138
THE GOVERNMENT AND MR. OSBORNE.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
(Daily Press, 10th August.) It will have caused no astonishment that Mr. E. OSBORNE at the meeting of the Sauitary Board on the 8th inst. should have objected to the form of the statement in reply to his question as to how far the recommendations of the Board in certain matters had been carried out, or that le should have said the statement would convey absolutely nothing to the public. Nor can Mr. CHATHAM'S explanation that the reply furnished to Mr. OSBORNE was a statement of the matter in a condensed form be deemed satisfactory It may well be asked what reason the Government has for withholding from the Board, and therefore from the public, the actual statement drawn up by the Medical Officer of Health and the Secretary of the Board. This statement has, it seems, been drawn up in response to the request. Why then has it been kept secret? It is not pre- sumably to save the public the trouble of sitting down and wading through pages of extracts," for this is not a reason for foisting off on the Board the ridiculous condensation offered to them on Thursday. We hold different views from Mr. CHATHAM as to the amount of interest which the public takes in sanitary affairs. We do not say
that a proper return, such as Mr. OSBORNE asked for, would be carefully read even by the majority of the public, but we do main- tain that a large number of persons, not the less interested in the welfare and health of the Colony in that they do not hold posts under Government, would have read the return, however many extracts of Sanitary Board minutes and recommendations were included in it; and had Mr. OSBORNE'S wish for
"
The British and foreign community, being unable to adopt an Oriental attitude of mind toward plague, has not been content to watch a disease, which first attacked the
been prepared by two members who have been deemed suitable for the purpose. It rests with the Government to make the statement common property, if its desire to clear the matter up is genuiuc.
[August 17, 1901, standings, yet by passing through this international clearing-house may be made reducible to order and reason.
We only look, however, to the succesful Colony in 1894, become an annual epidemic; formation of the court as an indication that able breeding-ground for the scourge a and as filthy surroundings offer a favour- a better understanding is about, and an demand has arisen for more efficient sanita- exist, which affords some prospect that no earnest that a better feeling has come to tion in Hongkong. It would be simply nation will, for the present at least, wilfully fatuous to try to make out that sa itation disturb the peace of the worl1. There are could not be greatly improved here. The of course grave dangers ahead; one of these Government apologists recoguise this as is the disturbed state of Russia, and the well as anyone, and therefore have thrown fact that not a few of her statesmen would
as it were, P
a triple line of de- willingly plunge the Empire into war in the alleged the constant opposition to fence against outside attack. They have hope of thereby fastening on it a despotism realready unbearable. Such statesmen existed form, first of the Unofficial Members of round NAPOLEON III in France, whose the Legislative Council, and secondly of the deliberately expressed policy was that with- public Press.
Beyond this they are willing out a war every four years the country to take refuge in the plea that the Sanitary must lapse into a state of internal anarchy. Board is inefficient. We have dealt with In France in 1870, as in Russia in 1901, the Government's reply already, and need not the Emperor, nominally autocratic, was too spend further time over it. But we should weak to enforce his own ideas, and per- like to point out that it is no new discovery mitted himself to be guided by the loudest- that the Board is inefficient. This has been mouthed of his ministers. But there is felt to maintained in the Press for years, and for be another source of danger; in Austro-Hun- this reason we have constantly urge that gary the Emperor FRANCIS JOSEPH, a con- the Board should be reorganised and made stitutional monarch of a very different type, a responsible body, in place of a mere debat- has by a wise knowledge of the needs of his ing society. The Government's champions, people so guided the internal affairs of his who are also members of the Sanitary somewhat incongruous Empire that Austro- Board, have probably their own theory as to Hungary has on more than one occasion why, in spite of their own presence, the been a guarantee of the peace of Europe. Board has been able to do so little. Certaiu. The Emperor has, however, reached the other members have the courage to court allotted period of human life, and unfor
