The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-12
WHERE FRENCH
RULE TIE land
Luxuriance of Army in Tong
king, China
Is MINIATURE METROPOLIS
HeathenS are Treated Like
Slaves or Even Dogs
is MINIATURE METROPOLIS

tropical warmth and luXu-lance or Tong
king. Hanoi Itself is a beautiful city,
laid out like a miniature European ne
tropolis. with botanical gardens, hand
some public buildings. and private resi-
dences. wide avenues and boulevards. pic
turesque lakelets. drives that are equal
70 anything in the wo-ld. and such ether
conveniences as the electric light and
modern water system. 1t is por-
ton of Paris modified by experience OF
tropical heat. trausplanted bodily into
the tropics. Nowhere in Asia are officials
so IuxuTiousIy housed nowhere are there
finer hotels or more cheerful cafes. Ev-
erything is done for the official. Every
thing is subsidized for his benefit.
Steamers on the coast, launches on the
river are subsidized for him. A theatre
IS subsidized to give him amusement, AMI
the actors are carried from France at the
cost Of the French taxpayer simply to
cheer him in his exile. This exile is
made as cheerful as possible. 1t is diff
cult to know what more could be done
for him So universal is the distribu-
ton of suzventfons that nurse is used
to advertise that she was acting without
sage femme. er classe, non subvention-
nee" read her announcement.
The mother country has been generous
to its administrators. Their number is
adequate for the needs of the colony.
They q present outnumber the civil resi-
dents by eighteen to one, and it must be
remembered that many of the civil resi-
dents are directly or indirectly dependent
upon the administration. The French peo-
pie have to have colonies. hut have a
constitutional aversion for becoming colo
nists This aversion for things colonial
seems to be inherent defect in the admin
istration: of all the great body of admin
istrators less than per cent. acquire
the native language serious defect
which it is within the power of the moth
er country to correct. So it is in the
army In the native regiments there are
more European officers to the regiment
than there are to the native regiments
of India. But whereas every English
man in the Indian Staff Corps must speak
at least one native language there ara
practically no French officers in Tndio-
China who speak Annamite. At least the
proportion is only ! per cent. so insig-
nificant that it is not worth mentioning.
In Hanoi business and trade seems to
be in inverse ratio 20 the administration.
The Chinaman. who is the bone and
sinew In the body polite in all British
Asiatic colonies is excluded. or rather.
since he cannot be excluded. every check.
reasonable or unreasonable. is devised
to prevent carrying on his business I'M
fetted. Chinese complain that their posi-
tion is every year becoming more diff
cult that every year their burdens are
being multiplied. But they need not
come 10 Tongking. say French. Neither
French nor Annamite wish him to come
Exclude the Chinese seems the prevail
ing idea, and this to an EngliShman reads
Exclude from the colony the POSSIBLE
ity Of its wealth and riches being multi
piled It is the exact opposite of our
policy. for we encourage the Chnaman,
believing him to be the best and most
trustworthy trader of all the Far Eastern
peoples But If it have little business,
Hanoi is a model city. and right in the
centre of il Is the stately building where
during the winter months the resources
of the colony have been displayed for the
edification Of visitors in a great exhibit
ton.
The French people have a special apti-
tude for exhibitions. 1t is worth coming
a long way to see. From the chronological
and ethnographical standpoint the exhib-
II Of the Indo-Chinese colonies is of the
highest interest The collection should
remain a permanent one. and be trans
ported bodily to Europe. The models Of
dustry. of the articles of daily use among
the indigenes are OF great value to the
student. Perhaps the best arranged ex-
hibit is that from China. but the most
costly IS the collection sent from Paris
and Lyons. II seemed to me. however,
70 imply q certain ignorance Of the wants
OF the native peoples For. presumably.
these were the products Of the mother
country that IL was believed might be
advantageousy placed among the mil
Hons of Indo-China There were beau
tiful Partisan bah dresses costing 1Oo1
francs and upwards. the latest styles in
corsets. beautiful silk hosiery and under
wear expensive boots and lavishly- trim
med hats that none but The hiehcst raid
functionary could afford 10 purchase.
There were deIishtfm perfumes and toilet
requisites. And the spectators Of these
refined Injuries were black teethed An
NANTES. dressed in din-v gray cot
ton. carrying palm lear hats. hare-legged.
whose ambition was - squat on their
launches and chew bctel The contrast
was astonishing Then there were long
rows Of aperitifs Of an infinite variety.
aud cases Of musical instruments. rllv-
ans cards. ana dainty dolls I'm costly rai-
ment. ana other European products VIII Oh
the marufacturerS u The old country
fondly i:uaCined. TO doubt Were suitable
Tor the inHscuos.
Every showroom displayed evidence ~
that high civilization IN whIch the Anna
mite can aspire No oharge IS made for
the exhibition. Everything Is provided bv
the benevolent government There are
fifty miles Ct coed roads in and around
Hanoi. while the railway reaches il across
a bridge which Is more than p mile In
length. and cost more than million sterl-
ms. The cautious mi-ht sIy. would y
not have been wiser policy 10 devote
The money ana energy spsrt ,5, This col
iossal colonial bridge 70 irrnrovine- n.
communications between the sea and tho
river
But there are many other things which
the captions might say: Tor iustarca thar
the whole activity OF :he French COLONIAL
authorities in Toaciin- is a niSsfrscted
activity. Its object lesson seems TO b. -
bring about condition az thiacs which
viii suggest 20 the French laxrayer The
greatness OF French interests in south
China and Induce him r,,.,s.,.g-.,,