The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-04-30

idea, and this to an Englishman reads, Exclude from the colony the possibil- ity of its wealth and riches being null tiplied." It is the exact opposite of our policy, for we encourage the Chinaman, believing him to be the best and most trustworthy trader of all the far east ern people. But if it have little busi- ness, Hanoi is a model city, and right in the center of it is the stately build ing where during the winter months the resources of the colony have been displayed for the edif1cation of visitors in great exhibition.
 | The French people have special ap- titude for exhibitions. It is worth coming a long way to see. From the ethnological and ethnographical stand point, the exhibit of the Indo- Chinese colonies is of the highest interest. The collection should remain a permanent one, and be transported bodily to Eu- rope. The models of native houses, of all forms of native industry, of the arr l ticles of daily use among the indigenes are of great value to the student. | Perhaps the best arranged exhibit is that from China, but the most costly is the collection sent from Paris and Lyons. It seemed to me, however, to | imply certain ignorance of the wants of the native peoples. For, presume bly,, these were the products of the mother country that 1t was believed might be advantageously placed among | the millions of Indo- China. There were beautiful Parisian ball dresses costing one thousand francs and up- wards, the latest styles in corsets, beautiful silk hosiery and underwear, expensive boots, and lavishly trimmed hats that none but the highest paid functionary could afford to purchase. There were delightful perfumes and toilet requisites. And the spectators of these refined luxuries were black teethedAnnamite s, dressed in dirty gown of dingy gray cotton, carrying palm leaf hats, bare-legged, whose ambition was to squat on their haunch- es and chew betel. The contrast was astonishing. Then there were long rows of aperitifs of an infinite variety, I and cases of musical instrument play | ing cards, and dainty dolls in costly raiment, and other European products which the manufacturers of the old country fondly imagined, no doubt, were suitable for the indigenes.
 Every showroom displayed evil dence of that high civilization to which the Annamite can aspire. No change is made for the exhibition. Everything is prov. .ded by the benevolent govern ment. There are fifty miles of good roads in and around Hanoi, while the railway reaches it across a bridge which is more mile in length, and cost more than million sterling. The captious might say, Would it not have been wiser policy to devote the mon ey and energy spent on this colossal colonial bridge to improving the com munications between the sea and the river? .,a -s-#s
 But there are many other things which the captious might say; for in stance, that the whole activity of the French colonial authorities in Tong king is a misdirected activity. Its ob. ject seems to be to bring about a con. dition of things which will suggest te the French taxpayer the greatness oi French interests in South China anc induce him patriotically to support those interests by contributing substi- dies towards their maintenance. There are no genuine French interests 1T South China. French trade, apart frorf the French residents who are not off. cials can be counted on ones fingers
 There is lavish distribution of mon
 ey to create fictitious interests. Othel countries may sell the protection oi their flag, but France along among tht nations will subsidize vessels to fly ths French flag. What advantage can sht gain by this? What earthly advantage can it be to France to see a Chinest junk, Chinese owned and carrying purely Chinese cargo flying the Trieol
 or? The explanation seems to be this
 Piracy is rife on the waters of the del
 ta, and the French flag may presuma
 bly, give some security to the junk iron
 whose mast it is displayed; but assu
 redly an outrage committed on tht junk flying that flag would give reason
 for active French interference, and fol
 the wringing of concessions from pusil
 luminous Chinese officials. C,brrespon
 dence of the London Times.