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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE MACAO BOUNDARY QUESTION.
(Daily Press, September 10th.)
[September 13, 1909,
warn the people against accepting every mischievous rumour that is put into circulation, and leave the settlement of the matter to the duly appointed Com- We trust this advice will missioners.
PRINCE ITO ON CHINA.
(Daily Press, September 11.) Prince Iro, the creator of Modern Japan, has confessed in a public speech recently that he has grave doubts about the success of constitutional government in China. We venture to add that those doubts are largely shared at the present time by nearly every student of Chinese politics. True, the decision of the Throne to grant constitutional government was generally welcomed abroad as evidence that at last the spirit of progress and reform had permeated into the very palace of Peking itself, but the wisdom of the decision not to grant it immediately was also recognised and extolled. The gift was to be dangled before the eyes of the nation for a period of ten years, during which term all necessary preliminary arrangements were to be made to prepare the people to receive the privilege that every civilised nation in the world enjoys. China's statesmen clearly recognised the backwardness of the nation, and the fact that vast administrative changes were needed before the day arrived for the promise to he fulfilled. So far the only outcome of this political prescience has been the inauguration of a measure of local autonomy, putting into the hands of the people a power which they seem to be in danger of using most unwisely and with sad, results. But before enlarging on this point, let us state the grounds of PRINCE Iro's pessimistic forebodings.
dues. So little is known, even to those in other respects well acquainted with Chinese matters, of the manner in which the Chinese Finances are conducted, or rather miscon- ducted, that it would be venturesome to
It is fully two months since the Chinese suggest precisely what course should be and Portuguese Commissioners arrived in be followed. If the agitators could only adopted. There is a great deal in favour of Hongkong to conduct negotiations for the understand how ridiculous and unworthy of the plan of allowing the Provincial Exche delimitation of the boundaries of the Colony respect China appears in the eyes of when such flag- quers a fair proportion of the dues collected of Macao, but so far, we understand, there the civilised world in commutation of likin through the Foreign have been only for sittings, and no pro-rant disrespect of constituted authority Customs, as there is already the machinery gress whatever seems to have been made is shown by the people, the appeal for the purpose in the Inspectorate, and towards a settlement of this long-standing of the Waiwupu would prevail; but we there would be a guarantee of regularity, if dispute. Indeed, the extraordinary attitude confess that the history of kindred agita- the matter were placed in its hands. This
which the Chinese in Canton and the Heung- tions by the Self-Government Society gives also would be, in reality, carrying out what shan district have adopted in regard to the little hope of this. In the present temper was undoubtedly the intention in the Commission make an amicable settlement of of the people of South China, which admits Treaty of Tientsin, as it was understood by the question extremely difficult, not to say of no compromise, the prospects of a success. the British-whatever view the Chinese highly improbable. They, in short, adopt ful issue of the negotiations are far from may have had or may have chosen later on the attitude that the boundaries are already hopeful. to say they entertained. On the other well known to the Chinese authorities and hand, there is, of course, much to be con- the people generally, and that the Portuguese sidered as to the difficulty of doing away have encroached upon them. Therefore, with so long established a system as that the only settlement which will be accepted of the collection of likin in the Provinces, by the Chinese public as satisfactory is one and it can be readily understood that it may which is in complete accordance with their be a difficult matter to get the Viceroys and own ideas on the subject. The appointment others to give up what in process of time of Commissioners to amicably discuss the they have come to look upon as their right matter with a view to arriving at a settle- in this matter without obtaining a substan ment has been a signal for agitation. The tial quid pro quo.
