New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-12

ton in ali its ramifications, and in this
connection considers both its Chinese
and Arab ramihcations, for these two
races are the middlemen of the Dutch
East Indies, the Arab being by far the
more rapacious of the two. The author
makes rather light of Japanese in
triRue, because-and on this point all
information agrees-the Japanese, with
All their cleverness and craft, antago"
MIC the native chiefs by their over
bearing attitude. They already feel
themselves the masters of the East.
While the Dutch government, under III
liberal policy, has to make up an an
nual deficit in its Indian budget. the
Dutch-Indian planter and merchant
continue TO derive riches from these
colonies, the surface Of whose natural
wealth outside of Java has rs yet been
only specifically scratched. Borneo
and Sumatra still await systematic eH-
ploitation. -,
MIR. Brown is New Zealander with
the white Asiatic's point Of view IL
is no doubt his publishers who are
responsible for the frank statement
on the slip-cover of his book that the
possibilities Of the future of this ISL
and Empire should afford much food
for thought to the statesmen OF the
Great Powers, especially of England.
A leisurely traveller, he devotes much
space to the picturesqueness OF the
Dutch Indies, and, manifestly inter
ested in ethnology, insists throughout
on a prehistoric Caucasian element IN
the population of Australasia. This
element, traceable in stature and
features and hair, he maintains, IS TOO
prevalent to be attributable entirely to
Portuguese and Dutch sources. lie
seems to have associated, not with the
Dutch administrators, but with the
planters and merchants, who, he IN
forms us, expect from the education
of the natives and their admission to
a share in the government as much
trouble as they predict for British
India. According to them, the present
liberal government is apt to side with
the natives, with deplorsble results.
AS for instance:
A planter heard one of his boys
mutter the Malay word for
scoundrel ("bangsat"). He did not
strike him, but went to the magls-
trate and laid his complaint. The
official asked him il the native in
uttering the word had looked
straight at him. The planter said
he could not say that he had.
well them" said the judge. 81
can take no action, for he might
have meant 'bangsat' for some
body else" The planter, in going
out, turned his head away from
the official. and shouted Bang
sat!" Recalled by the outraged
Judge, he explained that he had
the best authority for thinking
that the latter could take no ac-
ton. inasmuch as, his face being
turned away from him, the epithct
might have been meant for some
body else.
As for the future Of Australasia, it's
greatest potential wealth lies in copra,
Mr.. Brown opines. Only, we need not
EXPECT ever to civilize the natives so
long as the sage palm will provide
them with food without the necessity
of lahoring for il. He has some in
teresting pages on the trade in birds
of paradise, talks sensibly on the
opium questionable more the Dutch
government restricts il the more
smuggling there is, he says and con-
siders the possibility of the employ
ment of Javanese labor for the devel-
opment of Northern Australia. His
book is throughout a revelation of the
viewpoint of the whites born and bred
in the regions with which he deals.