The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-07-30
SATURDAY
JULY 50, 1881
Chinese Secret Societies.

To what extent the secret organizations among
Cinnamon, which have been the terror of those
British settlements in the East which have large
Chinese populations. may have been developed
here we are without information. official or
private. 1t is, however, impossible to recall the
history Of such places or to read Of what, from
time to time, occurs in them, without feeling
some apprehension as to the future of this city
should the influx OF Chinese 90 on unchecked for
any length Of time. What strong governments
like those in the British Crown Colonies find so
difficult to regulate, our weak and unprepared
government would be utterly incapable of repress-
ing. In the last report of the = Protector of
Chinese at Singapore, we read that though
there were no serious disturbances among the
Chinese there last year d" the con-
tinual vigilance of the Registrars Of the Danger
Gus Societies and the police has, however, been
needed to prevent from growing into open riots
the lnnumer able petty disputes arising from the
disintregatiOn of the Hoeys and the increasing
desire of a few large Says or Clans to form
themselves into org anizations for offen>e and
defense"
The London and China Express in it's com
ments on the report Just quoted from, makes
some remarks which may, we think, be read
with profit here. Hitherto 1t can hardly be said
that except in respect to their use, of opium we
have made any attempt to - govern the Chinese
who are here. The great majority of them have,
up to the present time, been very peaceable and
well-behaved, and in the records of crime they
do not make any prominent figure I'm proportion
to their numbers) when compared with Hawaii
ans or other foreigners. They have been ex-
tremely prosperous, and prosperous people are
not usually turbulent. When they find things
here less rosy, when their numbers render sharp
competition for available good things necessary,
they may not be any better behaved here than
elsewhere. Meanwhile we have no officials who
know anything about them, their language, or
their ways, and we are not even talking of send
ing for any, OF Of training suitable men on the
spot. The proposal made in the subjoined
quotation from the journal just referred TO, is one
very suitable to our own case. 1t has Tor some
time past seemed to us that an arrangement of
the character indicated was needed here. AL
though the Chinese as n mass are peaceable,
there are few who have bad them as servants
who have not personal experience to relate of
characterization, insOlence and desertion OF ser
vice. Most people find it better to L" grin and
bear" such treatment, than to undertake the
troublesome task of seeking justice but if there
were any organization by which the offenders
could be promptly dealt with, there would be
fewer offences.
With regard to the question Of clan organi-
sations, it is a subject on which different opinions
are entertained. That they are more dangerous
than the Hoeys is a firm belief of the Singapore
officials, whose experiences of Hoikien and Tie
Chew rows are greater than in Secret Society
riots. On the other hand, Penang officials
would IN all probability express an opposite
belief, for their experiences are the reverse. The
shame which prevents respectable Chinese from
mixing in Secret Society quarrels does not exist
with reference to the clans. Were the clan
organisations universal amongst the Chinese in
the Straits Settlements there wonld be found
respectable and influential Chinese willing to
accept offices under the Government, and who
could be made responsible for the peace of their
district. These Captain Cinnamon, or whatever
name was given them, would find it to their
interest to preserve order, and in the event of a
quarrel between the members of opposite clans,
a meeting of the headsmen would, with the
assistance of Mr.. Pickering, the Chinese Protec-
tor, and his staff, soon settle the dispute. The
difficulty in dealing with the Hoeys is due to the
very fact that men Of no influence or reputation
occupy the position of headmen of the Secret
Societies, and this is Incontestably proved in the
case of Choah Mob Chun, who is acknowledged,
even by Mr.. Pickering, to have been of great use
in keeping peace, not only amongst the members
Of his own Hoey, but also between the other
societies and the clans. We cannot help think
ing, if the matter is carefully studied, that the
authorities must come to the conclusion that it is
necessary. as well as the best plan. to have a
system of Captain Chinese. IF this plan is
adopted it would not only assist in keeping
order, but would also act benefcially in the
cases of immigrants who would be divided
amongst the depOts of their various clans"