The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-09-08
SLAVERY IN Flu.
What British civilization" Has Done for
tho Ex-Cannibsls.

What British "Civilization" Has Done 70
the Ex-Cannibsls.
1t certainly seems strange anomal,
that we ''Britishers," who have gon'
about the whole of the habitable globe
ever foremost in the abolition of slav
cry, should have taken such very grea
pains to re-establish most undeniabl,
form of slavery as soon as we annexed
FIJI. Great Britain only consented, un
der pressure from Australia, to replact
King Thakombau on the understanding
''that FIJI was to be governed for thu
benefit of the Fijians." No doubt, from
certain point Of view, notably that O
Sir Arthur Gordon. the former Govern
or, and Sir VIM. Dcs Veux, the pres.
ent one, this understanding has been
carried out; but, unfortunately, opin.
ions materially differ as to whether
''the Fijians" mean the chiefs (ol
''local nobility'') or the commoners.
Certainly FIJI has been governed ''fol
the benefit of the chiefs, who, backed
up in every one of their aggressions on
their serfs (for they are nothing m ore)
by Government House, have grown rich
and prospered exceedingly. The au.
thority of these chiefs was confirmed by
England for several reasons, chiefly that
they were practically the representa-
tives or delegates of the people, and
that if the chiefs were brought into con.
tact with civilization, it could, through
them, reach thepeople in the pleasantes'
and easiest fashion.
Unfortunately what the chief under.
stood by civilization took a practical
form very speedily. Manchester goods
were very pleasant evidences of civiliza-
ton, preserved meats were toothsome;
and the chiefs also found superior merits
in boats and cutters built on European
lines. But all these things meant
money, and to get money was
easy enough to men who were per-
fectly we'll aware that they were
privileged beings IN the eyes of the Of
ficlals at Government House. What a
native chief might do to a native CON-
moner mattered little to the Governor
who had ratified to the former the right
to do practically as he pleased so long
as he avoided cannibalism. "Native
customs were to be scrupulously respect
ed;" and the native custom of Lala was
the very thing as lever for money rails
ing in the hands of the chiefs. The right
of La1a is the right possessed by the
chiefs to collect indiscrimlnate taxes at
their own will and for their own uses;
and in old days this feudal right was
seldom abused for two excellent rea-
sons. Firstly, before the arrival of the
Europeans and their civilization, the
chiefs had but few wants beyond house
and food; and, secondly, because the
chiefs knew quite well that if they OPP
pressed the people they would be de-
posed and dubbed to death. Even be-
fore the annexation, the growing influx
of trade was raising the greed Of good
things in the chiefs with SO distinct an
effect in the matter of Lala that the old
Fiji Government was doing its best to
break down this feudal right; and it
was in the hope of doing this still more
effectually that annexation was SO
strongly urged by the whites. Instead,
however, of doing any thing of the
kind, Sir Arthur Gordon determined to
govern through chiefs by the old feudal
system, and the Lala was not only not
broken down, but was revived in far
greater force than before without any of
its old restrictions. It can easily be
imagined, therefore, what Lala is made
to mean in the hands of the men intrust-
ed with such absolute power. What
ever the chief wants in town or country
he gets, and his people have to pay.
Resistance is out of the question for
them, for they know that the CHEF is
supported by the British Governor.
They have nothing which belongs to
them; every little possession on which
money can be raised may be, and gen.
orally is, seized and sold by the chief.
They plant but few yams (their staple
foo6; for, if they do, they know the
chief will seize the crop. If the women
and children are hungry, they endure
their hunger with sullen. hopeless pa
tience, or 60 and grub for wild roots in
the bush to satisfy their cravings. One
night a planter was awakened by ma
tive who begged to be allowed to place
his two pigs in the planters clubhouse;
the chief was to be round at the village
next morning, and, though the pigs
were all this native possessed, he knew
they would be taken from him. Only
by bringing them under cover of the
night to the planter could he hope
to keep them. If a native under
takes work on plantation, he is liable
to be called off for Lala by the chief. II
he has received any wages, the chief can
take them from him; if he plants food,
the chief can sell it.-London Saturday