CALAMO CURRENTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9022, 7 April 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

CALAMO CURRENTE.

"Chinese Chebk." Such is the heading to a leading article of one of the most largely-circulated journals published in the sister colonies of Australia. It is an article of anti-Mongolian tenor, and is addressed apparently to the canaille ; and its logic and spirit are accordant. Let me premise. I hold that the admission of hordes of Chinese into Australia would be a calamity—moral, physical, and social; that these colonies ehould be saved from it.and that thesecolonies will be; that though national treaties, made in a time when such a visitation could not have been anticipated, may have secured the right of access to every portion of the British Empire, to Mongolians, England will find a way to have those treaties revised as America has done, and without any trouble or excitement Australia will bo saved for the Australians.

But "Chinese cheek"; and wherein does it consist? This editorial, which purports to be the exponent of genuine and patriotic colonial public opinion, shall tell us. The memorandum from the Chinese Ambassador in London to the Premier of England "proves the truth of what was well suspected." And what was that.? It was that the Chinese Government had turned its attention to Australia to find an "outlet for the starvation and filth and abomination of China." And how was it done? It was " helped by the soi-dUanl Ambassadors who performed the part of spies throughout these colonies last year. Those so described were the accredited envoys of the Emperor of the oldest empire on earth, and the most venerable civilisation in existence. Thev were gentlemen in the fullest sense, though of Oriental ways, and were so esteemed and treated by every person of distinction with whom they came in contact, and were in every way as superior to the gutter-snipes of colonial journalism, who affected to quiz their pigtails, as is the colossal and venerable empire they represented to the convict-generated and hood-lum-blasted social organisation of New South Wales.

"Chinese cheek." And -wherein did it consist? Going back to the beginning, old gold diggers well remember the Chinese hunts on the diggings, when there was a "roll up" of diggers to drive the Chinese off the field. I have been told by one who saw the Chinivmen running for bare life, under a tropical sun, with their tongues literally hanging out of their open mouths, panting and gasping for breath, with wild looks of terror in their eyes, and in agcny flying before the face of hundreds and well-nigh thousands of armed and reckless men. For the safety and the kindly treatment of these poor foreigners the honour of the British name had been pledged, that honour for which many a noble Englishman has been proud to die. In violation of that pledge, in disregard of all claims of humanity as well as honour, these unprotected and unoffending strangers were run to death. These things of course have reached the ears of the Emperor of China, »nd he sent his " trusty and wellbeloved" servants, these ambassadors—just as a Christian potentate might have done —to see after his children and their sufferings in a distant land, and that was "Chinese cheek."

"Chinese cheek." I wonder what the English or American "cheek" would be if it appeared in public journals in London or New York, thao a party of Englishmen or Americans, and because they were so, had been hunted to the death by a swarm of fierce pursuers, somewhere up country in China, where the Anglo-Saxons had been following the ways of quiet industry under the assurance given by treaties that they would have protection. I think it is not a diplomatic mission that would have been sent to China; I think it would have been a squadron of armour-clads, or a demand for explanation and satisfaction quite as peremptory ae if it had been spoken from the mouths of cannon. And it would not have been American or English "cheek;" but it would have been the exercise of the solemn duty of a great and Christian nation to have protected its citizens from outrage, and itself from the insult of a violated treaty. And the Government at Westminster that would refuse to demand satisfaction would be impeached by the voice of an angry nation, and would not survive for a day.

''Chinese Cheek." But those were the days of other years, when in the wild woods the noble digger ran. Let us come to the age of reason, and to the era of justice and equitable Government. And we find these people—whose real offending is that they are thrifty; that they practice those virtues of moderation in eating, and drinking, and apparel, which we all commend ail tne exercise of a Christian duty ; that they are contented with but the humblest requital for their services, and that from that little they squander not in needless luxuries, but save enough to return to their native land and make glad the hearts of their relatives, and, most of all, their aged parents, the object of a Chinaman's most devoted regard—we see these people subjected to inequitable laws, under a sovereignty in friendly alliance with their native land; fined for coming into the country ; fined for remaining in it; imprisoned on their advent to a friendly shore under the plea of quarantine; harried by our hoodlums, bullied by our authorities, and regarded even by our best, with a kind of compassionate, amused contempt. And when the proud Emperor of three or four hundred millions of them barns of the sufferings to which the few stragglers of hie people are so unfairly subjected in an empire pledged to friendship and protection of his subjects, and sends an'embassage to find the truth, and courteously expostulates in a document that, for dignity, lucidity, and force, lias been rarely equalled, a larrikin journalist of Botany Bay calle it " Chinese cheek."

Bat let us listen to the censor. " There must be no paltering or faltering;" the diplomatic interchange of communications between the Government of the British Empire and the Government of China " must not be permitted to have the sligbteat effect upon the restrictive legislation to keep thif. country for those who have a right to it;" and " that has nothing to do with Australia, and she will unhesitatingly decline to be bound " by it; and " there must be no mistake about this matter ; the position of Australia must be dearly and unmistakeably established ;" the cares not a fig for "all the treaties in she world which could be signed between theßritish and Chinese Governments ;" and " the worst that could happen is a rupture of a treaty between Britain and China;" and "when the pinch comes" then "that must be Britain's look out" 1 for no doubt Botany Bay would very promptly teach a lesson to both Britain and China, so let them just "look out" for squalls.

Now as an illustration of larrikin swagger we might regard this as unique, but that it exactly expresses the ignorant and illbred feeling that is indulged by a certain order of mind that is the nurture of upstart colonialism, wholly unconscious of the big world beyond its own narrow sphere. The " rights " which Australians have to those vast unpeopled territories of Northern Australia have been granted under the protecting aegis of the British power, and without the sheltering protection of that Power Australians, if they were to buret themselves in blowing, could no more repel the inflow of Chinese hordes than they could repel the tide that flows into Botany Bay. The British force and prestige removed, the ironclads of China could blow the paltry forte of Port Jackson to eternal smash; her eighteen knot cruisers could sweep the Australian seas of shipping and lay Sydney in ashes, and her transport* could land a force from her mil- • lions of armed soldiers, to which the forces and reserves of Australia would not give a bite apiece ; while at every port and inlet of North Australia they ooulrt dieembark a swarm of settlers from China's three hundred and fifty millions, which would spread over the continent like loouste, and eat up every green thinp in the land. Yet Britain must " look out, for sooth, and Australians mart defend their "rights. ,.

Wβ talk of British Jingoism, which won't "take no nonsense from nobody;" that spirit which would trample on every right, and carry its way by the might of brute force; but for genuine Jingoism in its lowest and vulgarest form commend us to that ignorant and swaggering spirit which is growing up in the colonies under the euphonious name of the " breathings of national life." Presuming on the condescending and conciliatory indulgence which English statesmen are showing to the colonies, and presuming on the great might of the Empire, like a little puppy relying on his big brother, it puts on that swashbuckler hectoring tone, as if it was going to lick creation. Without the sheltering protection of British power these colonies would be helplessly at the mercy of almost any nation that thought them worth invasion ; and yet this vulvar, upstart spirit threatens England with" the withdrawal of its bon accord, if she does not threaten war to France, to Germany, and now to China, for the gratification of our every whim. Like a child that is lost for want of whipping and cries petulantly for the moon, it threatens to take its own affairs into its own hands, and wallop the world into submission. Like the kite that wanted to fly without the string, it tugs and pulls for freedom. " See how the crowds of gazing people admire my flight above the steeple; how they would wonder if they knew all that a kite like mo can do." Pollex.