tyh" , 7 m -r-
. ,ihmiii mME0Mlam
imukHmmmmmmmmiimimmae' '-
jBilrtliHtlllllt
,
-'K.i
.'-'
. if
VOLUME 6, NUMBER 'It .V'-
The Comnioner,
J
fjff-TTv Br BSfe BjL- 7m
Sr 1HKV
w.
?...
ft'
Mm,' JBB-w1
BC'iJiiO(BHffiSw
-' '
S' ' i
WXV t'
W k
f
2 .
ing hours, clad in loose hanging sarongs and thin
dressing sacques, their hare feet encased in
sandals. On the Dutch boat upon which wo
left Batavia wo saw posted notices designating
the hours during which the sarong could he worn,
and giving permission to men to wear a pajama
llkG outfit during tho same hours.
The Malay women wear no hats but tne men
usually wear a turban, the tying of which is a
great perplexity to the foreigner.
The natives of tho Malay islands appear to
be a mild mannered and peaceful people, although
fighting tribes have been encountered in the
mountain regions, tho suppression of which has
cost tho Dutch many lives and a large outlay or
florins. In Sumatra there 'are sections that have
never been subdued.
Tho Chinaman is to be found throughout
the archipelago; in fact, he far outstrips all other
foreign elements. The population of Java is given
as 28,747,000 in the government statistics, and
of this total 277,000 are Chinese. The number
of Europeans ia given as 62,477, and the number
of Arabs at 18,000, while a little more than three
thousand come from other Asiatic countries. I
was informed that the 62,000 described as Euro
peans included the half castes who number more
than 40,000, the number of real Europeans being
about 20,000. In the other islands controlled by
Holland, the population is given at a little more
than five and a half millions, and the number of
Chinese at 260.000, while the European population
is estimated at 13,000, the Arabs at 9,000 and
, otiier Asiatics at 13,000. It will be seen from
c 'these figures that the Chinese form the chief
''foreign ingredient in Netherlands India as they
' dOvjta. BorXeo and the Straits Settlements. In
3vftL whoreNwo had a chance to observe them,
wt found thai the Chinese monopolized the mer
cantile business "except where they were com
pelled to shareit with Arabs and Indians. We
also heard of "thVsm as money lqaners, the rate
of Interest being-generally usurious. It may 'be
said to their credit; however, that as Shylocfcs
the Arabs can surpass them. The superiority of
the Arab in this , tfespect has given rise to the
to get this spice trade into their own hands..
For this purpose they adopted the wise principle
of concentrating the culture of these valuable
products in those spots of which they could have
complete control. To do this effectually it was
necessary to abolish the culture and trade In all
other places, which they succeeded in doing by
treaty with the native rulers. These agreed to
have all the spice trees in their possessions de
stroyed. They gave up large though fluctuating
revenues, but they gained in return a fixed sub
sidy, freedom from the constant attacks and
harsh oppression of the Portuguese', and a con
tinuance of their regal power and exclusive au
thority over their own subjects, which is main
tained in all the islands except Ternate to this
day. It is no doubt supposed by most English
men, who have been accustomed to look upon
this act of the Dutch with vague horror, as some
thing utterly unprincipled and barbarous, that
the native population suffered grievously by this
destruction of such valuable property. But it is
certain that this is" not the case."
Ho then proceeds to charge that the native
sultans had a "rigid monopoly" of the spice trade
before the Dutch arrived and that the latter by
prohibiting the cultivation of spices left the na
tives more time for .the production of food and
other saleable things, and Concludes: "I be
lieve, therefore, that this abolition of the spice
trade in the Moluccas was actually beneficial
to the inhabitants, and that it was an act both
wise in itself and morally and politically justifi
able." It will be noticed that in a very brief space
he employs the arguments mainly relied upon to
support monopoly wherever it has appealed, arid
also for colonialism in its worst forms. In the
first place, the Dutch had to ''repay themselves"
for having "relieved the native princes from
their Portuguese oppressors" that is, they had
to collect pay for their philanthropy; second, as
the sultans were doing the same thing the Dutch
might as well do it that is, the very familiar
argument, "If we don't do it, somebody else will:"
and third, it was a good thing for the natives
' laying tamong the natives that the Chinama.n-.it js never difficult to prove this to, the man who
leaves ajaaJtvp-iUh &othiiur.iU)t.a sarong while vproius py tne system. But nothing is said as
nst-i&UD strips., him bare. Many Ohinamenuhave to the. effecV'of the' monopoly "upon consumers
grown rich and have permanently .identified vtfiern- Qf spices throughout, the world. It dqeg not seem
selves with the country, and of these some have
&uclJcarde(1 tnQ queue entirely while others have re
gained it m a diminutive form, a little wisp of
nair growing trom a spot not much larger than
a dollar and lengthened out with silk thread.
