To the Editor of the "Norra-Curma Datty News."
Srm,—Your leading article on the above subject published in the " N.-C. Daily News"
the 5th inst. ought to be read by all English-speaking Chinese, and to be translated into Chinese for publication in the vernacular newspapers. The question ig one which for some weeks has been stirring up strong feeling in England and not without reason. In the House of Lords, the Marquis of Ripon declared that "the ordinance for the employment of Chinese labour in tae Transvaal under the conditions was without precedent in any part of His Majesty's dominions." He suid, further that the restrictions intended to be imposed should be fully explained to the labourers before they left China. You have pointed out some, but only some, of the points la which the foun of contrast that is to be signed by the labourers who are being -ocruited in Shantung and Obihli fails to convey a correct impression of the state of servitude into which these unfortunate persons are invited to sell themselves. In the House of Commons, Sir Henry Fowler said that he regarded the one introducing slavery into our empire, and be added that-no British Colony ought to be permitted to set up a system of this kind.—Other Members of Parliament spoke in a similar strain. An article in the "Spectator" published just before the question was discussed in Parliament says: No issue of more momentous import 4 and ethical is likely to be debated in the House of Commons in the whole course: of the twentieth century than that of the sanctioning of the introduction of Chinese labour into the Transvaal." The editor points out that it is no question of the importation of hinese coolies into South Africa as ordinary free labourers; they are to be introduced "under conditions of indenture which are marked by a negation of jimest all the tirditional liberties of British subjects," the indentured labourers are to be subject while in the Transvaal to "what would practically be, at any rate in many respects, the discipline of a convict settlement." Some State papers published in the supplement of the ' Times edition) for the 5th F situation pretty clear. Lord "Milner tells the Colonial Seoretary that only as recently as the Ist April last year "A great mass meeting held in Johannesburg condemned Asiastic: labour with hardly a dissentient voice." Even now "there is no change in the general aversion to Asiatics as permanent residents." But the objection that was so widely and strongly felt a year ago to im-'Lord Milner says, to a fear " inti porting Chinese labourers was largely duo, s0
Major Brodie Clarke, who, during the day, had been taking a keen interest in every detail and without: whose presence no Artillery event is complete, then stopped forward and again expressed the appreciation of all to Mrs. Marshall for As: her. presence.
He congratulated the i Battery on its efficiency—attained only by persevering effort,—and was sure they would give the same loyal support to their new officers that they had always extended to their late captain. Ho was sure that it would always give Mrs. Marshall pleasure to hear that the Battery was of good account and, in concluding, called for three cheers for Mrs, and Miss Marshall. the former should not over-run regions of the earth that form the home of the latter.
The Battery was dismissed labour, be will be shipped back to the place from which he was imported. He will have no opportunity of leaving his employment, or of bettering his position, or of enjoying any of the privileges of a higher civilisation than his own, The "S) asks very per tine ently whether any Christian tian State can be justified either in its own interests, or in that of any community for which.it is ang on 4 unquestionably reject as injuriously stunting in the case of its own subjects." The. article from which T have quoted above is a recent one, but the has been throughout. wholly opposed to the introduction of the slavery element into South Africa whether in the form of forced labour extorted from the Kaffir, or in the specious form indentured labour, for whi h one may safely say no Uhinaman would ever leave his native shore, if he really understood what he was going to, and I should like to quote from on. earlier article published in February: of last year: "People often seem to argue as if the situation in South Africa were - something new and strange and as if we were confronted with a fresh problem there in rogand to native labour. Nothing could be further from the facts, The Empire is not " thing of yesterday and we have behind us a hundred and fifty years of experience, It is as certain as that the cun is to-morrow that if we had not rejected the specious pleas for forced labour which arise under a hundred names in all. Oriental countries we should never' have boon to maintain our Indian Empire. success of an Indian Empire is in-truth Steading proof of the winlom of basing' our Imperial system on liberty and justice." I venture to say that the present' proposal to employ Chinese labour on the terms described in your leading article, terms which have already been strongly condemned in England by those who gee the real bearings of this "indenturing" busines, will prove to be absolutely subversive of both liberty and piaiicn of the Chinaman when once he finds of justice, and I shudder to think of the
unself in the compounds to which his indentures consign him. I hope that every one who realises what the proposal amounts to, will in as far as he has the opportunity use all the influence he possesses in dissuading every Chinaman who is in danger of being recruited from selling himself into this bondage.
Tam, etc., Wuchang, 11th April.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.