The-Hong-Kong-Weekly-Press-1908-05-25 — Page 2

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THE BOYCOTT.

THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND

pulling them.

[May 25, 1908. The Central Government | like smoke of fire, be taken as an indication cannot afford to let it go on much longer, of the existence of something out of order. without having to pay ultimately for pre- These rascals are moving about and demon- sent weakness, and if the Police at Hong- strating, and though there is no chance of kong be-instructed to show a firmer front their achieving anything big, they cause to those who are keeping the bare letter of worry and loss all round. the law, while flagrantly defying. its spirit, we have little doubt that they would there. by oblige Peking as much as they would oblige Tokyo.

(C

BOYCOTTERS AND-OR

REBELS.

MACAO.

(Daily Press, 19th May.)

Our

(Daily Press, 16th May.) Boycotters who simply boycott, and do not overtly incite others to boycott, are safe from interference. It is not possible by any constitutional method to make them do what they do not want to do. YUAN SHIH- KAI at Tientsio, during the time of the American boycott, must have found some way, for he effectively prevented the move-

The Colony of Macno was never in such ment from gaining ground at that port.

sore straits as it is to-day and it is not to be The Chinese authorities, if they really

wondered at that the highly laudatory wished to stop it, could do so, for they are

references to the departing Goverfor which not hampered by such restrictions as British

have been made in the Press should prompt officials have to observe. It is patent

(Daily Press, May 18th.)

A query as to whether they are entirely enough that at Canton the officials do not

CHAN WAI-PO, the chairman of the "Self-deserved. We print in another column want to meddle with the movement that has Government Society of Canton," and been set afoot since the "Tatsu-maru"

guiding spirit of the boycott against the affair, and that they are not sincere in their Japanese, left Hongkong last week with his protestations of helplessness to Peking, trained staff of agitators. His destination where the suicidal aspect of the agitation is was Annam, It is conceivable that there is recognised. In this Colony we are not something more than mera coincidence sure that the authorities have done quite in this choice of place for "strengthening all that they might have done. We are of the movement against the Japanese." Our opinion that the announcement posted at readers will have noted two or three refer- some shops, that Japanese goods are not to ences within recent days to events that are be obtained within, and the like, might taking place in Annam and about the fairly be forbidden. They are unnecessary, Yunuan border, and there is at least ground in the sense that a man who never did sell for suspecting that the curiously styled Japanese goods would not have thought of

'Self-government Society" of Canton is in announcing the fact. A keeper of a fried- strong sympathy with the anti-monarchists fish shop does not hoist a placard to say of Yunnan, who are reported to have massed that he does not sell sewing-machines. All on the frontier to the number of four or five the shops that are showing these announce thousaud, bearing arms of the latest pattern. ments in Hongkong may be fairly considered These rebels have been finding Anuam a to be inciting to boycott-for the implica-convenient sort of sanctuary. The chairman tion of these innocent" announcements is quite well understood - and we suggest that the Police should be given instructions to order their removal wherever seen, and to prosecute where the order is dis- obeyed, or the offence repeated. By so doing we would, as a Colony, be doing our duty to our Allies, and at the same time seconding the efforts of the Chinese Central Government, which has signified its dis- approval of this boycott. We should also thereby squash the suspicion that we are -as tradesmen-desirous of profiting by something we know to be wrong. We do not believe that any of us have sympathised with the boycott movement, because we all know very well that if the Chinese get accustomed to use that weapon and find it invariably successful that it might very easily be turned against ourselves before very long, perhaps for some very trivial and unanticipated reason. It is becoming plain enough now to acute observers that this boycott does not rest upon an clusively anti-Japanese basis. It is, so far as the Cantonese are concerned, a sort of test case, to decide whether the two Kwang are to be governed from Peking or Canton, While we are not particularly in love with the present Dynasty, it is the Government, and it is vitally important to foreign in- terests (as well as to Chinese progress) that the power of the one and undivided authority should be upheld, that there should be only the one responsible headquarters. If the British had been occupying Japan's shoes at the present moment, the China Association and others in this Colony would certainly have been agitating for the dismissal of the present Viceroy, and for his substitution by some official who would have shown readier obedience to the instruc- tions of the Central Government. It can be no satisfaction to our Japanese friends and allies that the Chinese boycotters are and must be suffering economically pari passu with themselves, and it is not viewed with any more complacence at Peking, where the high authorities are realizing to the full the direction in which Cantonese frenzy is

