The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY. MAY 11, 1904. THE YELLOW PERIL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11253, 11 May 1904, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] WEDNESDAY. MAY 11, 1904. THE YELLOW PERIL.

English papers to hand by recent mails have devoted a very considerable 'amount of space to the discussion of the question of the introduction of s the .Chinese into*

the Transvaal. The controversy has been carried on with considerable bitterness in sdme quarters, and several very passionate and inflammatory speeches • were' delivered in the House of Commons during a two days' debate on the subject. The main arguments adduced' in favour of the importation of the yellow men were. that the mines could not be- profitably by white ' unskilled labour, but a large field for white skilled labour would bo opened up if , Asiatic's were employed,' and there would be a flow of British tradesmen and artisans 'into South Africa. It remains to be proved whether the' prediction's of "those* who so strongly urged the 'introduction of the; Chinese into the Transvaal will be realised, but, if . th,e experience of .the Straits Settlement may be taken as a criterion, then, so far from benefiting the white man, the "Yellow peril" will prove his , doom.f , > T=he Crb*n7 ; colony- of '-. the i Straits Settlement provides •an object lesson which aptly illustrates how the Chinaman can , spread himself once lie is admitted 'into ■ a -country' unrestricted. The ' Settlement "of Singapore was founded, in the. year 1819; that of Penang some years' earlier, and in both instances tho Chinese were at onco freely admitted into the colony, at that time peopled • only by, a few- Malay fisherfolk. Tjho country, was ,• greatly in- need, of de- ' Vtilopifacnt. Tlie . Chinaman was invited, and he came in, at first in hundreds;' later in thousands, and' now at "the rate of over 200,000, yearly ! He has not confined himself to Singapore and : Penang. -He. is as fifrmly established' in" Malacca, the Dindjings ? .' and. the' federated Malay - States ; ' ill "fact, lie has overrun the Tvhplc 'of ,tliii J&alay. Peninsula. " The first - .Chinese settlets \vere' poop," ignorant coolies,' men qf the lowest. -classes in China, who landed in' nerdsr,like gangs of unfettered^ slaves. They were set to - work on, the land, tilling, the soil for. the production of gambief, sago, I ', tapioca .and fruits; in cocoanut plantations, in the * jungle, clearing, and collecting gntta, rattans , and other valuable jungle produce. ' Then came -the discovery ,of tin,, in „p aying quantities, in many .parts, -and in .their thousands they were 'sent *d'dwii"irito'she 'mines'fco extract $ie 'rich tin ore.'- All' this, they did willingly, and by those in authority it was thought that they would always be. content to remain "hewers of wood and drawers of 'water." But the Chinaman laughed up his sleeve, and. set himself to save and accumulate capital against, a- time when he might blossom forth as a trader, on his Qwja account. True, the pay he received was poor, but a Chinaman waxes fat on food that would not keep a dog alive, and he.' managed" to save, cent 'by cen,t, until at length, in each of his callings, he was enabled to .redeem' himself from servitude and to start in business for " himself: There sprang up a class .of Bin all 'Chinese traders, agriculturists abd • tin mine owners, and, whilst ' Europeans lost . fortunes ' in the land, the -Chinese made them. Aftet a score of ■ years . or so, Chinamen, now merchant princes, holders v of -large shipping, and mining interests, and .owners of enormous .plantations, .-no longer content with- a .subsidiary -position; in' the- land,' built for themselves palatial nouseß in' the heart of 'the select European, residential district; kept racehorses, sported brougham^ .with 'unsightly armorial bearings,' and , maintained liveried coachmen - and.footmen. Formerly they had' been, content todo business through intermediary European - firms ; ■ now they " sent' their orders direct j chartered. their 'own, line, of steamer! outright, -and sailed them under their own house flags ! ,' They, obtained 'control of ''the 'liquor, : sp,irit' and opium farms — to their great delight. • T&ey v secured, all ,th£ large I ; labour 'contracts^ Government and. private. In- both Singapore and' Penaufg .it -is ' a , hopeless * struggle ' for the' -British merchant,'" 3 Who' seeks 'to establish a ( new business of practically ' any sort, -unless .h,e submits to'termß' dictated'to,him"byCninamen. If .he to eiiter^iuto coni.petition - with • Chinese- merchants -he may , as • well ■ shut up shop fo-inorfow ; if he ; enters into a compromise/ the Chinaman takes care to reduce tho margin of profit to the minimum. In the . raster , of land and house, property, alL 'the N /HeM^building \ sites are in the hands of thetJGi3t3iie.se, who are allowed by • an' inert 'Government t.o erect' their hideous "shop .houses'' — i.e., half shop half house— in any choice spot which happens to strike their particular fancies. Many of the niqst desirable bimgalows and. villas are owned by Chinese landlords, whose rapacity would excite f the" compassion 'of a' slum, owner I As to the vices they -have introduced in the .form of gambling -and immorality-, it is unnecessary to speak. Experience in the Straits Settlement"; goe3 , to. show that the overrunning of .South Africa, by the, Mongolian iB not an • impossible contingency, and their importation ' into the Transvaal involves possible dangers of a very serious' nature. . ... - ' •'■