210
THE HONKGONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE CAUSE OF DISCONTENT IN the interests of the country the char
change | designs are
THE PHILIPPINES.
|
[September 18, 1898,
It is desire for
Hongkong o
should be made. Whether it is on this true that point that the whole of the trouble and may have mad The news received from Manila via Singa in Manila turns we are unable to say, an extension of the colon pore shows that the rising in the Philippines but it certainly seems desirable that the Kowloon side, merely, however is really of a serious nature, though as mat- the monastic orders with all the evils der it more secure from ters stand at present there is no reason to they bring in their train. should be got rid Power, but we are nota fear that the Government will not be able to of if possible and be replaced by meu who further has been demand suppress it without much difficulty, provided would work in the cause of religion and trocession of Chusari might well be ind the native troops remain loyal, and it is said humanity without entertaining the aggran upon, as the time has arrived that in the fighting that has already occurred disement of a particular society as the chief Peking Government can no they have shown no hesitation in firing upon motive of their lives. The ordinary priest, it trusted not to code it to another the insurgents. Secret societies are blamed seems to us, would be equally respected by condition under which it was resto as the instigators of the movement, and it the people and be able to exercise the same is true that the condition of China appea seems very likely that such societies may influence over them as the members of the eminently calculated to invite aggression, have been availed of for the purpose of monastic orders, and the tyranny and cor- for she has been signally proved to be securing meeting places and opportunities of ruption of the latter would disappear, dangerously weak and helpless. The action exchanging views. That is common in all
of Russia in 1860, in taking advantage of revolutionary movements. But what is the RUSSIA AND British DESIGNS IN the embarrassments of China to then rectify end aimed at, and what the cause of dis-
THE FAR EAST.
her frontier on the Amoor by the addition content with the existing state of affairs?
of sufficient territory to form a decent sized The rising is not a mere outbreak of a
The Russian Press, like the Russian people, kingdom, may easily and safely be emulated savage race impatient of the restraints seems to be sadly in need of more light. now by any Power sufficiently bold and imposed upon them by civilised rule, for it According to Reuter's message of the 8th resourceful, and the Russian Press, a has had its origin at Manila, the capital, instant, the Russian journals have been parently judging Great Britain by their and amongst a people possessing a fair commenting upon the CZAR's visit to Ger- own standard, may pretend to believe that amount of education and from whom the many, and have chosen to construe it into she is about to use China's extremity. instincts of the savage have been eradicated an indication of a durable peace in Europe, Happily for the peace of the wor by three centuries of association with civili- which will enable the Continental Powers for the cause of civilization and sation. Whatever, therefore, the immediate to frustrate British designs in the Far however, the statesmen of Great Britain motives of the leaders of the movement may East. If this be a genuine expression of are not apt to mistake might "for be, or the circumstances under which it has opinion, it only goes to show how lamentably or, wielding a giant's power, to uec
ight; been launched, we are led to the conclusion ignorant the Russian newspapers are. Great like a giant. The public opinion of the that the ultimate cause is to be found in Britain has for the past quarter of a century, British nation, which has ever been the discontent engendered by misgovernment. under great provocation, systematically greatest lover of liberty in the world, would The chief. grievance alleged, so far as
shown the most studious determination not quickly restrain any Minister who sought to we can learn, is the oppression of the to follow an aggressive policy in the Far hurry his country into a war of aggression monastic orders, whose rule ranks for all East. Not only has she refrained from or revenge. Like every other Power, Eug- practical purposes in the life of the people grasping at opportunities to quarrel with land has her failings, and not least among above that of the civil government. China and thereby of aggrandising herself, them is the habit of crediting other Whether all that is said of the friars be true but she has also carefully endeavoured to Powers with the same pacific intentions: she or not we are unable to say, but that it is preserve the peace in the Far East, and in cherishes herself, and of giving them a free undesirable any corporation or society more than one instance succeeded in avert-hand in the missions undertaken by them. should be allowed to set up an imperium in ing a war. Great Britain, throughout her She has never sought to hamper France in imperio must be