48
contrary to reason in men's dying by scores from heat in New York, while in the valley of the Yangtsze they are complaining of cold, than in finding that similar opposite con di- tions prevail in northern China within practically a few miles of one another. The moral of the tale is: That as yet we have only just arrived on the threshold of meteor- ology as a science; but that by no means proves that with a further extension of our knowledge we may not be able from year to year to make annual forecasts of the weather to be expected in any region, and may be enabled thus to make in ample time our financial arrangements as as to secure the minimum loss in each case.
THE LATE LORD RIPON AND HONGKONG POLITICS.
(Daily Press, July 13th.) Men of all shades of politics in Great Britain will regret the passing away of the MARQUIS OF RIFON, and that regret will be shared to a large extent in the Colonies, for the late statesman's fifty-six years of public service included a term as Secretary of State for the Colonies. Lord RIPON, who has been described by the present Prime Minis ter 88
"the last of the Old Guard" of Liberalism, only retired from public life about eight months ago. Born at No. 10, -Downing Street, it may be said of him that he was consecrated from his birth to public affairs, and when he bade farewell to his political friends last November at a luncheon at the Eighty Club, be pathetically remarked that it had been his consistent ambition to die in Downing Street. But at the age of eighty-one, he had to relinquish that hope, being as he then said, " too feeble to turn the present occupant out." When he first entered Parliament he was looked upon as "a very dangerous young man and he retained something of that reputa- tion down to quite a late stage in his career. It is not, however, our purpose to attempt anything like a sketch of the deceased statesman's life, but there are one or two chapters in his lordehip's life bearing upon the politics of the East which it is not uninteresting to recall. For four years bis lordship was Viceroy of India. He had been the Grand Master of the
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE BRITISH BUDGET.
(Daily Press, 14th July.) Nothing could be more indicative of the change which has of late years taken place in Parliamentary representation at home than the incidents which occurred in connection with the passage of Mr. LLOYD GEORGE'S Budget.
[July 19, 1909. for the Colonies that the introduction | Council, should in future include-two of the Unofficial element into the Executive Unofficial members to be selected at the Council was allowed, he was the first discretion of the Governor. This suggestion Secretary to countenance the idea, and also was in due course given effect. Lord his lordship's frank statement in an official RIPON's hope to see a Municipal Council dispatch that he should like to see a Muni. established in Hongkong has not been cipal Council established in Hongkong, has fulfilled, and since the Government dealt perhaps, served more than anything else to with the Report of the Sanitary Commis- keep that aspiration alive in the community sion it may be said that the possibility during the last quarter of a century. It suggested by Lord RIPON of the Sanitary was during Lord RIPON's term of office, and Board being developed into a satisfactory during the Governorship of Sir WILLIAM Municipal Council is more remote than ROBINSON, that an influentially signed peti-ever it was. tion was sent Home claiming for the inhabitants an effective voice in the manage ment of the Colony's affairs. The petition asked for Unofficial seats in the Executivė Council, the free election of Representatives of British nationality in the Legislative Council; a Majority in the Council of such elected Representatives; perfect freedom of debate for Official Members, with power to vote according to their conscientious convic tions, without being called to account of endangered in their positions by their votes, complete control in the Council over local expenditure; the management of local affairs, and a consultative voice in questions of an Imperial character. opinion that the place and its circum Being of stances government
were wholly unsuited for self LORD RIPON was opposed to adding to elective system, the number of Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council without at the same time increasing also the number of Official Members, " for in a Crown Colony there must be a very distinct preponderance on the Official side." It was in this dispatch that LORD RIPON laid down that the paid servants of the Government cannot be left free to oppose the Government. "It is a fact not peculiar to the Crown Colony that the paid supporters or components of a system; it is the essence of administration government should either vote for, and when necessary speak for, the settled policy of the Government, or else resign their place. His lordship, however, said he could well realise that the addition of a gentleman of high standing and large local experience
the a gain to Council, and he was prepared to
would be
tion
and the
