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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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[February 3, 1.908,
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the Waiwupu become known, than a series | spirit of hostility to things foreign which is it may be necessary to over-state it, but, making of agitations, which may have been more or less being displayed in so many quarters
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dus allowance for this, I think it is rather in earnest, were set going in these provine s, and ascribd to several causes-amongst them the * pity that in endeavouring to secure more we have had an unwelcome display of hostility remembrance of many incidents of the dealings generous treatment for China he should have to the foreigner and all his work, and of insub- | of foreign powers in China, vi-xed in the light opened himself to the accusation of displa ying ordination to the Central Government, which of the growing feeling of nationality-
--to the scepticism of an even more deplorable kind has been maintained in spite of proclamationsresults of the system of education abroad of than that of which he complained-want of and edicta denouncing and condemning it. The the bulk of Chines students, which appears faith in the ideals which inspire Western representations made by the Society against generally to have tended less to impart practical' thought and Western activities in these regions. the establishment of Opium monopolies on knowledge such as would now be of great value; For this reason I listened to his s eech" with account of the Chinese Government have thus to the entry in the development of its; something like dismay, and for th P reason I far been so successful that nothing more has in-instries and public works than to promote wish you had dealt with som› of ishose points been heard about them. The Gorernment study and speculation, a course whiel. p'aces which, as Mr. Gaudry said at the time, are appears to be quite desirous of carrying out the the student out of touch with his surround liable to misconception. For instance, it might suppression of Opium smoking, with varying ings, and leads to such res dits as still wa sex in hav been well to point out that the failures results, according to the assistance it has from India as well as China, an ill considered striving and the shortcomings among ourselves the local authorities. The end in Fiew after forigu ways, and an impatience in snb. which Dr. Morrison draw attention, are deplored may be best attained fr ngh the rent mt ing to them. There must als be taken and condemned by home public opinion equally agreement between the British and (hinese into account the strong provincial spirit with similar failure elsewhere. The point to Governments, which provides for a parallel which is showing itself so hostile in many plates make is that there is no sign of such condem. reduction in the growth of the poppy in Chios, to the Central Government, notably in conoce. nation in Chin. The standards are low, and the importation of the drug from China. (ion with the West River affairs, to which I ideality is lacking, ignorance prevails. The Very serious interests being at stake it is im have already alluded, also with the Chiang propaganda of the West seeks to remedy these perative that the fulfilment of the former, the Railway Concession, which led to the recent evils, fully aware that perfection does not more difficult of these obligations, should be abortive attempt to boycott the Hongkong reign in Europe, but not therefore in hypocrisy, carefully watched, information as to which and Shanghai Bink Shanghai, and As might be supposed by any unintelligent should always be obtainable from official and with mining and railway Concessions Chinese reading parts of Dr. Morrison's speech, missionary sources, and the importation re. elsewhere. The worth of all this, for grol and not realising how much of it was spoken gulated accordingly The gradual extinction or evil, we cannot easily estimate, but one of its
in just.
I wish you had tried to make that of the Opium trade, even at the cost of it to aims would appear to be to create difficulties clear. Dr. Morrison cannot complain if even Indis, will be in satisfaction of a large body of between the Imperial Government and foreign his occasional speeches should be taken thos public opinion; it will remove a cause of myy porere, als htren e Imperial and Provin
Finely
When he speaks the world l'sten". misrepresentations; but here will remain the rial Authorii“. The morem ut is ineeling The great position that he has won for him- question how far the suppression of que so called with strong condemnation in Imperial edic's, - self carries with it that perhaps rather heavy evil will make room for others. The important and it would be a good thing if the Guvern. · penalty. What be said WAS well enough question of the successor to the present Inspector me t should succeed in limiting tho e mani. snited to the occasion if it had begun and General of Customs has been dealt with by the festations to reasonable criticism and opposi ended there, but it was the apprehension that Shanghai and London Committees, who have tion. Were the Chinese more fully advised what he said would be reproduced in the native had our support. In its present open position it they would appreciate how largely British
newspapers
ali over Chins which created does not appear desirable that it should be capital and enterprise have been instrumental doubía in more minds than one as to its wis- further discussed. I need not have referred to in promoting the internal development of 1000 Dr Morrison spoke approvingly of the it but that an imputation of unworthy motive on other States the world over, they would welcome politicsi knowledge and insight of the editors the part of the Shanghai Committee has instead of opposing their employment; it would of these newspapers; it is to be hoped that been recently made in ous of our newspapers,
be to their own ultimate advantage and that their honesty of purpose will have led them to and repeated in a more objectionable way this truth may become more evident to them is yesterday. I am sure it is not necessary for me one of the best hopes we can este tsin for the to state that that Committee, in fulfilment of country. I have now only to more that the report what they felt to be a most unpleasant duty, and accounts be adopted. would certainly subordinate considerations of person to that of qualification for this import. ant appointment. The correspondence publish about the Tien'sio Post Offica illustrates the loss that is being inflicted on this colony by the recent decision of the Postal Con- vention in Rome. It falls heavily on Us At A time of present and prospective financial impairment, and it may lead to a revision of the facilities now afforded by our p st
office through its brarches at other Treaty Ports than Tientsin. The Imperial Government in making this concession to the importunity of an enthusiast, has taken little account of the loss it would inflict on, at any raf, one of the Crown Colonies, and we might reasonably expect that our annual loss, whatever it may be, shen'd be allowed as a set off against the military contribution which is snch an burden
fiances.
