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THE CHINA ASSOCIATION OR
THE COUNTRY CLUB?
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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out that at. i
(January 11, 1908.
DR. VORRISON'S SPEECH.
(Daily Press, January 7th).
The after-dinner speech of Dr. MORRISON to the China Association in London has made a sensation since, if it did not palpably do so at the time. Perhaps if the famous correspondent had been addressing the members of a branch, rather than the members of the central Association, he might not have been given so patient a hearing. There is no doubt that cold-drawn extract of tu quoque in the Morrisonian manner is not palatible, and we have usually been at a lo-s for a subject before we have, on rare occasions, adopted that line of argument. It is, of course, an easy ono to take, and seems more telling than it It is perhaps would be under analysis. certainly difficult to answer, and that is doubtless why no speaker ventured to follow Dr. MORRISON's ironic outburst with any sort of a rejoinder. From the point of view of the Association, we ourselves considered it best left unanswered, but others have not thought the same. One writer on Chinese topics has attacked Dr. MORRISON's position with considerable energy,
He writes:
stage be Shanghai, the Customs, or the China Association itself. Even kings and mayors have their human littlenesses, their petty dislikes, and to be concerned with affairs
does not of imperial moment (Daily Press, 6th January.)
necessarily make a man immune from the The Shanghai branch of the China emotions and behaviour following natural Association has in the last two or three antipathies. Sir ROBERT BREDOX happens months been variously criticised for the
to be one of those superior men who present telegram that inspire Mr. R. S. GUNDRY's sharp elbows to their environing fellows. famous letter to the Foreign Office. One or Like the Irishman at Donnybrook who had two Home papers, judging prima facie, have only to see a head to aim a blow at it, Sir suggested that the letter did not harmonize ROBERT BREDON has only to see what he with English notions of fair-play, and its considers a fault to denounce it. Without publication was scarcely in accordance with considering the susceptibilities of others, he the customary amenities of public life. points out error almost as if he relishes the Papers in North China have gone even job. The type is not uncommon. We have further, and have made statements at which often met it, and alwars we have noticed
It may others scarcely dared even to hint.
how it has missed much that more genial be remembered that about the end of characters receive. It is at least not October we reproduced from the orth selfishly calculating. In its blind devotion China Daily News some comments which to acc iricy and correctitude, it sacrifices all included the remark that the step taken by the popularity that a little more suivity the China Association had a harsh ring would easily secure. At the meetings of about it," and the not very ingenuous words, the Country Club at Shanghai, Sir ROBERT "It will be noted that the China Association | BREDON was ever a caustic critic. He has has not put forward any candidate of its lifte up his voice also at the Shanghai Own. Any reader who has carefully Club, when the time came to heckle the followed all our references to the subject of committee; and not infrequently at com- "In regard to a large number of national the Inspector-Generalship, ever since Sirpany meetings he has given the directors shortcomings, the comparison is not one of ROBERT HART's retirement began to be
a bad quarter of an hour. Is that not principle but of degree. There are certain talked about, and that is a long while ago, sufficient to explain som part of the national faults which will be found in ex- will know that on more than one occasion Shanghai Lostility to his appointment?istence more or less everywhere and with we have hinted very plainly that there were It seems to นง unnecessary to point regard to them, the question is not whether and have been all along, rival candidates for
meeting of the Shang- a given nation is entirely free from them the position, and it would be too stupid to hai branch of the China Association while another shows that it is subject to suppose that the claims of one have never
there would be members of the Country them, but the extent and often even the
Verb. sap. inspired objections to the claim of another. Club, and one or two directo 8.
manner in which they are found in the one We do not suggest that the China Associa- That cantankerousness of his, however, does or the other. To say that it is of no great tion bas a candidate for whese appointment not n cessarily make him a bad Deputy consequence that there is corruption among it is unanimous. We happen to know that Inspector-General of Customs, and so the Chinese officials because there are many the Shanghai branch was not ere" 1111-
China Association will have to produce some European nations among whom the sama animous in sending the much criticised grounds for their protest. All we can find shortcoming is to be found is but a poor telegrar. The Hongkong branch is not so in Mr. GUNDRY's letter is a mere sugges excuse for the universil venality, which the keen on the business as the Shanghai tion that Sir ROBERT 3REDON dos not Chinese themselves so much complain of. branch, for the simple reason that it is not enjoy the confidence and esteem of the It would be an answer if it were shown that familiar with all the issues involved, the sub foreign Legatious and of the members of the corruption in question was not much rosa issues as well as the obvious imperial the service itself. It is extremely im- more extensive than that which is to be issues; and it follows the Shanghai branch, probable that anything like a plebiscite can found in most other coun'ries, or in any when it does follow, from loyalty to the have been taken as to that, and in the which can claim to be reasonably well
In the same general aim of the whole Association. If absence of such information, Mr. GUNDRY governed.