ex-

some observations by a valued correspondent who pertinently pol to the fact that during the short term of His Excellency's administration business in Macao has gone from bad to worse. The revenues of the Colony have also suffered from the fact that half the fan-tan shops which existed when His Excellency came to the Colony, are now closed. The Santa Casa Lottery (another revenue-earning institution) has also ceased to exist, owing to the greed of some- body in authority," our contributor affirms. Again, we are told that about half the Chinese population have left the Colony, and now practically the Colony's only remaining industry, the Silk Spiuning Works, which formerly employed hundreds of women and children, is permanently closed owing to trouble with the Govern- ment officials. It must be confessed that of the " Self-Government Society" of Canton this represents a sad record of failure, is on his way to Annam. Certainly that is a but cau the blame be justly laid upon coincidence lending colour to our recent the shoulders of Senhor COUTINHO? allegation (the truth of which is generally contributor's statement indicates that there admitted now) that the boycott is at bottom is much that is rotten in the government an anti-dynastic movement. If CHAN WAI of the Colony, and prima facie it is Po is a rebel, it is to be hoped that the a charge against the governor that French authorities will intercept him before an important industry should disappear he can join the others and cause more 'owing to trouble with government mischief. In any case they will not be fficials," and, again, that another source likely to approve of such propagandists of revenue should be lost "owing to adding to the ferment already observable in the greed of somebody in authority." Annam. The raiders on the Yuunan border What the Governor's reply to such a charge have openly declared themselves to be the would be we can only surmise. It is no soldiers of SUN YAT-SEN, a gentleman whom new thing to hear such allegations made the Chinese Government would very much against subordinate officials in Macao, nor like to catch. The Viceroy of the Yun- would it be new to hear suggestions that Kwei provinces reports that they (the they had been concerned in deliberate insurgents) appear to be well provided with attempts to embarrass the Governor; but as funds, a comiuissariat, and excellent arms

to the truth of such allegations we are not in and ammunition. They have already cap- a position to pronounce any opinion. Our tured some Government forts and many contributor admits that amongst the Portu- Government rifles, and the Viceroy Las guese residents in the Colony the Governor asked that his neighbours be instructed to

has a very good name," and we have every send reinforcements, otherwise he cannot reason for believing that their laudations of bold Yunnan for the Empire! The Gover- Senhor COUTINHO as an honest administrator nor of Kwangsi was thereupon ordered to having at heart the welfare of the Colony send troops with all possible speed. There was sincere aud entirely free of sycophancy. is also a story of a protest from the Waiwupu Our regular correspondent at Macao, who to the French Government, complaining is seldom able to say a good word for the that Anuam is being allowed to be usel as administration, recognised that in Seahor a rebel base. It is quite certain that the COUTINHO the Colony had a capable and just French do not want that sort of thing going administrator; but it matters little who may on, and possibly they have been as much occupy that ornamental position so long as surprised as the Yunnan Viceroy was.

the Lisbon Government insists on exercising Unfortunately, their regular forces have control over the pettiest details of the been seriously reduced in that part of the administration. Thwarted and humiliated world, and they are not in a position to sweep up the country or to adequately guard their frontier from being violated as it seems to have been. They ought to be able to intercept the Cantonese visitors and keep them out of mischief. The N.-C. Daily News suspects that the trouble is being greatly exaggerated, "for the sake of the kudos that will be attainable at the end of the campaign," and so far as the tales of furious fighting go, we have no doubt that it is all bunkum. But there is another cause of exaggeration, panic, and panic may,

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as the Governor of Macao is shown to have

been, we do not see how any Governor can hope to possess that control over the administrative machine which counts for efficiency. What seems to be urgently needed, if Macao is ever to recover her lost status in the East, is the appointment of a Commission composed of the best men available in Lisbon to thoroughly investigate the conditions of the Cloay, and-wat is still more important that the Lisboa Government should act upon their recommendations.

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