Apropos of the Chinese agitation against
our exclusion act, it is interesting to know that
the Chinese I'orn in Java presented a petition
to tho governor general a few years ago asking
for the restriction of the further immigration
of Chinese coolies. The petition was not granted
but the leader of the movement so arousea the
wrath of the coolies that they called upon' him in
a body and pelted his house with mud.
In all of tho Malay -states the opium vice is
turned to account by the rulers. In some paces
the sale of opium is a government monopoly,
while in others it is farmed out to the highest
bidder. In North Borneo there is a district called
Sarawak, owned and ruled by an Englishman who
is known as Rajah Brooke. When we were pas
sing through Singapore, I noticed in a morning
paper an advertisement wherein the Sarawak
government asked for bids for a three years
lease of the "opium farm," "gambling farm," and
"arrack farm" (arrack is the native name for
an intoxicating liquor). In all of the archipelago
the vices of the people seem to be as remunera
tive to the government as their virtues, and I
was reminded of the Chinese official at? Peking
who jokingly informec me that he had a selfish
reason for opposing the boycott of American
goods because it would deprive him of American
cigarettes of which he was very fond
The Dutch traders followed the ' Portuguese
into the East Indies and in time supplanted them.
Holland then chartered the East India Trading
company and Amsterdam became the spice cen
ter from which all Europe drew its supplies. The
Dutch Trading company was manned by a thrifty
crew, and it was not long before they conceived
of monopolizing the world's spice market, and
accomplished this by destroying groves and
prohibiting competition by treaty with the na
tives. They are also charged with destroying
spice by the ton in Amsterdam in order to main
tain the price. One apologist for this almost
universally condemned practice of the Dutch
.8. ays: '
. , "When the Dutch established their influence
in these seas aiut relieved the native princes
from their Portuguese oppressors, they saw that
the easiest way to) repay themselves would be
t oecur to the writer above emoted (Wallace)
that they are to be considered. The view point
from which he looks at 'the whole matter "can be
judged from his admonition to the British that
they must not be too much "afraid of the cry of
despotism and slavery" if they are to improve
their ."rude subjects" and raise them up toward
their own level. '
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, ,
the Dutch East India company becamo involved
and turned Its possessions over to the crown of
Holland, since which tiriie Netherlands India has
been a crown colony. There was a brief interim
of British rule (1811 to 1816) but at the close
of the Napoleonic wars the Dutch regained their
possessions by treaty, and the English congratu
lated themselves that they had been relieved of
a burden. - k
The' Dutch have governed Java through the
.natives, a resident acting as "elder brother' to
the Javanese ruler. While the native govern
ment has not been disturbed, and while the na
tive ruler is protected from rival claimants, he
Is really a prisoner in his own castle and can no't
leave the premises without permission. However,
as these native rulers receive good .salaries and
are allowed to exact todmage from their subjects,
they seem quite content with their lot andthe
people, naturally docile, yield obedience to tlie
chiefs of their own' race.
The culture system, aside frpm the Indirect
method of ruling, is the, 'distinguishing feature
of Dutch colonialism as It existed until recent
years. The East India company followed the
practice of the native princes and collected a
land tax or rent of one-fifth of the crop, and re
quired in addition the labor of all able-bodied
males for one day in five. During the five years
of British rule forced labor was abolished ' and
a land tax substituted for the one-fifth rent, while
a separate property system was encouraged. As
soon as the Dutch resumed control, they went
back to their old regime except that they de
manded one day's labor in seven instead of one
day in five. By regulating the crops to be plant
ed, by collecting the fifth of the produce of the
Ull(1nd by compelling the peasants to plant
one-fifth of the village lartd in crops to be sold
to the government at a fixed price far below the
market price, the government of Holland derived
arge revenues from its India possesions. It has
been estimated that in fifty years jn sum exceed
ing three hundred million dollars was 'exacted
from the natives in forced labor and in the saleof.
produce below the market price. As might beex- '
pected, the greed which manifested itself in the
conduct of the government aroused increasing ,
criticism and the authorities were at last com
pelled to change their methods.
