The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-20

Colombo, Ceylon.--The awakening OF
Asia has stirred the blood of the happy
native of prosperous Clyeon no less
than 1t has thrilled the more unfortun-
ate Asiatic of countries to which ma
ture has been less bountiful and man
more cruel in oppression. The Young
Turk overthrow the supreme power
of the Sublime Porte to gain liberty.
The Constitutionalists in Persia are
shedding their blood in the cause OF
progress. The Hindu Is demanding a
voice in his Government because he
is browbeaten and hungry. The Chi
nese young men work for reform that
1t may exalt the station of their EN-
pire- to that of a great power. The
japanese young reformers have already
become elder statesmen. and they are
the pattern for all the others. The
Ceylonese has liberty; he has plenty
to eat. all he wants to wear. the bless
ings of education and almost unlimited
opportunities for personal advance
ment But he shares in the unrest of
his continent. and he Is set upon re-
form for the sake of office.
The Victory OF Japan In the war with
Russia---the defeat of the Occident by
the orient, the white by the brown
awoke the embers of long smolder-
ing fire and kindled the blaze of Ash
attic patriotism which Is now sweep
ing over the Oldest and the greatest
of continents In Ceylon the interest
In that war was intense. A consider
able portion of the population here is
descended from the old Dutch colonists
of more than a century ago. When
the Boer war was in progress the
"burghers" of Colombo sympathized
with their kinsmen of the Boer Re
publics But the colony was loyal TO
the empire, and sent two contingents
of volunteer soldiers to South AFRICA
to fight for England Naturally, there
was great interest in that conflict.
But when the Russo-Japanese war came
on, the Ceylonese newspapers roun1
that, in comparison, the people had
cared nothing at all about South Afrl-
ca. Special editions had to be sup
piled, at a smaller cost, in order that
the very poorest coolie might have the
news of the war. All over the island
the people joyfully celebrated eaeh
successive Japanese victory.
IT was of no use to explain that the
Russian was haIf-Oriental. that his ma
ton was only half-whtte. ana that IL
was the Oriental corruption of his GOV
eminent which made him so weak III
battle. 1t was of no use 10 protest
that the Japanese were indebted 10
what the West had taught him for all
his victories. Explanations would not
tenner the ioy of the Asiatic smartlng
under four centuries of European doh-
nation. when he had come INTO pos
session of knowledge of the indisput-
able fact that a people of Asia, and
email neenle. had defeated the most
populous nation of Europe, In one Oh
the greatest wars OF all history
Touching Ceylon, ANOTHER factor con-
ha unrest ana dSl-
tatIon The United states had gained
possession of the Philippine Islands.
where Spain had ruled with medlewal
barshness for four centuries. Ihe
Americans had promised ultimate IN
depeudence. Finally, they granted an
elective legislative body That gave
the Ceylonese his clue
THE Issue in Ceylonese politics To-
dav is clearly drawn. The three ana
Ialf millions of natives demand
share In the government, and ask Tor
the privilege Of electing members TO
the legislative assembly of the colony
The {. 600 Europeans say mo!
cevlon is a crown colony of the Brit
,sh E,mnire. That means simply that
its government is absolutely In the
hands of the autocrat, who' Tor the
time being, is Secretary OF state LOT
the Colonies in the British Cabinet.
The secretary OA otuNN
likes with the crown colonles, al
though in practice he delegates much
Of his authority and power to the Gov
ernor, whom he appoints The gov
ernor ia assisted in administration py
an executive council made up or the
various heads of departments inc
statutory law and the financial AFFAIRS
| of the colony are partially under the
control of the legislative council. The
| c.overnor and. his official family are
voting members by virtue of their sta
ton and thew form a majority. Then
there are eight UNOFFICIAL members OF
the council. appointed by the Gove.nor'
| these positions are much sought ar"
ter They are divided among the
principal divisions of the population
one each to the Lowland Sinhalese' the
Kandvan Sinhalese, the Tamils' the
Mohammedans. the Burghers, the Eu-
ronean planters, the European mer-
J chants and the Europeans generally ~
! The Ceylonese party demands Una.
the unofficial members or the couhoi'
shall be chosen by ballot, that the mum
| her of Representatives be increased
! and more fairly apportioned, and ina,
| the council be made In fact colonla
Parliament. One of the memorials
| which has been sent home" to Eng
land asks why over 100000 Sinhales'
| shouid have only two representatives
while 5000 Europeans have three
The native party does not expec'
m gain control of the colony
through the reforms now demanded