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May 24, 1909.]
THE TRADE OF THE PHILIPPINES.
THE EFFECT OF TARIFF LEGISLATION.
A cable received from Washington by a prominent government official on the 11th inst, the Manila Cablencws, says, indicates that the mauling the big commercial interests in the United States gave the Colton Tariff in the daily meetings of the Congressional Ways and Means Committee was so severe that its own framers would not know it.
It seems that ten or more amendments have been added to the 60 that were reported before and that the rates which are proposed to be applied to the importation of foreign goods into the islands after free trade beween the islands and the United States becomes operative are being made so high in these amendments as to amount to practical exclusion of foreign goods, This will have the effect, if Congress permits the bill to go through, of giving American goods a practical monopoly of the Philippine trade. In other words, it is quite likely that the reduced cost of living which it was under- stood would be the beneficial result of free trade will disappear.
The Cablenews American has been informed on good authority that the big interests at home! stand in mortal fear that the foreign nations will dump their products into the islands and then slip them into the United States as Philippine goods free of duty. The tobacco trust thinks that Sumatra wrappers around Philippine fillers will deluge the American cigar market; Louisiana is afraid of Philippine rice; and cloth dealers imagine that English cotton will be added to native manufactures of jusi, pina and sinamay, etc.
Local customs officials expect that the preamble of the free trade bill will be about as follows: -- All articles that are the growth and the manufacture of the Philippine Islands shall be admitted into the United States free of duty, and all goods grown or manufactured in the United States shall be admitted free of duty into the Philippine Islands."
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
CHINESE IN SINGAPORE.
EFFECT OF TRADE DEPRESSION ON SICRET
SOCIETIES.
437
ANTI-GERMAN FEELING IN CHÍNA.
The Post publishes a letter from Tsinan-fu, in which bitter complaint is made that while the official and diplomatic relations of Germany and China are all that can be desired ill-feeling towards Germans continues to spread among the Chinese population.
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The boycott against everything Gorman which was carried on the Province of Shantung some months ago to an almost alarming extent has, it is pointed out, been stopped, but Chinese nowspapers in the Province still seize the most trifling reasons to incite their readers against Germans."
Mr. Warren D. Barnes, secretary for Chiuese Affairs, Straits Settlements, in the course of his report for 1908 writes:-The depression in trade has caused a considerable increase in the number of unlawful societies. These have little in common with the old dangerous societies and are rather gangs of bad character, whose objects are blackmail and faction fighting, than dotiuite
organisations joined by large sections of the population. They are, however, the cause of much crime, and the number now in existence both in Singapore and Penang calls for strong The letter statos: action to put them down. To deal with them school and the expulsion of a revolutionary "The closing of a Chinese
as societies is difficult owing to the looseness of teacher from the German sphere of influence, their organisation and the very temporary for example, are being decried in the wildest character of many of them. A successful prose-language as acts of violence on the part of the cution or the banishment of a prominent man Germans, and the newspapers announce that breaks them up for the time being but they the Germans are about to annex the coast form again later under a different name. The districts because they have been taking soundings most effective action will be to withdraw from and conducting surveys. The attitude of the their alien leaders the right to further abuse Governor of the Province towards these our hospitality. It is regrettable that the practices is eminently significant. He is proportion of Straits born Chinese among these known to be hostile to foreigners, though his leaders is increasing.
suspicious activity as Taotai of Shanghai in December, 1905, brought such condign punish- him that he is clever enough to avoid doing anything that might give the Germans cause to regard him as their open enemy. The population of his Province knows, howover, what his secret opinions are, and nothing is heard of any measures being adopted to suppress the movement against the Germans.
IMMIGRANTS.
Turning to immigration and omigration he says. The most notable feature in connection with immigation in 1908 was the imposition of of 14 days quarantine on account of small-pox against the three chief ports of departure for Chinese immigrants, viz., Hongkong, Swatow and Amoy, from the end of March to the begin ning of July and of a ten days quarantine on account of plague against Hongkong continued until the middle of September. These measures though amply justified on sanitary ground had tion. During the first quarter, tho figures were a disastrous effect upon the volume of immigra-
the quarantine was imposed) they fell to 23,804, about normal but in the second (during which
the maximum, minimum and average figures for the previous nine years being 79,607 (1904) 55,696 (1899) and 67,756 respectively. From a comparison of the
returns of
The local committee that drew up the Colton Tariff Bill was George R. Colton, insular col-arrivals at Singapore from China and of lector of customs; Heury B. McCoy, deputy col-Chinese departures from Singapore for Hong. lector; Hartford Beaumont, special deputy kong it would appear probable that on an average collector; A. J. Gibson, assistant insular of ten years, about 6 per cent. of our Chinese auditor, and M. Drew Carrell, chief clerk of immigrants return to China; the highest per- the Bureau of Customs. They were advised by centage in any year being 70 and the lowest Appraisers Jos. E. Malloy and Henry E.