Those who travel through Java are unani
mous in their praise of the beautiful roads and
the substantial bridges that span the .streams;
they admire the commodious plantation homes,
the splendid tea and coffee farms and the well '
built and well kept cities, and they are inclined
to excuse the means' employed by the foreigners
in the development of the islands, ft must be
remembered, however, that the rice fields, which
are most attractive, existed before the Euro
peans set foot upon the soil and that the spices,
instead of being introduced by the Dutch, were 'the '
products which first attracted their attention.
The Dutch have charged a high price for the
services rendered and have given little attention
to the intellectual and moral improvement of the
people. Being surprised that the Javanese had
a well developed system of agriculture and Irriga
tion before the Europeans arrived, I asKed an
intelligent Hollander: "What, the have the
Dutch taught the Javanese?" and he replied
laughingly, "We have taught them'to pay us their
money." ' . : ' t
The fact that the culture system lias .after"
full discussion been abandoned is a sufficient
condemnation of it, and the' fact that reforms
are being introduced is a confession that they
were needed. I had the pleasure of meeting the
present governor, General Van Heutsz, and found
him interested in enlarging the educational sys
tem andJn lightening the burdens upon the peo
ple. He has already refduced the labor require
ment one half, so that the natives now give one
day in fourteen to the government instead of
dne'day in seven.
The governor of Netherlands India receives
th$ , samfe salary as our- president, and the
resident receives a salary which, including allow
ances, amounts to nearly ten thousand dollars.
The expenses of the colonial 'government are paid"
by the natives and by the foreigners' residing,
there, but the goydrnment of Holland no longer
draws an jiiicome from the islands. Her advant
ages are at present indirect ' orfs' and 'consist
first of profits earned by her 'citizens in trade
with the islands; second, of1 rents collected cy
ber citizens from plantations; arid thirty of sal
aries drawn hy her citizens for civil or military
service in the islands. ' '
Formerly land was sold to foreigners but
for a great many years it has been the policy of
the government to sell no lariifl whatever to either
Europeans or Asiatics, but to lease it for seventy
five years .or less. I was surprised to find that
the natives own considerably more than twice as
much ,as foreigners hold under lease or deed and
that land, the product of which must be sold
to the government at a fixed price, has been 're
duced to 300,000 acres. ' ' '
. One of the beneficent reforms about to be
inaugurated is the establishment of government
pawnshops which will loan money to the people
at a low rate of interest and" thus rescue them
from the extortion which has been, practiced upon
them. The government, his already established
savings banks in which Ihe deposits are constant
ly .increasing. ' '
There Js a growing demand fin Java for a
greater recognition of the people 'in government,
and this demand is being yielded to in the cities.
The colonial authorities r have encouraged the
soldiers to marry native wonten, these marriages
terminating when the" spldjers return to Europe.
As a. result, tJiere is a h?ilf caste element which
has- ,beenM given "better educational advantages 4
than areNaccqrded to the natives., This clement
considers, itself as native although counted in'the
censu as European and is "already organizing
with a view of securing more civil liberty. '
. Whatever, may be said of Dutch Colonialism m
in the past, a new era is dawning, and the Pres
ent rulers recognize that their .administration
must be measured by the improvement in "the
people rather than by the prpfits drained ,from
the land by Europeans, , r .'
1 Copyright;- ' . r iijtfK-
' ' " ' JJJ ' ' ,vit -
DIFFERENT SPLITS -.';
The Wall Street Journal say?:' "Bqthtitho
democratic and the republican parties are split
into two or three great factions, and it is a, ques;.
tion how long- these factious can he held togeffigf
by the mere power of historic names," But,. there
is this difference: The split in the republicM -party
is among the rank and -file. The ''splitters
in tho democratic party are largely generalswfth
out material following.
tfS