174
us of what he heard. The suggestion of the messages is too grave, however, to be hastily accepted, and we trust that in the course of the next day or two more reassur- ing news will come.
THE IMPOLITE TRUTH.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
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conventional.
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[March 16, 1908.
unloading with any
or
Macno does not
Could the "Tatau
in his heart of hearts Mr. BOWLEY, Maru" have gone alongside a Macao wharf, with his knowledge of Chin se ways, would, and there discharged her cargo, would the never dream of repuliating the possibility China have had any ground of com. of such applications being male in bad plaint? It s ems obvious, to us at least, faith. That is all we want men to almit, that the responsibility is Mico's, and honestly. The it is easy to go on to the we poin out that Portugal does not point we made last year, that "it is not disclaim it Indeed, Portugal admits it. only 'open' to
The cunning plea that Japan is by high handed methods prove iting China from repressing lawlessness in her own territory there'or must be dismissed.
14
119 to consider such a
suggestion, but our duty to take it up" and investigate it, whether the result 3 for or against the neighbouring and friendly Power." In this case, we still think the evidence was against the good faith of the Chinese applicants, and we see no real reason why it is not right to say so,
Į
at least into the possibilities of the Chinese | It is not alleged that the
At the demand for this man's rendition.
was begun in the dark, time same
WO frankly showed that secrecy.
It seems clear that the Chinese in so doing we were not moved by loathing Customs, even,
find were prepared t›
All this looks like very or contempt of the Chinese. We simply what they found. faced the truth, and recognised their point clumsy smuggling. The Cantonese who of view. Nene hut an uncommonly have been making patriotic demonstrations scrupulous man," we said, "is going to be about it, going even to the usual length of Daily Press, March 11th.
aghast at Russia or China if, in their advocating a b›ycott of Japanese goods if We readily publish the letter that appears anxiety to get hold of some serious political Japan gains its point, cannot be expected elsewhere over the signature of the Crown offender, they adopt some such machiave in reason to be as judicial as we are trying Solicitor, but it may be as well to state linn method of getting round the, to them, to be. Still, let us listen to them. They clearly that Mr. BOWLEY does not and inexplicable squeamishness of the British were strong in the belief that the arms were cannot mean that the Daily Press was where a political offender's fate is con-destined for Chinese rebels. Coming to responsible for any one of the " many rerned. We are not shocked by it, but as probabilities, we may say that most of us misleading and incorrect statements
commons nse individuals we woull keep are of the same opinion. complains of. The technical aspects of the our eyes open for it, and see to it carefully offer a likely market for many gun. The case of IU KAISHING we have left severely that our ideas of justice are not so cir. China Gazette, a leader among those who alone, though we believe we were the first cumvented." If that sort of plain, horse in their eagerness to denounce Japan have to disagree with the Magistrate's decision sense does not count for far more than the been so cheerfully taking facts for granted, to extradite him. We did so disagree sim- finicking nicety of some of those who have I says the consignee was
doubtless one of ply and solely on the evidence. The CROWN been splitting straws while Iu KAI-SHING'S | the numerous agents of the malcontents in SOLICITOR says if he proves that his life hung in the balance, it ought to. The South Chiun." This is the least unreason- surrender has been demanded in order to CROWN SOLICITOR may be right in poiutingable of the many unreasonable assertions in try or punish him for an offence of a politi-out the errors of the amiteur lawyers, the China Gazette's cunning diatribe. We cal character, the accused cannot be sur-
which we were certainly never foolish will even admit it is reasonable, and assume rendered." The Magistrate did not think enough to risk, but we think his tenderness' that the consignes did mean to pass these such proof had been given. We did. We for Chinese officialdom quite absurd and arms on to Chinese malcontents. Again therefore urged as strongly as we could uncalled for, and want to say so as plainly; remi «ding ourselves of the Portuguese pro- that the man Iu KAI-SHING should not be
29 we cau. The worst of it is that these 'test, of the man's Macao a Idress, we thin delivered up to the Chinese. Then, wheu gentlemanly qualms are merely legal and `ask : Where does Japanese r sponsibility we somewhat tardily realized that the man
We honestly believe that or culpability come in? had other friends, and that his case was still sub judire, we dropped the subject. Recently, finding that after all he was not likely to be handed over to the vindictive bands of Chinese officialdom on a trumped up charge, we let well alone. It was true that he was saved by technicalities, but that did not seem to us to affect the main issue, and we were content to let the law yers argue points of procedure amongst themselves. Laymen rún a certain risk of making misleading and incorrect sta ́e-
That brings us now to Japan's eɔmplaint. ments when they venture to discuss
If the arms were brought openly to Macao, technicalities about which the profes-
and if they wore being unloaded as near to sionals differ. There is one direction
the conugure as Ma uin's unfortunate bar- in which the CROWN SOLICITOR may
bour disabilities permit, it does look as if consider we erred, se-ing that he expresses
the Chinese officers, with an eye to the concern about reflections "n the conduct
reward (which is not at all improbable) had of the Chinese Government and Chinese
(Daily Press, March 12th.
