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THE COOLIE STRIKE.
(29th March.)
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
The Government is to be congratulated on the firm position it has taken up with regard to the coolie strike. The movement bears no resemblance to a wages dispute, but is in its exsende a rebellion against the Govern ment and should be dealt with as such. To some extent that has been already recognised. Had the strike taken place on the question of wages the Government would not have troubled itself about the matter further than to prevent any breach of the peace; but be- ing directed, as it is, against the Government itself, measures have been taken to afford re- lief as far as possible to the trade of the port by allowing the employment of volunteers from the garrison and convicts from the gaol for the working of cargo. The assistance of the military in the crisis is proving of great valué and General BARKER merits the thanks of the public for his action in the matter. But if the character of the strike justifies the employment of soldiers as cargo labourers it must also be held to justify severe measures against the strikers and those who are sup porting them. The coolies cannot be com- pelled to work if they prefer to remain idle, but the leaders of the movement can be de- ported, and the guild, if its bead quarters could be discovered, might be broken up. The Registrar-General's department is pre sumably well acquainted with all the guilds in existence in the colony and ought to be able to afford the Government information as to how the strike is being managed and who are at the bottom of it. It is alleged that there is a strike fund in existence of a substantial sum; this fund, if it could be discovered, might very fairly be taken charge of by the Government and if not confiscated, at least ap plied to a more beneficial purpose than the promotion of a seditious movement like the present. It is not likely, however, that the money will be found, and there may be difficulties in getting at the guild; but it ought not to be difficult by means of the detective department to identify the keepers of common lodging houses who are imme diately responsible for inducing the coolies to leave work, and these men should be dealt with by deportation. It may be that they are the tools of others in a higher station of life, and if so they might be allowed to save shemselves by disclosing the names of those At whose bebest they have acted, but the Authority of the Government ought to be made evident by dealing severely with either the one or the other.
(1st April.)
The coole strike, which was expected to come to an end on Saturday, seems likely to continue for another week, or as long as the resources of the coolies and their friends hold out. For this unfortunate state of affairs the committee appointed at Thursday's public meeting must be held prima facie re. sponsible. It is of course impossible to say exactly what might have happened had that committee never interfered in the matter; the expected collapse of the strike might not er all have taken place. Nevertheless the fact remains that the action of the com- mittee was calculated to weaken the hands of the Government and to encourage the who had a prolong the struggle. Indeed men ually resumed work on Satur. day morning nocked off again when it was suggested to them that they had better wait and see what would come of the action of the committee. What has come of it will be seen in the report of the deputation to the Governor on Saturday His Excellency re fuses, and rightly refuses, to give way but it is to be feared that after the unfortunate
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(April 3, 1895. proclamation issued by the committee the may as well give up our profession strikers will still think they have a chance" bere." That fairly represents the feeling of securing victory. Another public meet of the community-a determination to ing is to be held this morning, at which no break the striking system. It is no nee doubt the committee will tender their resigna quibbling about nice questions of law at the tion, for their action appears to be univer-present stage. If that point were gone into ally condemned and is now no doubt re it would not be difficult to show that the cognized by themselves as having been a grave substitution of the house owner for the mistake, though at Government House on keeper of the common lodging house as the Saturday they were very indignant at some party to register would be altogether in- remarks made by Mr. MAT, the Captain advisable and impracticable. Furthermore, Superintendent of Police. Mr. MAY seems if side issues were to be gone into, in or to have gone on the legal maxim that every der to avoid such conflicts in the future man must be presumed to have intended we would urge, as
we have urged many the natural consequences of his own action; times before, that some effective means whereas it appears that the committee should should be provided for the expression of be held absolved on the ground of good in public opinion amongst the native community. tentions and error of judgment. If ever We would like to see the municipal govern- there was a case, however, in which a mis-ment of the colony vested in the hands of a take may truly be said to have been worse Municipal Council on which the Chinese than a crime it is the present.
