August 30, 1909.]
dollars are entitled to vote. Until educa- tion has become more general in the Empire the provision to exclude the proletariat from participating in the dury of selecting representatives for provincial and imperial parliaments seems perfectly justified. No doubt the present franchise could be advan. tageously broadened, but a beginning must be made somewhere, and if those who now exercise the franchise for the first time in the history of the empire show that they appreciate the privilege, and the members selected acquit themselves in a worthy manner, there can be little doubt that the scope of the experiment will be enlarged, and the advent of the Imperial Parliament will be hailed with confidence, as likely to establish the better relations between the Throne and the people so greatly to be -desired.
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PARLIAMENT AND HONGKONG'S LOST OPIUM REVENUE.
+1
177
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE:REPORT. ask Parliament for a substantial contri bution
In commenting on the construction and towards the loss of revenue which management of the railways in China, at the Colony will suffer by carrying out the least those hitherto constructed, we have had decree of the Imperial Government we have to remark that, without exception, their most all along insisted is a rotten reed for this conspicuous feature is the persistence with Colony to lean upon. It is pot a definite which the possible development of goods promise of a contribution: but a mere traffic has been ignored, or perhaps studi- promise to ask Parliament for one. If there ously avoided. For the first time the is anything in this opium business for Board of Posts and Communications, in an which the community blames the Colonial official notification to the China Merchants Government it is that it has not obtained Steam Navigation Co, has ventured to touch from the Imperial Government a clear and on the hitherto tabooed topic. On several definite promise of a satisfactory contribu. occasions we have pointed out that although tion towards the Colony's loss of revenue. the Northern Railways in Chili actually run Mr. BENNETT, no doubt, in protesting alongside their own wharf at Tongku in full against a contribution from the imperial railway communication with Tientsin, not a exchequer speaks for the whole crowd of ton of cargo has ever been sent by train up fanatical supporters of the Government's to the port. More recently we pointed out anti-opium policy, and we can quite that although the lately opened Kiangsu imagine, and have indeed already pre- Railway, intended specially to conneet dicted that the appeal to resist the important trading cities of Shanghai, "the application of the money of the Hangchow, and Ningpo, not to speak British taxpayer
to the relief of the of Shaoshing, but a few miles off the Colony of Hongkong will not be made in direct track, comes into the southern suburbs vain to the Labour Party, or to other sec- of Shanghai, within half a mile of the busy ions in the House. Let us hope that the Namteo line of wharves, no attempt had Cabinet Ministers, at least, clearly under- been made to connect the railway with the stand that failure to provide a large part of wharfage, though the space was as yet the direct loss of revenue which the Colony practically unoccupied, though being rapid- will sustain is a matter of more than locally covered with buildings. These Namteo concern. Apart from this loss, as the wharves communicate directly with the community is well aware, there will be a very great foreign wharves of Shanghai, the heavy deficit in the Budget, which has water frontage of the whole being over nine to be met by increased taxation. If the miles in a direct line, all capable of being Colony is also compelled by the action of a linked up with the present railway at no. misguided majority in Parliament to bear greater expense than the laying of the rails, the full loss involved in carrying out the there being at present no foreshore rights to anti-opium policy to which the Home be bought up. X Government, in complete ignorance of local circumstances, hastily committed itself, it means taxation to an extent which will be fatal to the continued prosperity of the Colony, and the matter, therefore, becomes at опсе a question of not merely local but imperial concern. We suggest that the Colonial Govern- ment should take note of the appeal made by Mr. BENNETT in the House of Commons, and we hope it may be made an excuse for a dispatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies setting forth in clear and convincing terms the disastrous con- sequences to the Colony of any failure on the part of the Imperial Government to bear a substantial part of the loss which this Colony is made to suffer.
(Daily Press, August 27.) Wereproduce in another column to-day the report of a discussion on the opium ques- tion as it affects Hongkong and the Straits Settlements, which took place in the House of Commons on the 27th ult.
