T
July 19, 1909.]
THE SITUATION IN PERSIA.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
49
the benefit not only of themselves but of] We have been made acquainted by REUTER is traceable to the constant strife which the nation at large. The notion that labour [with the fact that in anticipation of the primitive communities waged with each can do without capital is as absurd as to march of Nationalist troops on Teheran, other. The student of history remembers suppose that capital can be made produc- Russian troops had been moved from the helot of Greece and the bondman of tive without the employment of labour; Baku to a point within reach of the Persian Rome, and it will also be remembered that and burdens cannot be placed upon the Capital. As, however, the telegrams tell the nations which succeeded these had their one without very soon affecting the other. us that neither the lives nor property of particular forms of slavery or serfdom. If the effect of Taxing Capital in the foreigners are in danger, there is no excuse The Saxons when they settled in England LLOYD GEORGE style is to send it out of the at present for the active intervention of the brought with them that system of villeinage country, can that mean any thing else than Russian General. While England is which obtained there till the middle ages. diminished employment of the working deeply interested in the situation, there is The slaves then were generally attached to classes in the country, and proportionate thanks to the self-denying clauses of the the soil. They held land from their masters, diminution of its productive capabilities? Anglo-Russian Convention negotiated a Such finance may, possibly, be of service in couple of years ago-no longer any cause
to whom they looked for protection in time keeping up a majority in the House by for apprehending that the political turmoil liberty, and their condition perhaps is better of war. They enjoyed a certain amount of yielding to the views of those who have in Persia will involve two great Europeau described as that of bondsmen rather than nothing to lose by the taxation they assist Powers in a war. It can readily be imagiu-slaves. Whether the form of serfdom which in passing; but things are certainly getting ed that the chaos which has prevailed in obtains in China is the descendant of that to a critical pass when party tactics are Persia, and especially in Northern Persia, slavery associated with the utilisationof pri- carried to the length of imposing taxation during the past eighteen months would which is manifestly against the commercial have offered strong temptation to Russia to to assert that the system of bondage found soners of war is not quite clear, but it is safe and financial interests of the country for attempt to gain complete control over those to-day in that great empire is parallel with merely party objects. What seems most provinces. But the Convention has been the villeinage of the dark and middle ages in strangely to be overlooked is that there are a powerful restraining influence. Though it | Europe. The bondsmen are invariably attach- no persons who, in the long run will suffer may be, as critics contended, at the time, ed to the soil. They may be bought or they more from the adoption of such a policy that the sacrifices made than the working classes themselves for the Britain in negotiating this agreement their owner not being able to keep them they by Great may be born in bondage, but in the event of sake of whose votes it has been adopted. were excessive, and though it may be
that the agreement
may find work elsewhere and ultimately in is many details buy their freedom. This, it will be noticed, unsatisfactory, it has in the short period of is one feature in common with the system eighteen months been put to a severe teat which once prevailed in England. Happily, with eminently satisfactory results. Had it is now not so common in China for men the outcome of the political chaos in Persia at any rate, to lose their liberty. Boys are been the military occupation of the northern no longer bought to be slaves. They are and_southern divisions of the country bought to be sons, to become members by Russia and Great Britain, respectively, of a sonless family, and with a view to their results of terrible importance could have doing their duty to their benefactors when been auticipated. Certainly there the latter have ceased to live. Unfor good reason to feel profoundly thankful for tunately, the the existence of the Anglo-Russian Con- regard to girls. Their easy purchase helps same cannot be said with vention which enables the British public to perpetuate and make most acute the and the whole civilised world to watch the social evil in China. It is a subject that progress of the drama in Persia without should make China's well wishers blush for getting into a ferment of anxiety.
her good game. That girls of tender years should be purchased with the malevolent design of one day consigning them to the horrible existence which so many economi- cally helpless women drag out in houses of ill-fame is an evil, an outrage, that must be apparent to all fair-minded people in and out of China, and its removal ought to appeal to all humanitarians. Doubtless, if the VICEROY's action be correctly reported, HIS EXCELLENCY's proclamation aims at this social blot. Were it erased through his instrumentality, countless numbers of girls and women would have cause to rise and call his name blessed, and China would cer- tainly benefit by the purification. We ported proclamation, but we hope it is true. have not seen any confirmation of the re-
We hope also that its operation will not be limited to the Canton viceroyalty, but that it will spread throughout the empire.
