June 26, 1905.]
POPULARITY IN THE FAR EAST.
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Recently quite a number of cases of suicide among foreigners have had to be recorded in this part of the world. Under the heading of The Fate of the Popular Man in the Far East," the Eastern World has
a strongly worded article on the subject, contending that popularity in the Far East seems to be only the first chapter in a book, the final chapter of which is suicide, charity, or disgrace. Says our Yokohama contemporary :--
A man, to be popular, has to give a good deal of the time that should be devoted to his business, or to his family, to others who neither ask nor care whether he has the time or the money necessary for convivial intercourse with them. He has also to belong to a number of Clubs, principally devoted to sports and amuse- ments, which cats anothor big slice out of his working hours and out of his earnings, and 'very often, indeed, it takes away the whole of them; and the more proficient he is in some sport or the other, or the more he contributes towards the amusement of others, the more money he spends in drink and gambling, or what is called "entertaining," the greater his popularity. No one asks or cares whether his business or his home go to the dogs in the meantime. All that is required of him is that he shall keep up the show, wear new clothes new ties, new hats, and take part in, or be seen st, every show or amusement in town, and that he shall go to the country in the summer
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
THE CHINESE AND THE AMERICAN TREATY,
very
America's wish to exclude reputable Chin se of Mr. Rockbill clearly states that it is not the better class, and the impression conveyed that they, like the Celestial labourer, would be debarred in future from entering the States must have been circulated with mischievous intent. That it has been so circulated and has obtained a hold on the Chinese minds there is no gainsaying, and the most recent telegrams from the Chinese Minister to Washington continue to affirm that the new Treaty is in every way very much stricter against Chinese than the former one which the Chinese Government requested should be terminated. Without knowing what America has proposed to co neede, it is impossible to estimate how much present Chinese justification exists for the attitude, but there seems no question that in spite of Mr. Rockhill's soft explanation an unusually strong feeling does exist in Chinese circles, and popular indignation is taking a form which would not have suggested itself to the Chinese two year ago. A more advanced tutor than merely wounded patriotism is busily opening the Chinese eyes to the possibility of fighting the foreigner with other weapons than blunder- busses, speare, pitchforks and incantations. and since the recent meetings in Shanghai systematic crusade has been instituted in all the ports against American imports. For the last week or ten days Peking, Tientsin, Paoting as and leaves his business to Japanese boys in the well as the southern ports have displayed placards urging merchants to have nothing to do with any American products, and circulars have been issued by the commercial guilds in each centre, including Tientsin, Paoting and Shanghai meetings. While this state of public Peking embodying the decisions passed by the
feeling lasts, an embargo will therefore probably be placed on the Standard oil, watches, clocks, cotton, piece goods, and anything and everything else hailin. frora the United States, but we cannot imagine the situation lasting long. America sannot, however, sount on China's gratitude for the consideration and extreme toleration which the United States Government has for many years consistently displayed towards this coun- try, in her diplomatic relations neither can the excellent social relations established between her lusty reed on which to trust her weight in diplomats and the Throne be regarded as & times like these. The display of kindly folera. tion, the overtures of friendship which America has made so far from helping her are 8 positive bindrance in her dealing with the Throne they are the bon bons and trifling In the eyes of the Government and
'condiments of international intercourse rely; the toys with which an idle monent may te wiled, but when it comes to something serious, China understands the temper and the policy of a Russia far better than an America.
meantime.
money
There may have been times here when came rolling in, work or no work, when nothing could stop it from rolling in, but if ever there were such times they have gone by long ago. We know many cases in which the house on the Bluff, or on the seaside, has driven away business from the office, and we know of some such cases
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now. People have not the courage to say "I cannot both afford this or that," or have to work early and late and than ever to make both ends meet." What we frequently hear instead is this: 'My bank credits, my business oredit would be gone if I did not keep up appearances." And that, in many cases is all that it comes to-appearances. But the glittering shell
grows thinner and thinner every day, until, some day, it cracks and crumbles to dust, and then we hear of a
suicide, bankruptcy, the prison, or a disgraceful fight, and the survivors, who have known that
it must come to that, but have done nothing to arrest the victim of his road to ruin, because he
paid his blood tax, utter hypocritical regrets, and-turn to the next "popular man," and some one who thinks that he owes more to others
than to himself or to these belonging to him will generally turn up The less light there is in a man, the more will le seek to shine in the light of others; the less a man thinks of himself, the more will be crave to be thought much of and to be courted by others, and the less sorn pulous will be be in the choice of means to attain that will-o'-the-wisp, "popularity," no matter what the end may be.
This craving for excitement, amusement, and popularity is as strong as that for strong drink, or as that which those suffering from the morphine habit are said to experience. One may, indeed, say that its gratification is morphine to many who have nothing to occupy their minds when alone so that they have a horror of being alone with themselves and fly to any distruction at any cost. We have never been able to understand it.
