New-York tribune., 1899-02-14
THE DUTCH IN JAVA.
HOW THIRTY THOUSAND DUTCHMEN
RULE TWENTY-FIVE MILLION
NATIVES

eIlar returning from Java what most lmpresseo
him In their magnificent colony, !here ana
temntation TO answer. Seeing them theIe az az
seeing Them remaining there. ms Il'ie P1 POF
whose country is mere point on the nc, nc nc
Europe, has ruled with adlnlIap.' az 1cnan which
vast colonial empire of the ln1ldH W NN"''' .,,ra,
contains twenty -hVe million inhabitants ,.h"se
ing islands as large as France lslaiiu " ,ns, in
interior England would ne o! ~
sea Of forests , .o,,,.oe ir the
How have they maintained themselves p,,che ~, ohe
archipelago? How DO thirty thousdiim,tu ia
men peaceably govern twenty -hNe NM .bIe j.
npse who are satisfied with their iot M ~ 80
the most marvellous thine IN java an" 10 ~
interests US TO examine 49,, .;,,o of Gov
The agent of the kine has the ny ond
,nrGereral He is the chief of the lahd an"
sea forces Of the Dutch Indies ne vr,has ~
preme control over the dHeteh' stDs "a ~,
General administration. he makes "i "iu'n o., ~,,oI
en matters not regulated by law OF ny 'oIoi
dscroe. he declares war ConcluOes i'"Oee' 60
makes treaties with the native princes ne , ep
roints TO civil and military Offices ne eAol,,o1 eAolri
Ia mower of pardon and no sentence ol caPl'a'
punishment can be executed without NE h1s
,boritv Protection Of the natives Is one %. n''
-. ';,,,,',r,art dutjes. he takes care tnat no
srant ~ land does injury to their rikhts @ @anu
subjects the government farms L" 'ne ,b
Of administrative regulations NJ VY9u.t,c ond
,ature and extent Of the labor cohtltu''u"S e
iooks after the execution Of the ordinances
Iating thereto. lie can Danish fore - NJ
disfurh the public peace. In WORD the w
eanta,fve ~ the King is invested with compete
,ove~. m the Indian empire ne u d'''''S'
king. I'M the most al solute sense OF me VIZ T.,
By his side. or rather n'lo" mn, -" t.h bir,
Aocd o. council Of the Indies. sitting Win @ @hlln
-. rr.si3ent and composed of Nlce-pI' 'Siue"'
and four members. but 1t is only oody ior con,
sulfat;on whose advice ne taxes. without oe'"e
obliged 10 foNo" l'
TWENTY-FIVE GOVERNORS
The island Of Java is divided into tventy.'wo
provinces al tho head ~ when are pIa''u ,Iot
IIoan officials who are as omnipotent I'D .i'H
n~o,.irce as the Govtrnor-Geroral in the colony
Rut inst as the heads If the departments onS
have the title of director :" mos , 1i
or rrefects Of The pr lVlnceS are moC'Sll9 '"I''N
rlsidents ard their PROV Ninces. coh''ti'lIiib
million souls on an average, are CAY"
6ences The resident. appointed ny my
ernor-General. is the representative OF me 80
ernment in his province under lhs 'I''e "e ne m
The chief Of the civil adminlsraloh' OF .ne
finances 4 Justice. Of police, ana He H"S e
right to carry the porong or goldeh paI"s'''
a.Sicb IN The ewes ~ Javanese symhohZes the
sunren,e rank He is assisted by sup-resluen1s;
who have the title OF assistant reS'uei''9' an.
these in their turn have under them 4ire - ,ha
rollers who watch over the execution "I We
regulations relating 20 the natives Visit peII'u
ically the privileges In their dis'rlc', "SIem ~
r,rnr1airts superVise the Government pahtd-
tions and are as il We're the hand WhIch ui'''s
The native administration TO the European. -
Java Is administered 10y a hierarcny oI on.