The Board may have been ineffici-tunately leaves no direct heir, and there is a enquiry ent through its own fault or because its fear that the elements of discord kept in suggestions were not accepted. The facts abeyance through his personal influence for are all to be had for the seeking. A state- 80 many years may after his decease break ment intended to elucidate the question has out anew These are real dangers which it behoves the statesmen of Europe to guard against, aud there is no doubt that the knowledge gained of the enormous expense and waste of modern war has had a salutary influence in inducing caution. Seen in this light the recent display of Russia in the harbour of Varna hns an unpleasant aspect, as an indication of the old habit of seeking to meddle in every trouble. The Balkan Elates, always dis- contented as the result of past misgovern- The lesson to be learned from the Boer ment, were well content to settle down as War is apparently that, even beyond the useful members of the European family; wildest estimates, modern war is an expen- and if the visit of the Grand Duke sive business; and this seems to have made ALEXANDER MIKHAILOVITCH were merely some impression even amongst the most intended to emphasise this desire, her neigh- bellicose of the European Powers. Russia bours could look on the affair not only with with her usual instincts of bluff has been complacence but with pleasure. Unfor- trying to turn the position to her own tunately Russia has exhibited so frequently advantage, but recently her ideas seem to her insatiable avidity for turning every have so far expanded that she finds that little difference to unworthy ends, that she the suspicions of the other Powers are cannot be surprised if she should now be being aroused as to her real intentions. looked upon with suspicion. The visit of At all events there seems to be a more the Grand Duke to Varna, natural enough friendly disposition existing among the in itself, would not have excited suspicions westerly governinents, and affairs are being had it been made by any other Power. discussed on the whole with a better feeling Russia has herself only to thank for the and more mutual good-will than at any difference, and at a time when there is au It seems to be a favourite theory in cer- time during the last three years. This is evident desire on the part of the other tain official circles that the recent petition to some extent foreshadowed in the forma- Powers to avoid unnecessary occasions of to the Eecretary of State for the Colonies tion at last, after many delays, of a practical misunderstanding, it was to say the least a was signed by a mass of innocent, un-code of arbitration at the Hague, and misfortune on the part of Russia to make suspicious, but rather ignorant residents, although it is not at all likely that any her private friendship the occasion for a led away by the sophistries of a few agitators, | nation will before the millennium be pre- display so capable of misconception. Russia who were unscrupulous in the use they pared to submit any vital question to its is in fact playing a dangerous game; and made of quotations from official documents judgment, there are almost daily little the events of 1870 ought to be a warning and reckless in their statements. Such a differences to decide, which without pre- that unprovoked aggression is apt to meet theory, though an insult to the intelligence judice the countries concerned may submit with condign punishment.
Her policy of the mass of the community, certainly is to the Court when once they are convinced with regard to China has not conduced to an unexpected tribute to the influence of that it intends to act on impartial lines. allay the suspicions of the world, and the the organisers of the petition. We are As in railway and banking affairs a multi- very evident desire of an important section sure, however, that the latter make no tule of petty questions are always left to of her politicians to play in St. Petersburg claims to such powers as seem to be attri- the respective clearing-houses to decide, so the part of the reactionary party in Peking, buted to them. The question of annitary it is quite possible that without assuming and paralyse an Emperor who, if personally reform in Hongkong has forced itself to he to be an authoritative body, there are weak, yet has the best interests of the State front owing to the natural course of events; multitudes of petty questions, which if at heart, is an unpleasant feature of the new the movement has not been engineered. ' neglected might lead to grave misunder- development.
parallel columns, showing the whole list of recommendations of the Board for the past ten years and the list of those that have been given effect to, been gratified, not only would the document have been received with general interest, but the Government case would either have been substantiated --or it would not. The Government now has in its possession the statement of Dr. Clark and Mr. Woodcock. The Sanitary Board has sent in a request for its publication. We do not see how the Government can refuse, without incurring the damaging charge of suppressing evidence. In the memorandum on the Petition, which we have lately had from the peus of Messrs. STEWART LOCK- HART, CHATHAM, and MAY, imputations were made against the Sanitary Board; in fact, that body was far more “damed "--to use Mr. MAY's expression-in the memor- andum than it ever has been by any other criticism. To suppress its defence would be grossly unfair, but would result in damning" the Government far more than the Board.
THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION.
(Daily Press, 15th August.)
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