The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-12
CHINESE BOYCOTT ON AMERICAN GOODS
dow Oriental Unionism
Displays Its
Power.

CAAN in mere IS a vast difference
of opinion among foreigners IN
CHINA as to where the responsibility
lies in regard to the disastrous boy
colt against American goods. While
no one denies that we nave merited the
trouble by allowing our immigration
officers to violate the treaty rights of
the hest class of Chinese. it is un-
doubleday true that if this boycott had
been projected against any nation other
than America it would have been nip
ped in the bud.
The different manner in which cur
representatives have handled the mat
ter cannot be overlooked. At the time
the boycott was gaining it's strength,
ex-Minister Conger was giving out in
terVieWs in the States to the effect that
1T could not possibly amount to any
thing. Later, when [ was in Hong
kong. a dispatch appeared in the
local papers from Washington quot
ing the United States government as
saying that American interests were
not in jeopardy. Yet at the hotel
where 1 was stopping there were five
American travelling men who on their
previous trips to China had sold many
thousands of dollars worth of goods,
while at this time not one of them
could get single order.
MINISTER CONGER'S MISTAKE
Mr.. Conger was of the opinion that
the Chinese could not be united on an
issue like a pational boycott. He be-
lieved the personal ambition of the
individual Chinese was stronger than
his patriotism, and that the movement
would fall of its own weight. While
there are many old-timers in China
who agree with him in regard to the
lack of unity among the celeStialS in
most cases, it is generally understood
that the guilds (uniOns) can be made
most effective instruments for harm if
they become hostile to any branch of
commerce.
MIR. I. K. Jernigan, formerly United
States Consul General at Shanghai,
opposes the opinion of Mr.. Conger
and explains the methods of the guilds
when they become opposed to a given
interest. He points out that the strength
of these organizations is a material
manifestation of a local chara cteristic
of the people. Not only do Chinese
merchants combine for trade purposes,
but the Iaboring classes, whatever
their employment, all band together
on the slightest pretext, whether the
object be to obtain an advance in
wages or to secure the dismissal of an
outsider.
Whenever a question crops up af-
fecting any particular trade, the heads
of the principal firms engaged in it
first come to some agreement among
themselves, then they appeal to the
lesser firms until they have gained
sufficient majority to give them The
balance of power. Once the cOm:3un
ity of interest is formed it seems that
few questions ever come to a vote in
open meeting. Matters of policy are
talked over secretly, and if opposition
to an issue seems to predominant it IS
quietly abandoned. If, on the other
hand a general understanding is ar
rived at the pledges of the partici- |
pants are just as binding as if formal |
utterance or written agreement has |
been made On account of this secret !
manner of procedure it is most difficult |
to trace responsibility for any action. |
SECRET POWER OF GUILDS.
Numerous instances are given which |
illustrate how effective the work of the |
guilds has been in the past. a num- |
Der of years ago an attempt was made |
to tax certain articles, and the mer- |
chant class decided to oppose the gov /
ernment's action. No dealer in the |
taxed articles would come to an agree |
n7ent with the official collectors. Some |
refused to lay in new supplies OF the |
particular goods. others hid what they |
had in stock. still others claimed to |
he i'll and refused to be seen; some !
we're always out when the collectors