New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-10-26
REVOLT IMMINENT IN DUTCH EAST INDIES.
TALK OF INTERVENTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF
GERMANY BEING INVOKED BY THE NEITHER
LANDS AND BY THE COLONLSTS.

fact that. according TO official figures no less
than S30OO0OOOO We're turned over by the
thorites at Batavia to the Crown i'm the shape of
surplus revenue in a period of twoscore years.
Salt and opium are government mOnopolies.
and the same may be said to a great extent of
the vast production of coffee. which is grown
under what is known as the culture system, in
troduced almost one hundred years ago by Mar
shall Daendel and Governor General Count Van
der Bosch Briefly speaking, this culture system,
though considerably modified in recent years.
provides for the compulsory culture by the ma
tves Of coffee trees forty per cent of the annual
crop being taken by the government as its due.
In addition TO this. the government has its own
immense coffee plantations. where the work is
mostly done by means of "cOrvee." that is 70
say, by forced and unremunerated labor. and IL
is estimated that fifty-two days in the year is
the minimum average amount OF the unpaid
work of this kind that the Javanese native is
called upon to perform. II Is not merely agri-
cultural labor that the government exacts Of
him. but likewise the keeping % roads and
bridges in repair, the maintenance OF the irriga-
ton works. the transport of government sup
plies and even the assistance of every conceiv-
able character to the government officials trav-
cling on public service. The native in British
India is independent citizen compared to the
Javanese. The latter. even according to the
admission OF some of the leading Dutch states
men and writer's on colonial subjects. Knows no
freedom. His whole existence is regulated by
the authorities and subject 10 the direction Of
the local Dutch Governor and his subordnates.
He is obliged to consult their will, not his own
as TO the time and method of sowing and plant
ing his land and even as TO the choice of the site
of his house on his property. He must defer TO
their views as TO the choice of material that he
uses for his roof. and his Dutch masters even
determine the place in his hut where he may
hang his lamp Indeed, there is no European
colony in the entire Orient where the native IS
subjected TO such amount of despOtisn-be-
nevolent despotism IL one likes-but despotism
all the same, as in the Dutch East Indies. Nor
is this all The Government, not content with
exacting forced LABOR for its works. oc-
casionalIy places 'cOrvee" labor at the disposal
of coonistS from Europe who wish 10 start new
industries in Java, and there are numerous
cases of sugar mills, for instance. having been
set up by men who have come out from home
and who have been assisted by the local au-
thorites to the extent OF having during the first
two years a constant supply of forced labor
furnished the Government. of course, receiving
a quid pro quo later on in the shape of royalties
and special dues.
Were the Javanese of the mild Bengalee type
one would be able to understand their submit
tins to this degree of servitude. But. stated
above. they are recognized the hercest OF
Oriental races. and as the people least disposed
Christian nations. That they should have put