been a bit too zeniowa and hasty. The Officials." O. Sept. 14th 1907, we sub We do not pretend to know in what waters hauling down of the Japanese flag, and the mitted that whether the British indulg nce precisely th "Tatsu Maru was seized,, substitution of the Chicem, is one of those toward political offenders be wise or Lot, it! We share the one disability of those who intinsically unimportant derails that lash a is there, embodied in the law, and that have been writing so cockalo q regarding¦ puristie på splo into frenza. It partakes of therefore the only real issue to consider was the facts that is to say, we were not there the nature of a calculated insult. To fol- whether I KAL-SHING was a bona-fide to see. We understand that the friends of how that up by a bluffing refusal to consider political offender entitled to the protection China and some of the enemies of Japan what was admittedly a debatabl» questiou of the ordinance, or a mere criminal for 'declare the seizure to have taken place in
was to provide ample excuse for strong whose fate we need have no concern. Our Chinese waters. We further understand action by Japan, and yet, as usu il, official weighing of the evidence inclined us to the tha: the Japanese and the Portuguese, Japan seems to have shown and to be still
As we said then, “That the ' declare the seizure to have taken place in, showing exemplary patience. man was a common, thieving, murdering what were equivalent at least to Portuguesa) outsdire can do is to suspend judgment rascal we find it difficult to hlieve. Who waters. The point is mat rial and the pist ! until there has been some agreement as to would find the money for the defence of, is sufficiently in doubt joybe delata'de. We Grots We deplore the tendency manifested such an one: And now we may add, Is find it possible therefifte to keep coal, and in some quarters to give reisa to a prejudice - it likely that so many respectable Singapore to wait for an authoritative deeri aasta the, which is as unfair as it is persistent, as
merchants would subscribe and petition on
fact. Meinwhile, and just tupass the time, dishonest as it is gratui ous, an das unwar - his behalf, if he were not something other We consider the probabilities as dian. ranted as it is painfully obvious.
CAR. We eliminate the! than an ordinary criminal?" But we do terestedly as we not suppose any one requires argument on Chinese claim. We eliminate the Japanese that head now.
W.
then point ou tht the The Magistrate at that claim. time, as the Crown Solicitor does now, action of the Macão Government, the deprecated any implication of motives to the official Portuguese protect to Peking, is officers of "a neighbouring and friendly prima facie in favour of the Japanese Oy the next pigo we reprint an interesting power." This kin of squeamishness, where contention. So far, that seems to be quite article sent to the Timas by its Shanghai a grave issue is concerned, makes us im- fair and reasonable, does it not ?
correspondent. At Hime it will be read as patient. Why will men of commonsense! Next we glance at the smuggling aspect in liesting that the Chinese are now absorb- The Tatsu Maru" had a ing western thought and ideas," the play with real life in this sentimental way, of the incident. instead of looking things frankly in the cargo of arms consigned to Macao. It seems presumption being that the bulk of these That face? Politeness and delicacy have their to be admitted that the vessel left. Kube yre new and quite foreign to China.
sportion of western value; we would be the last to belittle them; with the proper permits from the Harbour is true only of a small but in (say) rescuing a lady from a deadly and Customs authorities. It seems to be l thou ;it and ideas—ust of the idens worth peril one does not take her gingerly by the admitted that the consigne was a Chinese anything being universal, if we except the It more barbarous tribes who e mentality has finger-tips with one's hat off and a geatly, subject of Portugal resident in Mario.
that the Macao murmured “Permit me, Madame." Scoruing seems to be admitted
not developed far beyond thoughts of humbug, we boldly claimed the right to look (nuthorities knew of the nature of the cargo, procuring creature comfort. It seems a
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former view.
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I
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CHIN AND JAPAN.
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The least
CHINA AND FOREIGN
LITERATURE.
(Daily &ress, Miroh 14th)
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