This was the weak point notorious Self-Government Society of Canton of the Treaty arrangement. In all fairness, was, of course, a prime mover in the matter. the Imperial Authorities were not justified In the Heungshan district a "Boundary in making any arrangement with foreign Protection Society has been called into countries in regard to internal taxes with existence, and a circular recently issued out first coming to a definite understanding broadcast in the district by the Society pro- with those who would be immediately poses the formation of a volunteer corps in affected by any such agreement-and it was every village. It is calculated, we under their omission of this necessary preliminary stand, that an armed force of 80,000 could step which in a large degree led to the thus be raised. With what object? This difficulties which have since arisen. If this Boundary Protection Society represents were once definitely settled, the door might that the excitement engendered by the be opened for the consideration whether any dispute over the boundaries of Macao increase in the tariff might be agreed is such that rumours are current to, but until some such arrangement has of a rebel movement" in the neighbouring been come to with the Provincial Officials district, aud as the authorities will not the request is manifestly premature. The increase the local military force, the agitators mere assurance of the Chinese Government urge that the people must take steps "to that it will be arrived at is evidently not protect themselves. No people are more sufficient. We practically had such an adept at using language to conceal their assurance in the Tientsin Treaty, but every thoughts than the Chinese, so no one one knows what it has amounted to in fact. familiar with the ways of the agitators will There is, of course, a third alternative that be misled by the subterfuge invented to might be resorted to, namely, that the likin form a pretext for this remarkable pro- dues should be recognised as collectable on posal. The plain meaning of it all is that foreign as well as Chinese held goods, but if the settlement of the dispute reached by that the likin system itself should be the Commissioners is unfavourable to Chi- thoroughly reformed, and placed upon a nese pretensions, then the people should basis which would secure equality of privi resort to force. This hostile attitude has lege to foreign and Chinese-held goods. doubtless been fostered to a great This would, if practicable, be satisfactory in extent by the publication of rumours one important direction, namely, that it in the Chinese Press representing would least interfere with the established that the Portuguese Commissioner has system in China. It is however, obvious formulated certain preliminary demands that the task of effecting such a reform-which it may incidentally be remarked would be by no means an easy one. The are foreign tó the actual business railway system, which has now become an established fact in China, and is destined to spread, might, however, afford the means of collecting such dues in a regular and definite inanner. The points at which such octroi should be payable might be defined and arrangements made to collect them by recognised officials at certain stations such as would not be oppressive to trade, and might be a source of fair revenue to the Provincial or Imperial exchequer as might be agreed. But in order that any such system should be effective, it would be necessary to secure a thoroughly organised system of collection, such as-seeing the irregularity that has always characterised Chinese financial matters of this kind- might be difficult to arrive at on Chinese lines, but which might possibly be attained by some system similar to that of the Inspectorate of Customs being applied also to the collection of Inland taxation,
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in hand and these have served well enough to add fuel to the fire. They have been semi-officially denied at Macao in an express" which has been widely cir- culated by one of the Chinese newspapers there, but the contradiction will prob- ably prove of little avail seeing that the authority on which it is made is not disclosed. The Chinese of the district have been worked up to such a pitch of excitement over the matter of the delimitation of the Macao boundaries that the Waiwupu has been bombarded with telegrams request ing that instructions should be telegraphed to the Chinese Commissioner "to adopt a firm attitude.” The Boundary Protection Society has even appealed for warships to be stationed in the neighbourhood of Macao. The limit of patience has been reached in Peking and the Waiwupu has sent to the Provincial Authorities
strong telegraphic despatch instructing them to
First, His Excellency points to the difficulty of satisfactorily running an Imperial Parliament until there is such a network of railways spread over China's vast empire as will bring the uttermost provinces within a few days reach of the Capital. He points out that at the present time it takes several months to reach some of the outlying parts of the Em- pire. But we must not overlook all that is covered by the fact that it is not proposed to grant a constitution for another seven or eight years. We do not think the present lack of rapid communications need be regarded as a serious obstacle to the success of Parliamentary Government at Peking eight or ten years hence. Parts of the Empire which five years ago took weeks to reach can now be visited by means of railways in a few days. When we reflect on the astonishing development of railway enterprises in China during the last five years, and when we take note of the fact that throughout the length and breadth of the land the attitude of the Chinese towards railways has changed from one of implacable antagonism to a mania to possess them, we may safely assume that in the next ten years the construction of rail- ways in all parts of the Empire will proceed on a more extensive scale than has been the case heretofore (provided the necessary
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