The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-30

sinxapore.--The Malay peninsula.
the southernmost projection OF the
Asiatic continent, u land richly en-
dowed by nature with wealth OF MIN
erals. with q fertile soil. and WIN
beneficent equatorial climate. The
Federate Malay States 10 the name OF
the government which controls the
greater part of the peninsula; gov
eminent in which the Malays are large
ly independent as to internal affairs.
| but In which Great Britain has the con-
trolling voice. Malay sultans and
chiefs maintain their state and retain
much of their power. but the BRUSH
Resident Is In control. The sultans
| and chiefs are much pleased. because
| England saves them the trouble OF
| fighting rival claimants for their toy
thrones.
Asia is the largest, the oldest and
the most thickly populated of the con-
tinents. but in no part of 1t may De
fouHd greater prosperity. or more In
dustriai activity. than in the Federated
Malay States. The tin of the world is
mined and shipped from here. Rubber
| plantations yield enormous DIVIDENDS
and the acreage IL being extended at
rate which recalls the settlement OF
Oklahoma. Railroads are being push
ed through unexplored wilds. high
ways are being constructed after the
tors and pioneers push deeper and
deeper into the interior. and the stock
exchange at Singapore thrills and
throbs with speculative gambling all
based on the future Of the IF. M >.
| as the federated government 10 inyar-
iably called in familiar conversation.
But perhaps the chief claim OF the
IF. NJ. g." to general interest lies In
| the fact that IL Is SO young. The new
est Of countries in the Oldest of conti-
nents, the modern history of the Malay
states extends over a period of only
| thirty-five years. In 1874 the govern
ment of the Straits Settlements sought
to interfere. in the interest OF tran
quality. in internecine wars which
were distracting the people Of the In
| dependent states of the peninsula.
| British agents were sent to reside at
the Malay capitals and offer peaceful
advice. One of these agents was killed
one day while bathing In the river.
| OF course England avenged his death
| in the usual manner and since tnat
| time British rule has been dominant
| in the four states OF Perak, Panans,
Selangor ami Negri Sembilan, and the
English influence extended through the
three siamese Malay states just to the
north.
| The various quarrels concerning the
succession to the several thrones hav-
ing been settled, the chiefs being won
over to the English side. and the people
following thir native rulers with abso-
Lutte loyalty; It became necessary to
reduce the British overseership to
order. The Federation was suggested.
agreed to by the chiefs after some dis
cussion, and, on July 1, 1895, the
| Federated Malay States came into
existence. The native rule continues
| In each of the four states. except that
each Ia under the control Of the Brit
| ish resident and all are subject to the
High Commissioner, who is the Cover
nor Of the Straits Settlements. With
| in the present year a treaty between
England and Siam gives Great Britain
the control Of the three Siamese states
of Kedah, KeIantan and Trengganu,
and they will increase the dominion OF
| the F. M. 8.
Thirty-five years ago, when the
British agent was murdered ana
modern Malay history was begun, there
was no such thing as regular Industry
In the peninsula. The tin mines were
worked in archaic fashion by Chinese
miners who were forced to MAINTAIN
armed garrisons to protect themselves
from marauding Malays. and the pro-
duct was Insignificant. Pepper and
other spices were grown along the sea-
shore, chiefly by Tamil and Chinese
| immigrants.
The Malay is q lordly gentleman OF
| leisure He lives in a land where
months easy labor will provide food
for a year, and in a climate where to
find ones self in the lamentable con-
! dition Of Miss Flora McFlimsey Of
Madison Square Is neither unpleasant
nor questionable. Furthermore. until
the British came. no man under the
rank Of rajah dared accumulate any
wealth because 1t would be found out,
and that would invite the rajah to
murder him and take his substance.
Being by nature more than half
amphibian. the Malay always took to
water. Piracy suited his nature ana,
for a matter Of a thousand years, 1t
was practically his only profession. 1t
lies within the memory of many men
now living that sailing through the
| Straits of Malacca was dangerous to
any, but armed ships. Indeed, the
days of the Malay pirates are not yet
ended. for in the spring of this year,
a pirate ship attacked Chinese junk
within sight OF the towers OF Singa-
pore, captured 1t, killed seven Chinese
sailors and made away with the booty
500 In Straigts Settlements dollars,
$34s0 in American money.
When the British took charge in the
peninsula and guaranteed the peace,
the invasion of the Industrious pioneers
| began at once. They were not white
men from Europe, such as carved out
the new world empires. but energetic
| and frugal Chinese and Hindu mis-
sionaries of the gospel Of industry to
this sleepy. lazy land.
| The Chinese furnished the skill, the
organization. the labor and the capital
for the development of the tin mines.
| The Tamils from the south Of India
furnished the labor. and the Hindu
I chetties a good part of the capital by
which the rubber business was begun
under European direction. The British
furnished little capital and no labor,
but they guaranteed peace. provided
fair and just mining regulations and
land laws, reserved the water-oourses
and the forests in the interests OF con-
servation, and made the prosperity of
the Asiatic immigrants possible. OF
course the British have not failed to
profit by the prosperity of the coun-
try. but their share is well earned
The lordly Malay, jisdaining to work
takes his little share of the general
prosperity. CANDLES It away or wastes
It in rtotous living. and then betakes
him to the banana patch. which 10 his
perpetual meal ticket.