March 12, 1896.]
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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REFORT
Chamber had the same interests as ourselves and that they have always been our most de- voted and most competent collaborators. But our reply came from afar, and, as you may suppose, had no effect. What was the Administration to do, knowing how necessary the support of our Chamber was for the defence of the colony's in terests ? Evidently it could not do otherwise than give to our assembly a composition ex- clusively French, and our friends of foreign nationality will be the first to understand that this measure was imposed by the necessity of protecting our interests, theirs as well as ours, for the two are inseparable. There is not in this, gentlemen, a separation, a complete and definite severance ; that is not the intention of the Administration, any more than it is ours. On the contrary, we
are confident that the next Chamber will receive from our friends Messrs. Kurtz and Entner, as on the part of all the representatives of European houses, an as- sistance A8 devoted, 3.8 complete, and as enlightened as has always been given as by our excellent colleagues. In thanking them for this assistance, and in counting on its continuance, I am sure I express the feelings of all my French colleagues and also of our successors. Having spoken, gentlemen, of our colleagues of foreign nationality, but of the same race as ourselves-in these countries of the Far East it is necessary to speak of ques- tions of race I must turn to our other col- leagues, foreigners of a different race. While regretting to be obliged to yield to the con- siderations of a special order which have led the Ministry no longer to admit European foreigners in the composition of the Chamber of Commerce-which, moreover, agrees with the principle prevailing in the Chambers of the metropolis we must experience a corresponding satisfaction at seeing the elimination of the Chinese element. Here it is right that I should give some explanation of the attitude which 1. having the honour to be your President. have maintained. It would not become me to shirk the responsibility devolving upon me, I deemed it my duty to play an active part in this elimination of the Chinese and I associated myself fully in all that could prepare for and bring about this result. In taking this course I was confident that I was giving offect to the wishes of the Chamber, which, long ago, took the initiative in proposing measures directed against the invasion of the Chinese, an invasion truly menacing and to which many of our compatriots have already fallen victims. If certain measures of safety proposed by us or by predecessors have not succeeded it is not our fault, for we have met with obstacles at the time insurmountable. This is a question for our successors to take up. If your Chamber has not been consulted by the Administration as to the exclusion of Chinese merchants it is evidently because there would have been in conveniences attending the discussion of the question in the presence of those affected. It would have seemed that they had the right to dissent from the measure, and that could not be admitted from any point of view. Is it necessary to insist in your hearing on the wisdom of the measure which has been taken? Certainly not, for you know better than anyone the danger with which we are menaced from Asiatics. We are here in a situation analagous to that in other countrios, Java, for instance, where the exercise of certain professions is in terdicted to the Chinese, the United States, where violent measures have been taken against them, Anstralia, where all sorts of difficul- ties are opposed to their introduction. We alone have done nothing to defend ourselves, or, rather, we have frequently shown ourselves more benevolent to the Celestials than to our own countrymen. It seemed, indeed, as if it was impossible to dispense with them, impossible to live without them, and. God forgive me. It seemed also as if we were afraid of thom. Yes. indeed, the Chinese are useful to us, necessary even, but as tools, as instruments, and nothing more. It has been a mistake to allow them to depart from this subservient role, and we see to-day the results of this blind policy, this feebleness, we should add. Perhaps there is no necessity for me to say more after the eloquent words spoken on this sul ject in the Colonial Council
by
our colleague M. Holbé, but the question is so grave, so menacing, that I think it may not
our
be altogether useless to insist upon it once more, having the honour to speak in your name. When Europeans, whether French or of any other nationality, came to establish them. selves in the Far East, and not by the good will of the Chinese-let us not forget that they had nevertheless to address them. selves to the Chinese. Completely ignorant of the customs, the manners, and especially the views and feelings of Asiatics, so different from ours, it was necessary to use intermediaries belonging to the native races, compradores as they are called. Thanks to our tolerance, to our naive sentimentalism, not to use a more sovore expression, we have allowed these underlings, these auxiliaries, to take a place more and more directive. We have allowed them to make by tortuous and indirect means and without danger to themselves the conquest of a country which we ourselves had conquered at the price of our blood and treasure. And this conquest seems now so well accomplished that we have almost to defend ourselves against the insolent attitude of some of these invaders. They aim at driving us from our houses of commerce, from the industries we have founded, benefiting by our experiments and pioneer work. Having almost become our masters, they in their turn will have need of intermediaries between themselves and the barbarians of the West. The will then give us powers of attorney, and it is under this euphemism alone that we are to inds com- pensation for our downfall! Why should they not go still further, our brothers in Ged of the yellow race? Persisting in our gentiumentalism, which relieves us of our perhaps brutal at rover theless sane notions of the struggle for life, we will give them naturalisation if they ask it; and they will ask it. We will give it flem without calling upon them to sacrifice anything what- soever of their statna in China of their
THE JAPANESE DIET.
VICTORY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
219
Tokyo, 25th February. The Diet reassembled to-day. In the Lower House a member of the Jiyu-to pressed the Government to give the vote of censure prece- dence of the Orders of the Day, and this course was agreed to by a majority of the House.
