The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29

I.
The Island Of Java is divided into twenty
two administrative districts OF residences each
OF which is under the control of Dutch official
called the Resident The Dutch have been cafe
full not to thrust their government on the people
in an aggressive manner: the plan is followed Of
having a native official nominally governing
each Of the Iegcncies into which the residences
are divided. As the regencies or districts are
mapped out so as TO correspond with the ancient
native princpalites II has been possible to utilize
the natives Of high rank Regents in those
districts OF which, were il not for the Dutch occu.
patton, they would be the native rulers The
power rests with the Resident the form with the
Regent The Resident is called the Regents
eldest brother a title highly honorcd among
the Javanesc, and the orders of the Residents
are conveyed TO the Regents in the form Of
recommendations. which, coming from the ED.
est brother are, according TO immcmorial Gus.
tom always obeyed. The Regents surround them
selves with great deal Of Formally and ceremony.
and. as their salaries large and the enjoy me- mt
of their rank is dependent on the will Of the Govern
ment they can be relied TO carry out orders.
Under this system, the natives are not made to
feel the foreign yoke We add that the European
officials are carefully chosen. and are compelled
TO pass severe examinations in the history gcog
raphy, law, ethnology and customs of the natives,
and. in addition, must learn Malay or Javancse
with one or the other Of which languages all in
tercoursc with the natives is carried The
Governor General Of Java has very large dis.
cretionary powers, and is responsible for his
tons only TO the sovereign Of the Netherlands
The interior administration in Java consists of
the Governor. General and nominated advisory
board OF five members the Governor. General
T.. ~
board
Now let us turn TO the chapter in which the
author discusses the solution of the labor problem
by the Dutch matter about which a good deal
OF misconception is current What were the means
adopted by the Dutch to overcome the natural
Discrimination of men in the tropics for manual
labor Students OF economics no doubt, are IA
milier in a general way with the Dutch culture
system II existed in Java: but little attention
has been paid to the workings of the system for
the reason that during the past twenty five years.
its former rgor has been abated owing 10 the
existence OF an unfavorable public sentiment in
Holland; consequently. the peculiar conditions
which 1t created slowly disappearing. Any
account however. OF the labor problem in the
tropics which should fail to include a description
OF the culture system" would be incomplete
The first Dutch settlement in Java was made
in 1895 but II was not until 1921 that the first
important town. Batavia, was founded. Up 10
the beginning OF the nineteenth century the affairs
OF the island were administered by chartered
company called the Dutch East India Company
The policy pursued by the company was OF the
narrowest kind. Commerce was hampered by
restrictive regulations which forbade the natives
to trade in coffee. opium. timber salt pepper tin
spices and other commodities. the monopoly OF
which lay with the company. and the population
NJ The iala and fpy ttn ~