Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-29
BRITISH POLITICS
Comment Upon the Resigna-
tion Of Mr.. Wyndham.
THE CHINESE QUESTION
PROTESTS AGAINST INVASION or
CHINESE IN AFRICA.
Many Amusing Incidents Connected
With Coolie Emigration to
the Transvaal
THE CHINESE QUESTION

Special Correspondence of The Sunday Star.
LONDON. March II, 1905.
If the conservative government will not
dissolve the cabinet is being slowly dis
solved. Since the first formation of a cab
met in this country, history shows no ex-
ample of so many changes in It's compost
ton is represented by the variations
since the last general election. 1t might
puzzle the most expert parliamentary au-
tkority to sit down and write on hand an
accurate table OF these amazing metamor-
phoses since the suffrages of the country
were last solicited. And the most ardent
Balfourite will not venture to assert that
the changes strengthen the constitution of
the government.
The resignation of Mr. Wyndham was
foreseen to be Inevitable, and, therefore, in
the non-political clubs It has not excited any
surprise. Like Lord Rosebery, Mr. Wynd-
ham is regarded as something more than a
politician. Politics are, In fact, one of his
accomplishments. He began by being a
guardsman. Then he became the beloved
disciple of that rugged literary Ben Jonson,
Mr.. Henley. He wrote himself, and was
recognized as the patron of men of letters.
When he made his inaugural rectorial ad-
dress at Edinburgh he quoted from more
sources than perhaps had ever been incor-
porated in one speech. He is amazingly
good-looking, amazingly suave and agree
able without the least suspicion of conceit
or affectation, and he is the best dressed
member of the house of commons. When
Lord Rosebery resigned 1t is said that Mr..
Clement Shorter exclaimed Thank God,
now he will have time to do some real
work with his pen." and possibly that is
today the literary feeling about Mr.. Wynd-
ham.
That his political career is even checked
no one will suggest. He will take a long
holiday, for his health, naturally delicate,
has been much impaired by the serious
strain. But after that he will come back.
to be appreciated on both sides of the house
one of the most earnest and cultivated
politicians; a man of tried integrity, whose
one fanlure has been in reconciling the
irreconcilables in Ireland. Mr.. Wyndham,
before he took office, was chairman of the
syndicate which controlled the Outlook"
Whether he will resume any active interest
in that journal now that he Is relieved of
other duties remains to be seen. Since the
original editor. Mr.. Percy Hurd. became
assistant secretary to the tariff commission
several editors have succeeded each other
somewhat rapidly and the policy of the
paper has been drastically changed. At
present IL describes itself as the organ of
constructive Imperialism, whatever that
may mean, and is actually protectionist
organ, but the price has been raised from
threepence to sixpence.
Chinese in South Africa.
The introduction of Chinese into South
Africa Is beginning to bring protests and
complaints from others than politicians.
The farmers are very doubtful about the
advantage of the invasion and do not find
the thousands of coolies as good for trade
as they were represented to be- Agricul-
tural interests generally are antagonized
and later on the Chinese question will be
as burning one In South Africa as II was
twenty years ago in California.
The special rates at which the railways
carry rice in order that the coolies may be
ed ag Oh a DOSSihlp
to set the dsheartened farmers against q
form of labor which, If 1t benefits anybody,
benefits only a section at the expense OF the
rest of the country.
A letter written by Transvaal farmer Is
of interest in this connection and has
special interest for America. He wrote to
a friend: DO you remember when We
were at Lydenburg, just after the war, we
used to pay 3Os. bag for mealies? / sup
pose l was too sangune when / took up
land but whoever could have foresaen that
at this moment they would not be worth
los? That Is all l can get for them, be-
cause the mining people import American
maize and enjoy special rates from the
coast There is no market in johannesburg
for produce. The Chinese. y0u know,
eat only rice, which is also carried at a
much lower rate on the railways than the
government charges us poor struggling
devils. / thought of going in for tobacco
but the yellow coolies won't smoke the To-
cally grown weed
Thirty or forty thousand whit. men. or
even haOlrS on the mines, would nave
given a splendid opportunity of growing
the leaf. AS it is, there is no market 1t
Is all very we'll to say that these coolies af-
ford more work for white men. but they
are not the laboring white men who benefit
by their presence. 1t Is a few mechanics,
overseers, compound managers. or skilled
workmen. The genuine white ldborer Is
drug in the market and sooner or later I
expect we shall take them on to do Kaffirs'
work at bare living wage. Pleasan. pros
pect. isn't it?''
Amusing Emigration Incidents
Some amusing incidents have occurred in
the operation of the emigration bureau set
up in China to promote the recruiting of
coolies for the Transvaal. In Sha1tung for
instance, weeks would pass without draw
ing a single candidate; then suddenly a
large body would collect and start off for
Tientsin ITO get themselves examined" BY
the time of arrival the native suspicion of
the foreign scheme would have returned
and big leakage would be found IN the
number going up to the examiners. 1t
might indeed, happen that a full quarter
of the candidates Insured their rejection by
exhibiting want of hair on the summit
OF the Uranium or the presence Of a scar
on the shoulder blade. If the office PASSED
candidate against his secret desire. he
often managed to dive oversize the shin
after dark, taking with him his $50 cash
money rapidly the chid-like Celestial would
enlist at several different Offices, drawing
pay at each.
The notion which the coolie has of the
Transvaal and what is before him there, is
naturally not great. and no amount of ex-
PLANTATION impresses him with any real
knowledge. He often fancies. however that
the work is simply shovelIng up pieces OF
gold as coal Is loaded into a basket from
heap and Chinaman naturally finds
considerable attraction in an invitation to
q IN xxFffH r,ga
emigration bureaus have, therefore had to
meet the appeals of numerous enervated
beggars, confirmed opium smokers, unsuc-
cessful shopkeepers, and the like anxious
to get into congenial occupa dom. Perhaps
the class which will benefit above ell 9TH
ers by the emigration is that of the Chi
nese schoolmasters who may get them
selves appointed at so many "heisenling'
per month. to do the CORE sponJence be-
tween the emigrants and theirsstay-a home
families