The Clerk of the House read a request from the Kokumin Kyokwai for permission to with- draw the motion.
The House, however, refused consent. The motion was discussed, and eventually defeated | by 165 votes to 101.
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11
There Was a very large attendance of strangers in the House.-Japanese Press despatch.
THE KUCHENG MAGISTRATE
PUNISHED,
The Magistrate in charge of Kucheng at the time of the massacre of missionaries in August last has been denounced and punished. The N. C. Daily News publishes the following translation of a memorial by the Viceroy and rescript which appeared in the Peking Gazette of the 14th December:--
Pien Pao-ch'uan, Viceroy of the Min-Chê provinces, acting Tartar-General of Foochow and Superintendent of Customs of the Min Circuit, denounces Wang Yi-cleang, district magistrate of Kution, Fukien, for incompetency, cowardice, and avarice, and possessing decidedly bad reputation amongst his colleagues. On account of this memorialist Las already deposed the said magistrate from his post si Kution, but ho thinks that this man deserves furiker punish- ment for failing at the beginning to report a personal and national laws, and without rising of the Vegetarians in bis district, pre- boing able to imposo upon them any of ferring to buy peace by asking certain persons the responsibilities devolving upon ourselves, to promise concessions to the demands of the since nothing is easier than for them to secret society men in order to keep them quiet. throw it off when they leave for Canton without In consequence of this the Vegetariens becamo notice and under any name they like. Naturali-bolder and bolder in their conduct and more sation being accorded them they could go andacious daily in their demands on the said anywhere by invoking the principle of equality magistrate. The result of all this is well known for all Frenchmen, they might be included in -the massacre at Whasang. Hence Wang all the Administrations, they might sit in the Yu-chang may be said to have been solely Colonial Council, and there would be nothing to responsible for the massacre and the ori hinder the colony having as Deputy a mandarin ginator of all these secret society troubles of the yellow jacket. Why might this Deputy 'in Kutien. He is also said to have accepted not enter even a Ministerial combination as bribes, on the strength of which nulawful deeds Minister for the Colonies? No dont I am, were done without any attempt cu his part to pushing my argument to demonstration by the call the perpetrators to account. Such a man absurd, but have we not before seen absurd is a perfect disgrace to the public service, which dreams enrpassed by the most-paradoxical has suffered considerable harm at his hands. imaginations. In short, gentlemen. measures Memorialist therefore requests that the said are necessary to make the Chinese, or at least Wang Yu-chang be forthwith cashiered and some of them who are at their head, fall back dismissed the service, and a successor be ap- within the limits which they ought never to pointed to fill the Katien magistracy-Re- have been allowed to exceed." "Let no que bring script: Granted. Let the Board of Civil up against us the treaties with China. frlich we Appointments take note. are the only ones of the two parties to respect and of which we are the dupes. If the violation of one of these so-called treaties led to China sending one of her ironclads up our river, that would give us a refined distraction by permit ting us to assist on board this ship at a fancy ball. That would give us an element of gajety very precious in a country like ours where langhing is the best auxiliary to good health. [Qur trans- lator has been unable to make out the point of this joke.] The first step in sending back to its place the Chinese element is its elimination from the Chamber of Commerce, where it was called to sit on a footing of complete equality with the Europeans. You know, gentlemen, better than any one the inconvenience and even the danger which this situation presented. What I have said is not, however, a declaration of war against the Chinese, 28 certain persons would seem to think. It would not become us, masters of the country by right of conquest, it would not fit our dignity, to take up that ground, which would seem to admit a certain equality of rights. It is an advice which we give to those who ought to remain our auxiliaries, our instruments, our intermediaries, not to leave the rôle assigned to them. On this condition they will receive good treatment from us, and will still un fortunately be able to drain away a great part of the riches of the colony.
The speaker then passed on to other subjects
HONGKONG.
The weather during the past week has been very wretched indeed and on most days a drizzling rain has fallen, while a thick mist has hung about the colony. The Lon- don Missionary Society's centenary was cele- brated on Wednesday by a meeting at the City Hall. On the following day a Marine Court of Inquiry was held resecting the loss of the barque Lynnwood and the master was exonerated from blame. On l'riday the shareholders in the Hongkong Motel Com- pany, Limited, met, and on Saturday meeting of the shareholders in the National Bank of China was held. The schooner Es mealda ar- rived in port on Tuesday morning after a most memorable voyage, during which the crew Bil- fered terrible privations. Much interest was manifested in sporting circles by the opening of the new golf house last week, and on Satur- day a large crowd assembled at the Happy Valley to witness the final in the Hongkong Football Cup Competition. The total number of plague cases reported up to yesterday was 224, and 192 deaths had been recorded.
There were 2,540 visitors to the City Hall Museum låst week, of whom 224 were Europeans. In the Rugby match on the 9th March the Hongkong Football Club. beat the Garrison by one try and one goal, or eight points, to nil.
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