*
SLAVERY IN CHINA,
is
(Daily Press, 15th July.) The news so far received respecting the events at the capital of Persia are too meagre to enable us to speculate with much profit on the chances of success for the Nationalist movement; but the fact that the Nationalist troops have been able to enter Teh ran and remain there shows that the ti e has arrived when the barbarous autocracy of the SHAH must give place to a ess cruel, less corrupt alad more competent administration. The contest would be vastly simplified for foreign spectators if it were possible to regard the popular party as standing for a clear Constitution. But we have been told by the Press Correspondents in Persia that unfortunately there, is too
(Daily Press, 16th July) much evidence that the Nationalist leaders If the news published in a northern are "not all HampdENS of integrity," and contemporary that the VICEROY of Canton that their conception of a Constitutional has issued a proclamation ordering all Government gives the phrase not much householders to emancipate their slaves be more than the value of a metaphor. Still, uot correct, we may be pardoned for the circumstances under which the Nation-expressing the hope that the intention alist movement came into existence in 1905, as a protest against the increasing popular misery and discontent with a corrupt and incompetent administration and an extra- vagant Court would seem to indicate that the general mass enrolled under the Nationalist banner are inspired by better &nd higher ideals, and, given the opportunity, they may, like the Young Turks, prove to be uot so black as they are painted. Within a twelvemonth they had wrung from the SHAH the promise of & Constitution; and a National Council or Consultative Assembly of 162 repre- sentatives of all classes excepting the peasant and working classes, was called into exist ence. But much internal disorder followed, for which the Parliament did not appear entirely free from blame. The SHAH in 1907 signed a new Constitution, limiting the sovereign prerogatives and ecclesiastical authority and granting liberty of conscience, of the person, of education, of the press, of association and of speech. But he broke his pledges and violently dissolved the Parliament. The result has been serious political unrest and some bloodshed. The power of
the SHAH rests upon the Army and on money. If he loses the support of either, he evidently cannot for long defy the growing body of Nationalists. Further news from Persia will be awaited with eager interest.
nevertheless exists. That slavery, as such, obtains in China is perhaps not well known, but its existence cannot be doubted. The proclamation itself, or the report that the proclamation has been issued, is proof that such a condition prevails, though it has to be admitted that the slavery does not take that horrible shape found in Africa or formerly in America, but rather corresponds to the villeinage in Europe of the dark and middle ages. In one respect only is the serfdom in China as bad as the slavery of it would appear as if the proclamation Taking the report, however, as it stands, Africa, and that is in the unholy traffic referred more particularly to the bondmen which is found all over the empire of buying to whom we have already alluded. The little girls in order to have them trained report sets out "The Viceroy of Canton for immoral lives. With this exception, has issued a proclamation ordering all which certainly shows no diminution as the householders to emanicipate their slaves years pass, slavery as such has been dwindl- and report to the local authorities within ing in China, until now it is only found in the interior-and to a limited extent with is kept in bondage after that time to apply He further directs any slave who
an exceptional instance now and then into the officials for release." Even in large cities.
In olden times we know that slavery was one of the outcomes of war. Prisoners were not always slain: frequently their lives were spared so that the captors might utilise them as servants and labourers or include them in the rank of their fighting men. Ancient history also acquaints us with men and women who sold themselves or were sold to masters in liquidation of debts contracted, but there seems to be little doubt that the real origin of slavery
one year.
this limited sense the news must afford gratification. It bears testimony to the spread of enlightened ideas, and shows that modern thought is permeating the Empire. In other words, it is another sign of the times. It is another step in the march of progress. In this matter we have to recog- nise that China is not so far behind the western world as in others. It is not a century since slavery was abolished in British dominions; in Europe itself, notably in Russia, serfdom continued till about the
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