accepted as an axiom in relations with China, has never picked a Tunis, in the interior of Africa, in Madagas- the science of government. The monastic quarrel and has striven to avoid a rupture car, or in Indo-China. She offered no im- orders in the Philippines do set up such an whenever possible. Even after her wars pediment to the acquisition of the Amoor imperium in imperio, and while their members with China, when she had her foot on the regions by Russia in 1860; she opposed no act as parish priests their principal object, neck of the helpless giant, she contented obstacle to the annexation of Tonkin and the mainspring of all their action, is the herself with merely exacting an indemnity Annam or the blocade of Formosa in 1884 aggrandisement of their respective orders. and a single port wherein her mercantile 85 by France; she even allowed that Power Not only are the people taxed for the and naval marine could refit and repair-a to imperil her commercial interests in Siam -support of the Government, not only have coaling station, in fact, which would render and she sought in no way to interfere be they to defray the charges of their own her independent of the caprices of the man- tween China and Japan when they brought parishes, but in addition there is a steady darins and provide a safe depot where their quarrel to the arbitrament of the stream of wealth flowing into the coffers of British trade could in any event be con- sword, although the war was greatly detri the monastic orders and derived from the ducted. All the other concessions extorted mental to her trade. pockets of the people. It is alleged, too, by England from China have been of a Have our Russian friends not made a little that in order to maintain their ascendancy commercial character, and the benefit of mistake? Are they not rather afraid of they oppose education and endeavour to them has enured na freely to merchants and Great Britain thwarting their own designs keep the people in a state of ignorance and traders of other nationalities as to her own in the Far East? Even so, the fear is superstition. That there must be a good subjects. Even in this little colony of unfounded. The British Government will deal of truth in the allegations may be Hongkong there is no privilege or right, so not seek to hinder Russia from securing an inferred from the fact that in almost every far as trading is concerned, that a French, unfrozen outlet on the Pacific as the termi- other part of the world, even Roman a German, or a Russian merchant cannot nus of her great Trans-Siberian Railway. Catholic countries, the orders have either and does not equally enjoy with his British She is at perfect liberty to make what been expelled or placed under restrictions confrére. Foreign manufactures find bere bargain she likes with decrepit China for which prevent them from exercising active no discriminating duties to handicap them such a port, even if it include the acquisition domination. This is the case even in Spain in competition with the products of Great of the whole of Manchuria. England is not itself, but, while sweeping away the orders in Britain; foreign residents may buy and so mean or so small minded as to fear a rivál the mother country, the Government allowed own land, engage in any manufacture or in- ar to try to check the growth of a more them to remain in the Philippines. To have dustry as freely as any of the subjects of backward nation, even though that Power removed them would have been dangerous, Queen VICTORIA. A free and ungrudg may at some times seem to have opposing for they were all powerful and could have set ing welcome has been given to all. interests. So long as Russia seeks peace he country in a flame directly and made The same may be said of the Straits Settle-fully to attain her ambitions without injury its administration by the civil powers im-ments. How is this liberality reciprocated to Great Britain, so long will the latter possible. All or nearly all the benefices in in the East Asian colonies of Continental the country were held by them, and the Powers? In the Philippines, in Indo-China, reason for allowing them to remain was not and in Siberia, British merchants are handi- only that they by their influence maintained capped by various restrictions and British order amongst the natives, but also that goods are almost tabooed by the ever the secular clergy were not sufficiently increasing protective tariffs. numerous to take their places. It is said, however, that now there would be no dif ficulty in filling all the benefices with the secular clergy and it is claimed that in
There is not an atom of truth in the Muscovite statement about British designs in the Far East if, as is evident by the con- text, it is intended to insinuate that such
|
wish her success in her great work of establishing order and spreading civilizi tion-if of છૂ somewhat rüder type than that of Western Europe among the tribes of Central Asia. But if, led on by Anglophobes who hate where they are unable to reason, Russian statesmer should seek to head a hostile combinati against Great Britain, that Power willl how to protect herself. It is, how
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.