way to point Mr. J. O. P. BLAND is ambitious to succeed
we Dee l was led into making a very sweeping out that
not complain of Sir ROBERT HART, or Mr. JAMIESON, or Mr. suggestion. He himself admitted in the the faultiness of the Chinese judicial AGLEN, Mr. HIPPISLEY, or Mr. BRAZIER, famous letter that no one was likely to system including the convenient method the Hongkong members are not so seriously command the unanimous assent of the mauy of eliciting evidence by torture, because agitated about these candidates as their diverse interests concerned." The Customs occasionally there are serious miscarriages Shangbai colleagues may be. They might staff is a cosmopolitan one; the China of justice in thoroughly civilised countries, be caught more by the glamour of the naine Association is British in its aims: can it be is after all perhaps clever badinage, but of Lord CURZON of Kedleston, which has that Sir ROBERT BREDON's administration certainly not serious argument. The best actually been whispered in this connection. would not be regarded as sufficiently of human laws are liable at times to prove In the meantime we do not care to be more British ? It is not unlikely, but then the defective, but this forms no excuse for the explicit; all we desire is that our readers same criticism has been launched against continued use in the present day of torture should not be misled into supposing that Sir ROBERT HART, and with equal reason, or a resort to barbarous punishments, which there is no competition for the position, or notwithstanding that Mr. GUNDRY makes many of the most enlightened Chinese that the opposition to "the natural successor such a handsome admission of Sir ROBERT Statesmen still hold to be necessary for the to Sir ROBERT HART" (the N.-C. Daily HART's commanding personality. On the maintenance of order.' News' phrase) is wholly based on a unanim-vexed question of how far the Inspector- General should be pro-British and anti- Chinese it profits not at present to dwell. As a newspaper in a cosmopolitan com- munity, though in a British Colony, our sympathies are inevitably more divided than those of the China Association. Taking the point of view of that Association, how ever, we cannot help agreeing with numerous matter of course, the acting chief of the other critics, both public nud private, that Imperial Maritime Customs. The Sha ghai' the I t er of Mr. GUNDET, and still more branch of the China Association bas already protested, or induced Mr. GUNDRY to pro- test, against his permauent appointment This gives us the right to speculate as to the causes of that gentleman's obvious unpopu- larity in certain quarters. We are not so much shocked as some of our contemporaries have been at the attacks made upon him for we know that human nature is very much alike behind the scenes, whether the
ous belief that Sir ROBERT BREDON 18 nut qualified to succeed. We may have to go into the question of this competition later, but as Sir ROBERT HART has no imusediste intention of resigning, the question does not at present really arise. It is almost certain that he will go on leave this Spring, and Sir ROBERT BREDON will become, an a
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The writer goes on to argue that the real matter for comparison is not one of con- duct but of standards, a point we have It is almost equally dealt with before. liable to the tu quoque, when any race is under criticism. He regrets that so good an authority as Dr. MORRISON should have resorted to such an ad captandum line of argument, and confesses that "it is some- what trying to a Britisher's patience to be told in almost so many words that his the Shanghai telegram, 9.5 indiscreetly country is nearly as corrupt as China be- published by the Standard, was a tact cu cause during the rush and push of a war, error, edenlated to alarm the Chinese some unscrupulous men took the opportu Government, and to make it more stubborunity to lia their poket at the expense of "We,' he said, 'who than ever in ius sting upon its right of the commissariat. selecting a man upon whose loyalty to its knew how bigh were the alministrative salt it can depend, as i has been able to ideals both in this country and in America, depend upon Sir 'OBERT HART, who, by who remembered how unscathe! we emerged the way, has been a sore disappointment to from those amazing enquiries into the ex- the China Association on many occasions. penditure in connection with some of our