majority and the use of the closure, taxes By force of party avowedly of a class description and directly aimed against capital in almost every form were passed by a large majority. No sooner, however, was this announced than a protest bankers appeared in the papers, to be signed by several of the most influential
followed later by a similar protest from a almost equal authority. The ground upon large number of other financial magnates of
which they made this declaration was their conviction that the drastic measures of taxation which the Budget introduced would be prejudicial to capital and in fact would have the effect of sending it out of the
nited Kingdom for investment. gravity of this will be at once felt by all who are connected with trade, commerce, or finance; and the names of those who have come forward to protest are a sufficient foundation. guarantee that the apprehension has a solid
The
What is at once made clear on the surface
is the serious fact that in a nation absolutely dependent upon commerce, the most im- portant commercial interests can be com- pletely ignored by Imperial Parliament. in other words, it is manifest that the nation
ая Executive
Banci
Freemasons of England, a post which recommended it after further considering the proposal if the Governor still he resigned in 1874, and the surprise of the points he proceeded to specify. But the Grand Lodge was heightened to dismay by matter was left to be finally settled by the the circumstance that he did so without Rt. Hon. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN who became assigning any reason for the step. It soon Secretary of State for the Colonies on the transpired, however, that his lordship had failure of the Liberal Party to secure a new joined the Roman Catholic Church, which, lease of power. Mr. CHAMBERLAIN settled as is well known, has condemned Free the question of additions to the Legislative masonry and all other oath-bound societies. Council hy suggesting that the Officer His reception into the Roman Catholic Commanding the Troops should be Church gave rise to much comment in the member of the Council, having regard to the public journals both in the United Kingdom fact that, in the absence of the Governor, and on the Continent. Six years later when the General would administer the Govern Mr. GLADSTONE nominated the MARQUIS of RIPON as Viceroy of India there was a great member could be added. Who the latter ment; and in that event one unofficial outery in England against the appointment should be, and what special interest, if any, of a Roman Catholic to that important he should represent Mr. CHAMBERLAIN left position, a large meeting being held in it to the Governor to determine, but he Exeter Hall to protest against it. LORD observed that "the Chinese community is RIPON, however, was duly installed, and the element which is least represented, remained in India about three years. His while it is also far the most numerous," and lordship excited much diversity of opinion he would "regard as valuable any step by his policy, which was directed towards which tended to attach them more closely extending the rights of natives of India, to the British connection and to increase and, in certain directions, towards limiting their practical interest in public affairs. the privileges of Europeans, and it has been said of him that there never was a Viceroy As regards the introduction of an unofficial That suggestion was in due course adopted, so unpopular among Anglo-Indians or so popular among natives.
element into the Executive Council, Mr CHAMBERLAIN taking into consideration the fact that there was no Municipal Council Colonial Government is discharging Muni- in Hongkong, and recognising that the cipal duties, proposed that the Executive
But it is LORD RIPON's influence on the Government of Hongkong that we especially desire to recall. If it was not during his régime as Secretary of State
a whole is no longer represented by Parliament in what has been traditionally ation, namely, the levy and expenditure of considered as its chief ground for represent- the public moneys. Taxation has always been held to give the right to a proper hearing and to due representation. But in the present instance albeit under all the has been practically waived aside. As long forms of legality this fundamental principle as a good round sum could be got out of the monied classes by force of the votes of those representing the unmonied classes, it mattered not that the former should be injured or the nation at large crippled at the very source of its prosperity. The ultimate result of such a financial policy was of no consideration to the extreme
Lileral and Socialistic members who went to make up the majority by whom the Bud- get was passed. Nor were such considerations of much more weight with the Government its if who were willing at any price to conciliate all who would support them by
their votes.
What effectively has been done is to introduce a budget which taxes people to the utmost limits simply and avowedly because they are rich-a policy which is the very reverse of all sound finance. It is no doubt right that people should contribute to expenses of the State in accordance with their means, but this auould be in such a their incomes and not be a heavy mulet way that the tax should come fairly out of upon their capital which may beemployed for