hare marked that the past year was an unevenl- ful one for us, but we are so intimately bound up with China that we must naturally follow, with grea' and sympathetic interest, the- strivings of its Governmeut an people to find their plac in the midst of tim stardily creasing pressure from the world outside them, and this we may do without indulging in such comparisons between Chinese and foreign doings and methods as wre made at a recent social meeting of the Association. What may really be taking place within the walls of the Forbidden City can be known but to few, but enough transpires to indicate that the impelling forces of progress and reaction are doing their work there as much as everywhere else. Much has been heard, during the year. about Constitutional Government and repre. sentative institutions, constructed more or less on alien, that is Western systems; when one would, perhaps rather have learnt that the powers that be in China were deriving inspira. tion from their own past for the lines on which to reorganise the Government of the country, for there was undoubtedly a period during which China reached a high scale of civilization and prosperity, and that was under what appears to have been an essentially democratic form of government. One phase of the new morement can hardly commend itself to us, and that is the weight to obliterate it. In order to state a case
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sist the temptation to use some of the wes. Ipons which be put into their hands
particular I thought it unfortunate that he should bare Remed to encourage the cry of Mr. MURRAY STEWARI. - I imagine that, “. bina for the Chinese.*
Used in a general ordinary members who have read the augual
way the aspiration commands sympathy, but report will have noticed, with approval, the there is no injusties in withholding sympathy restraint which has characterised the utterances when the cry is interpreted, in his own words, of the Committee during the past year.
Io to meso- Chins to build her own railways, many ways it has been a memorable year. The to develop her own mines, to take an interest stir created all over the East as a result of the in the management of her own Customs," la e war, the rapid expansion of new political Chinx bas neither the men Dor the forces in tha under-world upon whose thin means to build her own railways, to develop crust the West maintains a precarions fo i her owu mines, to administer her own Customs. hold- unrest in Egypt, sedition in India
To encourage her to try is to ensure delay, to everywhere the bam of mighty workings" arrest development, to impair her credit, these things hara marked the period and mid it, Increased facilities for communication is China's ominently a time for re-adjusting ather than gre test economic need, It is also one of for pr claiming views. That you, at any rate, her gre.test political needs. The sooner believed this is clear from the absence in the railways are built the more rapidly will her published correspodence of communication po cer be consolidated. The development of dealing with the general aspect of affairs. her mineral wealth would provide her with Evidently it appeared to you that for as long (the
a perplexity held the accredited authorities China discreetl. dumb there Was Do red for expressions of opinion од the part of the representatives of the British mer Cofile commu ity. But silence has lately been broken in a manner somewhat startling to those who are accustomed to follow closely Far Eastern affairs. Two of the recognised leaders of opinion, one in England and one in America, have made each a big effort to change the cur- rent of thought. I need bardly say that I allude to Arthur Smith a new book and to Dr. Morrison's recent speech. jo sme
it may Recm that the time for a luding to the latter has gone by. I cannot share that
It was no light after-dioner pleasantry, It was a deliberate blow struck at the old order of ideas, out of whic, in Dr. Morrison's op nion, the situation Las grown I happened to be present when it was delivered and partic pated in the sensation which it crested at the moment It was instantly recognised as a challenge to these who are inclined to reiv with caution the news that the Great Wall of China's pre- jadices has fallen down As'. A circumspect attitude
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naturally not uncommon at home among old Cains bands who have perhaps heard news of the sort b-fore, bat it struck Dr. Morrison as scepticism, and he did the best with all the fores of bis wit and
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шевся of paying for administrative and
These other reforms.
are self evident truths, even to the Chinese. What is bidden from them is that any necessity exists for expedition in these matters.
little more than A year ago I went up the line, which had been started from Canton with the idea of sɔme day reaching Hankow. As far 84 1 CAD learn here. ab at four miles bare ba laid since then. At this rate of progress it will take two hundred years to reach Hankow. The plain fact is that China is not in a position to undertake railway enterprises of say magni. tule and to push them forward quickly, and cinnot at all develop her own mines without foreign assis1800' This opinion does not imply any assumption of superiority. In these matters we are merely ahead, that is all, con'd help, we could save time.. For that reason I welcomed your conelading 19- marks, and I hope, no u atter how faint- Iy, that they may have some effect. The effect which we should all wish them to
We
have is that they may amist in those develop- mets of the si1aati n in South China which conspir- with time and the good hours to per. suade those responsible for the construction of the Canton and Hankow Bailway that far and away the best thing that they can do is to band over the work to a British contesolor and to allow him to build it as it ould be built within the next twelve years. The Chinese ought to
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