should be well represented. At Shanghai It is to be hoped that the public meet the Municipal Council, even without native ing to be held this morning will give representation, secures compliance with all clear and distinct utterance to the feelings its regulations and no serious strike has of the community. The first meeting was, ever occurred there such as we have had as it turned out, an absurdity. It was not so many of in this colony. Failing fied as having been called "by request" and Municipal Council we might have a Chinese the proper course would have been for the Advisory Board such as they have at Singa Chairman to have given the names of those pore. All that, however, is beside the ques- at whose request the meeting was called and tion of the moment, which is whether the to have asked them to state what proposals colony is to weakly surrender to a strike they had to submit. No one seemed to have of coolies who have absolutely no legitimate any proposals, however, and it appeared to grievance. In a small community like this be a case of nothing but empty talk, until at there is necessarily a good deal of the the end of the ineeting the Chairman sug- follow my leader" feeling and the mem- gested "as a practical measure" that a com-bers of the committee appointed at Thurs- mittee be elected to deliberate upon this day's meeting being all prominent and grave question and to put themselves in influential men the meeting to be held to-day communication with the Government." So would no doubt feel somewhat diffident about a committee was appointed, with no more formally censuring their action. If the defiuite instructions than the above, and committee resign then the less said the instead of carrying out those instructions, better. All that would remain to be done such as they were, and placing themselves in would be to pass a vote of confidence in the communication with the Government, with Government. What is wanted now is not incredible folly they placed themselves first talk but action. in communication with the Chinese, com- menced parleyings behind the back of the Government, and ended by issuing a proclama tion, in itself highly objectionable and which was rendered still more so when it appeared present time a disposition to regard Japan's
There seems to be in certain quarters at the in a Chinese dress. No one knows better than growth in power as inimical to British in- the committee, collectively and individually, terests, and some writing of a mischievons what tricks can be played in Chinese transla- character, calculated to stir up bad blood, tion, yet they seem to have taken no precau- has been indulged in on the subject. Laying tions to guard against misrepresentation on aside all prejudice and passion, how does this important occasion, the consequence the case present itself? As every nation being that a proclamation was issued in Chi- has to closely watch the doings of its neigh- nese which amounted virtually to a declara- bours and to take such measures as may be tion of surrender on the part of the Euro- necessary to maintain its relative military pean mercantile community. Nothing could efficiency, so England will now have to have been farther from the intention of the watch Japan and to strengthen her own public meeting held on Thursday. The in-fleet in Eastern waters to meet the new cont tention of those present at that meeting was ditions and the alteration in the balance of evidently to support the Government and power. Japan aims at being the dominant had it occurred to any one to propose a reso Power of the Far East; but that position is lution to the effect that the meeting endorsed at present held by Great Britain, who the action of the Government and pledged intends to retain it. Japanese rivalry, both itself to support it, the motion would, we political and commercial, is therefore believe, have been carried with practical factor that Great Britain has to reckon with. unanimity. The general opinion is that the But national rivalry does not necessarily law against which the coolies are in rebellion mean national hatred and hostility, any is a wholesome and necessary law and that more than commercial rivalry between the measures taken by the Government to individuals necessarily means the destruc meet the crisis and minimise the loss and tion of private friendships. If at any time inconvenience which the strike is causing to a misunderstanding should unfortunately the shipping trade are worthy of all praise arise between England and Japan England We hope that opinion will find due expres- must be prepared to hold her own, and in sou et mu nite will pres morning and that view of such a possibility it is necessary that the community will present a united front. she should take careful stock of Japan's We appeal from Mr. MACKINTOSH as a growing strength; but in the meantime it is member of the committee to Mr. MACKINTOSH to the interest of England, as it is and ought as a speaker at Thursday's meeting, when he to be her inclination, to cultivate and main- said" Unless we take steps to combat this evil tain friendly relations with the rising -steps that shall be powerful enough to Power whose conduct of the present war bas "break" once for all this series of strikes to excited such genuine and widespread "which the colohy has been subjected admiration.
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ENGLAND AND JAPAN.
during the last ten or twenty years we We have heard the view expressed that
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