But would we put a ban on all social inter- Curse! some might ask. By no means, but most emphatically on all social intercourse that takes a single dollar of the provision that any honest man must make for himself and for those belonging to him, on all such social in tercourse and amusements also that unfit a man to do the work that he has to do; and on all such social intercourse, finally, that makes
the home a mere caravanserai or a variety show. How often do we not hear the complaint that Japanese are taking all the business away. Why? sport, drink, and amusements tend business begging. No wonder that the Japanese take it in, and no wonder that in many cases even those, too, who do attend to their business suffer the consequences of the follies of others.
China
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The British bare erred deeply and often Chinese, but America has gone to lengths enough in this direction in dealing with the which lead the Chinese to believe that she can afford to bluff her. The present ebullition may die down and end in nothing, or it may extend to serious dimensions. The situation is, say. way, one which we shall watch with interest.
Peking Times,
THE REGIMENTAL BROOM.
TO KEEP THE PEACE-OR THE PIECER
An energetic member of the Hongkong con. stabulary placed a coolie before Mr: G. N. Orme at the Police Court on June 16 on a larceny of a broom from the barracks of the charge of
110th Baluchis at Kowloon. The timeworn relic, with some six straws left, was exhibited before His Worship, who was the coolie fought desperately when prevented informed that from taking it out of barracks. H's Worship adjourned the case until today, bail boing allowed in the sum of $5, and the coolie was
further bound over to keep the peace. He apparently misunderstood the latter part of the interpretation of His Worship's decision, or perhaps it was the interpreter's little joke, for a smile lighted his face as he stretched out his hand to take the broom. He was under the impression that His Worship had given him permission to keep the pi ees.
EXTRADITION OF ARMED ROBBERS WANTED.
397
Before Mr. G. N. Orme at the Police Court on the 23rd June, Mr. Hursthouse (of the Crown Solicitor's office) on behalf of the Chinese Government applied for the extradition of Lau Pan on the charge that while armed with offensive wespons, and in the company of other persons not in custody, he feloniously did assault and put in bodily fear and danger of his life, one Lui Kwong, and further feloniously did steal $50 in money, one clook and a certain quantity of clothing from the said Lui Kwong on January last in the province of Kwangtung, Empire of China.
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In outlining the case, Mr. Hursthouse stated that the charge was armed robbery. The prisoner in January. of this year, in company of
a large gang of robbers, went to the country house of Lui Kwong about leven o'clock at night. The men ware armed with knives and revolvers, and threatened the complainant if he did not, declare where his money was. He endeavoured to put them off. but they searched the house, and in one of the drawers which usually over- hang ahinese bed they found and appropriated a sum of $50. They then ransacked other parta, and found a quantity of clothing. As their efforts to extort money had proved unavailing. they took a different stand, and asked com- plainant what had become of his son. He at first refused to tell them, but their threats
eventually made him take them to the school house where bis son and another boy were sleeping. They took the son up country where they held him to ransom, first demanding 85,010, then $3.00), and eventually handing him over for a sum of $720.
Evidence was led and the case adjourned.
SQUEEZE PIDGIN.
A rat catching coolie in the employ of the Sanit.ry Board was placed before Mr. G. N. Orme at the Police Court on June 23rd on a charge of accepting or obtaining a bribe of $1.60 from a shopkeeper at Shamsuipo. Evi- dence showed that the shop of the complainant had been washed out the day before the coolie called, but the coolie informed the the shop was not properly cleaned, and he master that the Portuguese foreman said would have to take all his goods out and get it limewashed again. If the master would give
the ratcatcher one or two dollars he would speak to the foreman and get the shop to the Police, and Sergeant Gordon handed exempted. The master reported the matter
him a marked dollar, which he told him to give the coolie if he again called and saked for money. The coolie called on the following day, took the dollar, and was leaving the shop when he was arrested by a detective,
The coolie informed His Worship that he when he got out of the shop he found the was under the influence of sanishui, and that
dollar had been placed in his pocket without his knowledge.
His Worship held the charge proved, and fined the defendant $60, or the alternative of six weeks' hard labour.
JAPANESE MISSIONARIES FOR CHINA.
The China Times" claims excellent authority request of Mr. Uchida, the Japanese Minister for saying that H.E. Natung has granted the
permitted to enter the Chinese Empire for in Peking, that Japanese missionaries shall be evangelistic purposes.
It understands that the Chinese Government Governors of all the Frovinces, but submitted the question to the Viceroys and these the opinion of the majority was that it among
would be superfluous to have foreigners coming to China to preach a religion that might now
be considered practically indigenous to Chins. Moreover, it was pointed out that the proposed innovation would have the effect of retarding Japanese missionaries conducted their opera- Japanese trade in those localities where the tions. This latter is a matter which the pro- vincial authorities are supposed to be taking into serious consideration.
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