Gals which constitute select Dody. IeILeH a.
the College - Delft or at the university ~ -
A., "a hitch are the nurseries ~ the colonial al
rinistrators destined for the civil service my
have all passed either in Holland or at BaIa-
y
which is arranged by the Minister for the COL
onies This programme varies according 10 uie
duties FOR which the candidate is 10 he prepared
For the highest posts the grand examination
=, o4scials" must he passed. which deals with
essentially technical affairs including emery
the history. geography and ethnography OF me
Dutch Indies the civn and religious laws tina
pOlitical institutions and customs of the na'lohs
the Malay and Javanese languages. Ihere are
two examinations al intervals generally or TWO
years: the second embraces the same suoJects
hut
oueh The candidates for judicial functions
must he Doctors Of Law. and in additions have
passed examinations IN the Malay ana JaVanese
languages. the MusSuman law, ana the customs
OF the Dutch Indies. international law and the
colonial institutions Of the foreign possessions
CHOICE AND SALARIES OF OFFICIALS.
The selection is made annually. under the d.
rnction OF the Colonial Minister, who. after con-
sultation with the Government In Java an.
nounces in the official Journal the number or
candidates administrative or Judicial 10 ne
,,laced al the DISPOSITION Of the Governor GEN
eral The examination rank de termines the Sc
lection. The candidates selected. besides nrst-
class passage are enttled 10 an Hll""dI'e lyi
their equipment. and on their arrival at the col
ony they receive a provisional salary. pending
their definite appointment. for they are not i'm
mediately given an important position but must
serve an Apprenticeship under a controller or an
assistant resident who initiates them into the
practice Of colonial affairs. The salaries Of the
civil officials fixed by the King or by the
Governor General. These salaries are at least
three times much as they would receive in
Europe in similar situations. and a pension Is
given on retirement. The Governors OF province
receive IS 600 the residents 5000 t. $1,000. the
controllers 81 800. even ii modest justice Of the
peace is we'll paid. In the large cities Of the col
ony. Batavia Sourahaya. a good lawyer has
an income of at least 10000 II Is plain that
the corps ~ officials which presdes over the
dostinies OF Java is wisely organized. carefully
recruited and well paid il constitutes the elite
of the mother country by critical selection. II is
perhaps. the most perfect colonial personnel in
the world
The mechanism of the Dutch colonial system
IN Java skilfully conccas the real motors " the
machine under the machinery of pure parade
by leaving 10 the native princes the illusion Of
power. and by Concealing the action of the
European directors Each residence includes one
or more regencies and by the side ~ The resi-
dent there is one or more regents While the
resident is always a European official the
regent is always native official. belonging tC
the highest families. and often. even. Of prncely
birth according 70 the importance of his rank
he has the title Of Radeu Adipau or Mas Toe
menggoeng or Panseran (prnce).
ELDER BROTHER OF THE REGENT"
The natives are subject to the regent Their
natural CHIEF. as % the resident. the real pos
SCISSOR of power n acts only through the re.
gent. hut - conceal his authority he appears &c
the eyes OF the natives as the elder brother
OF the regent. and # is IN form II "recOmmenda
tions'' that ne gives orders TO his brother This
formula. which would he regarded as common
place with US. has an important meaning among
the Javanese for as they view H. the elder
brother after the death Of the father. is th,
head Of the family respected by this title by his
younger brothers. hut considered always as
brother and not an official chief Since they
are brothers. the regent explains his plans tC
the resident. the European official is even bounC
10 take the advice ~ the native official wher
the interests of the native are involved. the
younger brother IS the intimate adviser ~ th'
older brother in an cases where the latter Ough
to be enlightened as To the condition ~ the pro
yie. but when tho resident has made up his mine
vi the advice Of the regent the latter duti
fll younger brother. ought 90 submit.
The regent. who has only the senhlance o.
power has as compensation ali the eXterna
marks which would impress the multitude. %
order that ne may keep up his rank and keep al
the luxury of an Asiatc court hc is better paic
than the resident himself he ranks above all tn
European officials except the resident. hc IL
surrnounted with the pomp % a prince holds