A CHINESE VIEW OF EUROPEAN LIBERTY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7702, 11 May 1903, Page 2

A CHINESE VIEW OF EUROPEAN LIBERTY.

WESTERN BONDA&E.

"The Celestial Empire," published ati Shanghai, translates from the "Sin Pao," a*i native newspaper .published -KPekin, the ! following passage, intended, to impress upon its readiers that the only tmelibsrty is that' of China and the Chinese, and to denounce the threatened irruption of Japanese and European influence.

" The Chinese enjoy the greatest liberty, and the Japanese and Westerners aro under the greatest bondage. There may be a great many people who hold a different opinion from ours, and say ' popular liberty originated .in the West, and afterwards flew into Japan, but is unknown, in China up to this dny. What absurdity you utter, when you say that the Chinese enjoy more liberty than the Westerners.' Our answer would bo as follows: The laws in Japan and in the West are both too numerous and too severe. All tihe people are bound to serve in the army for a certain number of years, during which they are liable to be transferred to any place at any time by their general, and are not permitted to disobey the order. This is one instance of bondage. All the children in the country are bound to attend school at*a certain age. This is another instance of bondage. When an author wants to print a book he has to ask for copj'right, This is a third instance of bondage. Before a man can establish a newspaper 'he must apply for a certificate from his Government, sanctioning, him to do so. This is a fourth instance of bondage. Furthermore, there are fixed regulation- governing all companies and firms. Thus the merchants and tradesmen are deKived of their liberty. AU marriages must reported to a oertain department for registration. Thus l ' there is no liberty between husband and wife. Besides, there are such taxes ac tho -tamp tax, which curtails the liberty of selling goods ; the limited company tax, whioh interfer.es with ; the liberty of establishing companies ; and' the cattle tax, which limits the liberty of rearing animals. Even the members of Parliament in constitutional monarchies, and the Presidents of Republics! are not given sufficient liberty to rule over the people, as is evidenced by the fact that th&se high functionaries are elected! by the people themselvea. Judging by the above facts, can any impartial person say that the. Japanese and Westerners are not under bondage?"