It is very illuminating in many ways, and we commend it to the attention of our readers generally and the Government in particular. In commenting on it we need say little re- garding the gross misrepresentation of Sir FREDERICK LUGARD's action on the ques- tion contained in the speech of Mr. BENNETT, whom we take to be the Liberal member for the Woodstock division of
This Kiangsu line, contributed by the Oxfordshire. Such ignorance of the whole
Chinese themselves, apparently as a piece question as the speech of the hon. member
of bravado, though a vast deal of capital exhibits absolutely disqualifies him to speak
has been wasted or misappropriated in the in the House of Commons on the subject.
making (its returned cost amounting to No one-whether anti-opiumist or not
over £7,000 sterling per mile), is a really who is familiar with the history of the ques-
practical piece of work, though to complete tion, so far as it affects Hongkong, needs the
it would need half as much more. It has assurance that His EXCELLENCY THE
recently been extended to Hangobow: GOVERNOR has done nothing in the
Curiously enough, with their usual forget- matter that is inconsistent with his duty
fulness of terminals and connections, the as a servant of the Imperial Government.
extension does not join the first part opened, Because he has explained, as he was in
so that a journey of some distance has to be duty bound to do, the financial embarrass.
undertaken between the two terminals by ment to the Colony which inevitably results
chair or by water. The same forgetfulness from the precipitate resolution of the Home
is shown with regard to the Shanghai ter Government, and because he has given the
minus, where, although the buildings are Government in a statesmanlike memorandum
substantial and exhibit skill in planning, the benefit of his own views on the subject
the whole is dropped down anyhow in a as the result of careful study on the spot, he is represented by Mr. BENNETT as
swamp; and no practical provision made for approach or departure, as if it were, in thwarting and resisting the efforts of the
the opinion of the railway director, a matter Imperial Government, and as deserving of
(Daily Press, August 28th)
of not the slightest interest to the passenger some very sharp treatment." Whatever
A curious yet instructive instance of the how he was to catch or leave his train. Sir FREDERICK LUGARD'S personal view opposing influences at work in China at the Chinese railways in native view are things may be with regard to the closing of the present time is afforded in two notices from that begin nowhere, and end equally no- opium divans, his loyalty to the Government the new Board of Posts and Communica- where; and this view is by no means admits of no question whatever, It is tions, which appear side by side in the accidental, but pervades the Empire from surprising, therefore, to observe that in his
Shanghai Times" of August 18th. The north to south. Now, apparently, a glim- reply the UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR
Editor of the "Shanghai Times" is well-mering of this condition of the case has THE COLONIES entirely omits to include any known as possessing the confidence of the vindication of the Governors so wantonly Chinese Government, which he contrives to and wrongfully attacked by a ready-made preserve without losing his independence, so critic who obviously had not taken the that his views and reports on Chinese affairs trouble to inform himself of the facts.
are always founded on first-hand information, What chiefly interests us in the speech, These notices are suggestively opposite in however, are these words: "Sir F. LUGARD tenour, one being as eminently retrogressive had said that LORD CREWE had asked the in its tone, as is the other suggestive of Imperial Government for a sum of money sound financial economy-yet both are to make good the loss caused by the closing indicative of the enormous amount of lee- of the opium dens. He (Mr. BENNETT) way China will have to surmount before she hoped that LORD CREWE did not make that can consider herself to have safely entered statement, but if he did be trusted that the portals of progress. Not the least members on that side [i.e., the Government instructive things about the reports, both side of the House] and the Labour Party issuing from the same Boards, is that the would strenuously resist the application of President of the Bourds, who is to be pre- the money of the British taxpayer to such sumed responsible for both, is evidently & purpose.". This is just what we expected entirely unconscious that there is the slight would happen. LORD CREWE's promise toest inconsistency between the two.
THE FOREIGNER IN CHINA.
allen on the Board of Posts and Communi- cations, and the result is the issue of a Notice, curiously not to the Railways, with whom it might perchance be useful, but to the China Merchants Steam Navigation Co. The directors of that company have doubtless often sighed over the fact that they were excluded from all benefits which might arise to them from the opening of railways, and are very needlessly told that in order to increase its business they should enter into contracts with the railway companies at Tientsin, Newchwang, and Hankow, and should arrange to issue through tickets and bills of lading. We have not the slightest doubt that the directors of the China Merchants Co. have often sighed for the day when such a thing would be possible. There are the ships,
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