincial efforts and move- ments which may gradually be combined in
(Daily Press, December 20th.) The Japanese view of the Chientao boundary question is beginning to find ex- pression in the foreign newspapers. time, for the Chinese views had been well circulated, and it really began to look as if A even the few friends of Japan would have to conclude that on the Korean frontier she was taking a too domineering way with the Chinese Governinent. shown what a very ancient question is the We have already
original matter of dispute, and if China had been as consider te to the Koreans as she now claims Japan should be to her, it could hardly have endured so long. The Japan. ese are not merely rounding off their hold on the peninsula, but acting, it is admitted, by request of the Koreans themselves for the benefit of the Koreans. We do not for a moment suppose that the hundred thousand Koreans resident in the disputed area have been begging the Japanese to would be very unlikely; but it is not rescue them from Chinese rule. That
at all improbable that between absolute ownership by China and the nominal protectorate of Japan, they would favour even the hated Japanese in this contro- versy, I1 Koreans southward have not abandoned appears in any case that the
the claim now being pressed on their behalf by the Japanese, and that the Japanese did not enter lightly upon the duty, without investigating, in their thorough way, the eircumstances of the case. it been true to say that a Japanese force has At no time has
seized the Chienta district. under Lieut.
The force SAITO appears to consist of Korean police as well as a few Japanese gendarmes, and as we said s me time ago, their object was not to intimidate the Chinese officials there but to restore order to what had become, particularly since the war, a very lawless district. It was China We can, of course, excuse its app reu ly au
who first gave the place the appearance of selfish desire for local relief first and foresemblance of a crisis, by sending to the armed camp, and the situation the most; that is its obvious duty; but it is support of its official there a thousand not easy to see how support from Hongkong soldiers, a number unusually large for such could weaken its cause. cluding passage :
the Colonies towards Imperial Defence, they pay by far the most, Australia alone excepted. They are more than willing to maintain local defence up to the standard of efficiency, bul they naturally object to bear Imperial re- sponsibilities on a sesle which is not consistent with their moral or physical conditions. After all, Singapore in particular is merely an entre pot for trade. Strategically and commercial. ly it is of enormous importance, but it is not a colony in the true sense of the term any more than Malta or Gibraltar. Unfortunately, our system of Imperial defence is so chaotic that anomalies of the kind complained of by the Straits Settlements are bound to exist, and will continue to extist nutil we adopt sound principles by which each part of the Empire plays a recognised part in defence in accord ance with equity and Imperial safety.
Our contemporary at Singapore very properly hopes that so much advance will not be wasted for lack of further effort, and for some reason or other it appears to be shy of Hongkong's co-operation.
Here is its con-
We hope the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council will not lose the advantage they have obtained by the resuscitation of this gitation against an iniquitous exaction, but that they will carry the agitation to the Colonial Office by the strongest means possible, and that they will use every legitimate means in their power, to the extent of having the subject raised in Parliament, if need be, in order to secure a reasonable readjustment of the Colony's burden. Although there may be opportunities of co- operating with Hongkong, we hope the Un-
an
outpost. Japan protested that this was too much like a threat in connection with a question then undergoing peaceful diplomatic discussion, but it is now offi- cially denied that a demand was made for the withdrawal of the troops. Knowing the manners of a Chinese official so far from central control, in such a situation, it is not a hard thing to believe, as is alleged, that the Chinese officials on the spot have sought to carry matters with a high hand; and in confirmation of the allegation, there are the have already been reportel in our columns Chinese proclamations to the residents which
The Japanese have been advising an in. dependent survey of the dispute | boundary; the Chinese have maintained that their case is proved in ancient documents, al- If Singapore has any chance of success though it is well known that there is at in that direction, Hongkong should cer- least a reasonable doubt as to which of the tainly not be left out in the cold Our two rivers is meant to be named therein. case is as hard as theirs, and we have It is obvious that the Chinese demand for no doubt that our representative members will keep their eyes open for every likely opportunity of striking a blow in our in- terests. Really, the two grievances seem to hang together, and should stand or fall together.
officials will guard against combined action if it is likely to endanger this Colony's success. The Colony in itself has a strong case for revision of the basis of the contribution, and for its own righteous cause it ought to make a strenuous and determined fight.
H.E. Chang Jen-chun, Viceroy of the Liang. kuang provinces, has dispatched a telegram to Lord Li Ching-fang, Chinese Minister in London, requesting him to ask the British Government to withdraw the gnabosts on the West River, in order to avoid any disturbance on the part of the natives of Kuangtang.
general advance, forcing by direct or indirect pressure the hands of the Central accomplishment of its n'ms, if it should Government, or perhaps facilitating the
ever he inspired by a genuine spirit of reform.” It would perhaps be difficult to describe more accurately the process which is actually going on in China than in the goo ground for bopefulness but for the words above quoted, and they would afford
prudent, if somewhat discouraging, qualis. cation in the last few words: if it (the Cou- tral Government) should ever be inspired by a genuine spirit of reform." There is unfortunately a great deal too much in that IF to take it possible for the mʊst sanguine to feel absolute confidence in the possibility of general reform in Chion by aid of the Central Government, who it is too much to be feured will never be penetrated by a. genuine desire for reform.
It is only great pressure, we may be quite certain, that will over move them in this direction; and the chief danger that has to be faced in that the conservative instincts at the Capital may terms with the changes in China as it prevent the Central Government making
exists in the present day as compared with the China with its old world ways and traditions with which alone they are familiar. The independence of the Provincial and local authorities has always been the great difficulty with which they have had to
contend. As the writer under notice ob-
serves, in large as well as small matters
the Provincial administrations exercise & very free band. It is notorious that edicts from the Imperial (overument are con tantly evaded and often completely ignored by
Provincial
magnates and the Central Government has been willing to shut its eyes to derelictions of this character so long as
something like order has been maintained. At the same time they have not been insensible to the slight thus shown to their authority, and would gladly, if possible, put an end to so un-atisfactory a state of affairs. The more reactionary among the Central officials have never hesitated, in China aS elsewhere, to look for a remedy in increased assertion of authority, and have hoped that would succeed by exerting more pressure than they have used hitherto, in strength- ening themselves against this standing opposition. Circumstances of late years have in some respects been in their favour. The introduction of railways and téle graphs has' brought the Provincial authorities much more under the central control, and so far modern improvements have worked in their Of this the Peking authorities are by no means insensible; and it is not surprising that many may have hoped that the old difficulty might be much modified, if not completely got over, by the altered
Lieut. SAITO's retirement was bluff, and that whether too peremptorily refused or not, it should never have been made while the matter was still sub judice. The fact that there has been no further development since the rumour of reference to the Hague was contradicted, seems to indicate that there is still hope of peaceable settlement. Our recent telegrams from Tokyo indicate Japan's faith in the Korean
case, and favour. Teking is probably merely engaged in the operation of "saving_face." The rabid comments of the chauvinistic Chinese papers, as bitter against all foreigners as