The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-27

sell something like 100000 worth of
flour, oils, machinery, drugs and tobacco
in return. This region is steadily grow
ing in trade and importance, and the Eng
lish and Germans are nursing their COM
merce and pushing their goods in all pos
sible ways. There is no doubt but that we
should use Singapore as a center from
which to work not only the surrounding
islands and the mainland, but India and
the far east as well. This is especially SO
since Singapore lies right on the main
road to the Philippines and vessels from
the eastern United States could call here
on their way.
John Bulls Rich Colony
Indeed, it might pay our officials to
study this colony with a view to the
development of our Asiatic island pos
sessions. The English seem able to tote
the white mans burden better than any
other Caucasians. They took hold of
this island over ninety years ago, when
it was jungle, and they have now made
one part of it the most important COM
mercial center of the far east. They
have cut down much of the tropical vege-
tation and have reduced it to profitable
farms They have built up on the shores
of the island one of the finest cities of
Asia. Singapore has two or three hun
dred thousand people. 1t has big busl-
ness blocks of several stories with high
ceilings, double walls and wide galleries,
on account OF the heat 1t Is city of
enormous hotels which are lighted BIZ
electricity and cooled by electric fans. 1t
has numerous banks with millions of
capital and also churches, libraries, mu-
seums and schools.
The white population, all told, numbers
only about five thousand, the remainder
A-I~A I'D. DIT
these five thousand are the lords of crea
ton and many of them live in magnifi-
cent villas surrounded by botanical gar
dens of the trees and plants of the trop-
les.
How 1t Is Governed
The administration of the coloney is in
the hands of a governor, aided by an
executive council and there is a little
legislature which makes the laws. There
are Chinese in both council and legisla-
lure and altogether the government is
something of democracy. Singapore
has its own municipal body, some of
whose members are elected by the tax
payers and some appointed by the COVER
lor.
The present governor of the island is
Sir John Anderson, who is also high CON-
missioner for the federated Malay states
and for the British colonies in Borneo.
lie is a Scotchman who was a member OF
he Boring sea arbitration staff in Lon
don, years ago, and who has held various
,ther important offices.
The governor of Singapore receives a
good salary and he lives like lord
His palace here is finer than the White
House and he maintains a court some
what similar to that OF the viceroy of In
dia. He gives a great ball upon the King S
birthday, and to this everybody who Is
anybody gets an invitation Indeed, 1t is
said that every one who Is not in Jail al
the time is invited.
These whites of Singapore are fond oil
society. They remind me of an old col
eye friend who attended every funeral
Within 10 miles of his home. When asked
why, he said: II always like to go tc
gatherings" That is the way with these
Singapore people. They like gatherings
and they have clubs of all kinds to bring
themselves into company. Some are fol
sporting, rowing. cricket and lawn tennis
and others are devoted to art, reading and
education. There is a magnificent club
Rouse at the end of a wide stretch of lawr
lust next the harbor and a country clui
three miles inland at which dances ant
heatricals are frequently given. Their,
| ire many picnics and outings of various
| kinds
| The city Is northumberland. / meai
| as far as the whites are concerned. TIL,
| Raffles Public Library contains 5000 vol
umes, and has also museum relating t,
| the Straits Settlements. The city hal
| four English newspapers, two Chimes,
| dailies, a Malay weekly and two othe
| journals published in East Indian dia
lects. Altogether the town is wide awake
and I regret to say in many respects wild,
| open. OF the latter feature. however
you must come here yourself to learn.
| The Missionary and the Tiger
| And speaking of the wide openness o
| Singapore. such conditions are to b.
| found without much searching In ever.
| center of the far east. There Is NOR,