The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-20
IN CEYLON'S SPICY ISLE
ASIATIC AWAKENING.
BY Frederic J. Haskin.

Colombo. Ceylon--The awakening of
ASIA mas stirred the blood of the happy
nallFe OF prosperous Ceyl0n no less than
1t has thrilled the more unfortunate Ash
atlc OF countries to which nature has been
less pountlIul and man more cruel in op-
preston ne Young Turk overthrow the
/ supreme power Of the Sublime Porte to
gain liberty. The cOnstituti0naiists in Per
Ga are shedding their blood in the cause
or progress The Hindu is demanding a
voice in his government because he is
DroWpeaten and hungry. The Chinese
young men work for reform that IL maF
eXait the station of their empire to that
OF great power. The japanese young
retormers have alrady become elder
statesmen, and they are the pattern of
all the others
The CeyIonese has liberty, he has plenty
TO cat all he wants To wear. the bless
| in5s Of education and almost unlimited
opportunities for personal advancement
But ne shares in the unrest Of his con-
| tingent, and he is set upon reform 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-smodering fire and
kindled the blaze of Asiatic patriotism
which Is now sweeping over the oldest
and the greatest of continents. In Cey-
lon the interest in the war was intense.
A considerable portion Of the population
here is descended from the old Dutch col
onists of more than a century 100. When
the DOtI Wal was IN progress the 'DurEn-
ers' of Colombo sympathized with their
k1nsmen Of the BOer republics. But the
colony was loyal to the empire, and sent
two cOntingants of volunteer soldiers to
South Africa to fight for England. Natur-
ally there was great interest in that con-
flict. But when the Russo-Japanese war
came on, the CeylOnese newspap ers found
that, in comparison. the people had cared
nothing al all about South Africa. Spe-
cal editions had to be supplied. at
smaller cost. in order that the very poor
est cooiie might have the news Of the
war All over the island the people joy
fully celebrated each successive japanese
victory.
It was of no use to explain that the Rus
sian was Lalf-Oriental, that his nation
was only half white, and that it was the
oriental corruption of his government
which made him so weak in battle. Ii
was of no use to protest that the Jap
anese weer Indebted to what the west had
taught him for all his victories. Explana-
tons would not temper the JOY of the
Asiatic, smaTting under four centuries of
European domination, when he had come
into possession Of knowledge or the in
dispUtable fact that a people of Asia, and
a small people, had defeated the most pop
ulous nation of Europe in one Of the great
est wars of all history.
Touching CeylOn. another factor con
tributed to the present unrest and agita-
ton. The United States had gained pos
session Of the Philippine islands. where
Spain had ruled with medieval harshnesS
for four centuries. The Americans had
promised ultimate independence. Finally,
they granted ar elective legislative assem-
bly,. That gave the Ceylonese his clue.
The issue in Ceylonese politics today is
clearly drawn The 3.500C00 Of natives de-
mand a share in the government and ask
for the privilege of electing members to
the legislative assembly Of the c0lonly. The
5000 Europeans say Mo-
CeylOn is a crown colony of the Brit
ish empire That means simply that its
the autOcrat who, for the time being, is
secretary of state for the colonies in the
British cabinet The secretary Of state
can do as he likes with the crown colo
MES although in practice he delegates
much Of his authority and power to the
governor, whom he appoints. The COVER
nor is assisted I'm administration by an eX-
ecutive council made up of the various
heads Of departments. The statutory law
and the financial affairs of the colony are
partially under the control of the legisla-
tive council. The governor and his Off
Cial family are voting members by viz
ture Of their station, and they form a
majority. Then there are eight unofficial
mem bers of the council appointed by the
governor. These positions are much
sought after. They are divided among the
principal divisions of the population, one
each to the LOWland Sinhalese. the Kan
dyan Sinha lese, the Tamils, the MOham-
medans, the Burghers, the European
planters, the European merchants and the
Europeans generally
The CeylOneSe party demands that the
unofficial members of the council shall be
chosen by ballot that the number of rep
reseEtatives be increased and more fair
ly apportiOned, and that the council be
made i'm fact a colonial parliament. One
of the memorials which has been sent
home to England asks why over 100000
Sinhalese should have only two repre-
sentatives while 5000 Europeans have
three.
The native party does not expect to
gain a control of the colony through the
reforms now demanded Indeed. il doesn't
care for the responsibility of a govern
ment But what it does expect is a larger
share of the government offices in the
various departments. A native who has
been educated in England from babyhOOd
who has gone through the Royal college
here who has taken his degree al classic
Cambridge in England. and who comes
hack to his island paradise to live. natur-
ally desires the honorable station of a.
government officer. II is the only thing
which affords the slightest opportunity
for even the outward semblance of that
social equality with Europeans which he
learned to love in his English college ex-
perienCe.
Such men make good officers. il is ad-
mitted. and some of them are at the head
of important departments without English
supervision or advice. The only reason
the English are not willing to distribute
more billets among the natives is that
there are so many younger sons from
home" who look to the civil service for
support and a career.
Against the demands of the natives for
4 representative parliament the argument
is advanced that It would do no good.
that it would simply bring into existence
class of demogOEiC politicians who would
spend all the time talking. and thereby
delay the business Of the government and
keep the departmental officials away from
their legitimate duties.
The native press. of course. urges the
reforms in season and out But IL is tenn
perate in tone protestant Of its loyalty
|. a0W tn CROW EAT