51. The figures are approximately accurate; Wallace. The latter is now in Washington practically all steamers carrying deck passengers with Colonel Colton. The schedules this board from Singapore to China make Hongkong their drew up were calculated to bring increased first port of call and the number of Chinese who revenue from foreign goods to help make up the leave Malaya for China otherwise than via expected deficit, without making it too difficult Singapore is very small. for the foreign goods to get in.
ES
AVE ATQUE VALE,"
ADMIRAL LAMBTON AND SIR CLAUDE MACDONALD ENTERTAINED,
ADVISING GAMBLER.
In the last four years 71 persons have been banished as professional morphia injectors. It is to be feared that despite frequent prosecutions and severe sentences the morphia-habit is steadily growing. Indulgence in it affords a much cheaper and speedier gratification than does opium-smoking.
A garden-party was given on the afternoon of the 6th inst in honour of dmiral Sir Hed-to the department is 572 with 3,864 inmates." worth Lambton and his officers at the Koraku yen Garden, Tokyo, under the auspices of the British Association in Tokyo. The function was also availed of as a farewell meeting to Sir Claude MacDonald, President of the sociation, whỏ returns home shortly on leave of absence. The guests were received
As-
by Prince Tokugawa, President of the
House of Peers, who acted as host for the occasion. Despite the inclemency of the weather, there
were varions interesting performances, such as jugglery, theatrical plays, etc., and then the guesis were entertained with & cold collation. Among those present, besides the principal guests, were Admiral Sir H. Rawson, Admiral Togo, Count Hayashi, Count Kormurs, Admiral Laito Minister of the Navy, Admiral Shimamura and many ladies and gentlemen.
In the evening Admiral Lambtou and his officers, over 40 in number, were invited to the Maple Club, where they were entertained at a Japanese dinner by Mayor Ozaki of Tokyo and othere members of the Tokyo Municipality. During the proceedings the guests were also entertained with an exhibition of the "Maple dance" and other performances.
The number of persons banished was 433, ninety more than in the previous year. 347 of
ment
on
"The complaint made to him by the German Consul of this place was replied to a courteous and friendly manner, but he expressed the opinion that the movement would die out of itself if both parties kept strictly to the tenor of their treaties. He saw no reason to take any action in respect of mere slanderous newspaper statements, which means, of course, that newspapers may continue with impunity their incitement against Germans. The same Governor recently received Admiral Trüppel, the Governor of the German Protec- # torate, politely, it is true, but most coldly, and he carefully avoided discussion of any political questious such as the Tientsin-Pukou Railway or the University to bo established at Tsingtan with Chinese collaboration broached by the
Admiral.
"In such circumstances it is not surprising that the feeling against the Germans becomes daily more hostile, especially as Japanese news- popors also are successfully inciding public feel- ing against the alleged monopolising policy of the German Government.
CHRISTIANITY IN KOREA.
At the monthly general meeting of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge last month Dr. Weir, who has been working as a medical missionary in Korea for some years, said that the country had become increasingly important The number of brothels and prostitutes known since the war between Japan and Russia Korea The figures show no great variation from pre- dynasty before the Manchurian invasion. The was now very much like China during the Ming
vious years. The inmates are called to the Koreans would often lie and steal, but, on the office twice in the year and their legal freedom other hand, they did regard patience and meek- explained to them. This and other measures noss as being supreme virtues, and they possess- are fairly effectual in protecting them from ill-ed them in a remarkable degree. They were treatment by brothel keepers.
Confucianists ond Buddhists, or under the spell of a variety of superstitions. They were however, eager and anxious to hear everything concerning Christianity, not perhaps for Christianity, but because they recognized that their Japanese conquerors had overcome them by means of something learned from the Westerns, which the Koreans, for want of a better name, describ- ed as enlightenment. The Koreans were there- fore seeking enlightenment, and, as a means of finding it, regarded Christianity with favour. Many who knew the people well believed that in a few years the Koreans would be a nation of Christians. The number of converts was growing with enormous rapidity. Dr. Weir also gave some information with regard to the medical mission at Chemulpo maintained by the society.
them were habitual criminals.
Action was taken in Singapore to put down some Wong Tai Sin chapels. Wong Tai Sin is a local demigod of Canton who came into sudden prominence there as a reliable adviser for sick people and lottery-ticket buyers. His images were brought here and at the time when action was taken, four rival idol-owners were advising chap ji ki stakers and receiving fees for doing so. Many petitions were received as to the harm these chapels were doing by fostering the habit of gambling among women.
The Rev. J. A. A. Baker, Wesleyan Chaplain, has received a donation of $250, through Mr. Shewan, from the Hongkong Rope Manufactur- ing Co. Ltd for the Sailors and Soldiers,
Home.
Grants of money and books amounting to upwards of £3,458 were voted. Those amounts included £2,000 for the society's medical mis-
sion work.
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