New-York tribune., 1903-05-11
COLONIES FOR 4 CENTURY.
ADMINISTRATIVE Experience of the
Nations from 1900 to 1900.

Washington May 10 (SpeciaD.-"Colonial Ad-
ninistraton 1SO0-190O" is the title of one of the
most interesting monographs ever issued by the
Bureau of Statistics. discussing, as 1t does the
methods of government, commerce. populatloh
and area of the colonies of the world. When it
is learned that in so-called colonies there live
upward of 500. coo, 900 people. the importance OF
the subject is at appreciated. and an espe-
cal interest attaches to the contents of the
brochure because of the practically new depart
ure of the United States IN the direction of COLO
nial possession.
On the question of the government of colonies
to which the study is especially devoted. the
monograph shows that in the colonies composed
of people of the governing country or thelr oe-
scendants. the administration of government is
left almost exclusively to the people OF the col
ones themselves: in those colonies whose popu-
lation is chiefly of race. customs and climatic
conditions differing from those of the nome
country, the Governor and other executive on-
GERS usually appointed by the home govern
ment and these. with the aid of natives-usually
in the form of a legislative body. one brancn OF
which is elected by the people-frame the laws
and regulations which are administered by the
officers appointed by the home government.
Local and municipal legislation and admnlstra-
tion left to the natives wherever practlcaole'
and they encouraged to assume the duties Oh
administering law and improving and develop
ing the community commercially and otherwise
The construction of roads. railways, teiegraphs
and other methods of communication by which
the natural products of the colony can be sent 10
the markets of the world is encouraged. and in
most cases the cost is borne by the colony
itself The development of the colony is usually
coincident with the development of facilities Of
transportation and communication Funds for
the conduct of the colonial government are
raised in practically ali in the colony
itself and by methods usually adopted IN otner
parts of the world. though in the newer colonies
customs duties the chief source OF revenue
The commercial relations between colonies and
their governing countries are also discussed dt
considera bic length, showing that the colonies IN
practically all cases take a larger proportion o1
their imports from the governing country tnan
from other nations, and that the demands of the
governing countries Oocated as they are IN the
temperate zones for the products of their col
onies 0oca ted as they in the tropics are
constantly increasing.
The report shows that the commerce of the
colonies amounts about S3,ooOoOoooo, OF
which about one-half is imports. largely Drawn
from the governing countries, while in turn the
colonies supply large proportion of the tropical
and sub-tropicaI products required by the coun-
tries which administer their government.
colonies,
in this term all territory not contiguous TO the
country by whose government it is controHeo'
occupy fwo-1fths of the land surface of the
globe and contain one-third Of the worlds pop
ulation. or about 5O0OO0,O0O people. OF this
population only three small groups. numbering
less than II, 600 900 population, are composed in
any considerable degree of the people of the
governing country or their descendants. The
colonies chiefly composed of people from the
governing country their descendants, are the
English colonies of British North America,
Australasia and South Africa. The remaining
49, 900 600 people. governed by countries not
contiguous to that which they occupy. have q
population OF less than per cent OF the ma
tionalitv which administers the government.
Practically all of Africa. Oceania and South
ern Asia are governed by countries not CON
tieuous TO the territory in question. All OF the
governing countries located in the tenn
perate zone and practically all OF the territory
governed as colonies is with the exception of
Canada Southern Australia and New-Zealand,
tropical or sub-tropiCal
The asa. 600 people of stock different from
that of the governing country. and located IN
the tropics are divided into three great groups
East Indian, West Indian and African 1he
East Indian, or Oriental group includes the
British colonies of India. Ceylon the Malayan
Peninsula Fiji and Borneo. the Dutch colonies
of Java and Sumatra and the French colony of
Indo-C -China-aT located comparatively near TO
the Philippines and having a population, eli
mate and other conditions somewhat similar to
those of the Philippines. The second group,
the West Indian lnCluoeS colonies SoNeiLeu pS
the British, French, Dutch and Danish govern
ments the third group. Africa and adjacent
lands includes territory governed by Great
Britain. France, Germany, Italy Portugal ana
Belgium.
The population of the British colonies is. in
round numbers. 3JOo000O0; that of the French
colonies 5000 900: Netherlands colonies. 30
100000; Belgian colonies, 300O00Oo: German
colonies 15,O0AO00; Portuguese colonies 1000
600 and Spanish colonies, l3o0oo while the non,
contiguous territory governed by the United
States has population of about 10onon or
the population of 350.o00UO thus governed by
Great Britain nearly 30O.0O0OO0 are in the East
Indian group 81 700 in Africa and less than
100000 in the West Indies. OF the Dutch
colonies 81 o00090 are in the East Indian group
and 10000 in the West Indies. OF the French
colonies about % 100000 are in the East Indian
group. 25OO000O in Africa and 100000 in the
West Indies.
rnpLcT IIpE EUENTIQN