CHAPTER X MODERN GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN THE DUTCH EAST INDIES AND THE PHILIPPINES THE DUTCH INDIES The Government of the Dutch East Indies.-The Dutch East Indies government is divided into three distinct parts. The general legislative branch is located at The Hague, in Holland. The central colonial government at Batavia, Java, legislates and administers the details of the general policies formulated in Holland, while provincial and local administrations are confronted with the task of actually administering the laws thus formulated. The legislative power which was exercised in the early nineteenth century by the Governor General has been almost entirely transferred to the Dutch Legislature and the Dutch monarch. The Legislature has not entirely superseded the exclusive power formerly exercised by the monarch in the early part of the nineteenth century and, the Queen, acting through her Minister, is still the most influential organ of colonial government. The Minister is responsible, of course, to the Dutch Legislature which, however, seldom makes use of its prerogative to control colonial policy, and most of the important laws affecting the colony are fiat laws of the Minister. He also appoints colonial officials and performs necessary executive acts. The disadvantage in thus vesting legislative power in a single official, whose position is dependent upon political conditions at home and who holds office for only a comparatively short time, as a rule, is the obvious one of a lack of consistent colonial policy, and a remedy for this condition has been sought in the pro posal to establish an advisory council, permanently appointed, who would form the basis of a stable policy. It is only through its control of the finances that the Dutch Legislature has exercised any considerable control over the Indian colonies. But it has been repeatedly held that, because of the lack of interest and knowledge of colonial affairs on the part of Dutch legislators, the financial control of the colony from Holland is disadvantageous. This would seem a reasonable attitude, inasmuch as the Dutch legislators are expected to have only a knowledge of Dutch domestic affairs, and the number of colonial specialists among them are very few. From every point of view there seems no valid reason why colonial autonomy in financial and other important legislative control is not dictated both by reason and by considerations of good government. Several proposals for remedying the situation such as the establishment of local self-government in Dutch India, and the establishment of a special "imperial" Parliament, with colonial representatives, have been advanced, but there is little likelihood of their immediate adoption. The Power of the Governor. The principal feature of the Dutch Government in India is the great power wielded by the Dutch Colonial Governor, who is responsible directly to the Crown. Without any serious limitation to his powers, either legislative, or administrative, in India, the only checks upon his exercise of enormous and arbitrary power have come from the home Government, which has shown a tendency to supersede him in many ways. The improvement in means of communication, in recent years, has only seemed to emphasize this tendency, although the Governor General still maintains an important position, and his advice certainly influences the determination of Dutch colonial policy. A council of five members appointed by the home Government assists the Governor General in legislating and decides upon all projects of law, subject to his approval, which in turn must be upheld by the home Government. With a few exceptions, however, the Governor General is the only responsible colonial official in both legislation and administration. Under him, and entirely subordinate to him, are five departments, the heads of which, however, lack the responsibility and independence of ministers in a parliamentary government. The General Secretariat of the Governor General conducts his correspondence and publishes his orders, and the position of this body is peculiarly important, in that it acts independently in giving form and substance to the expression of his will. The Provincial Administration of the Colonial Government. The provincial administration of the Dutch Indian Government is the branch which has been developed with greatest difficulty. Through it a distinctly European administration seeks to control a great native organization, whose very nature is so primitive as to be far behind that of the West. The provincial officials, therefore, must remain European in ideal and purpose, but become native in practice and performance. Through them the two peoples, the Dutch and Javanese, are interpreted to each other, and Javanese problems are translated into Dutch legislation, which in turn must be administered according to native rules. These officials include 22 residents, 78 assistant residents, 165 controleurs of three classes, 72 regents, 434 district heads, and 1,033 under district heads of two classes. A residency is the size of a New England county, and the resident, who rules over about a million people, compares somewhat with the French prefect in his many duties. These are administrative, legislative of a minor nature, judicial, fiscal, political, and diplomatic. He must protect the natives from oppression, maintain peace, encourage agriculture and education, and guard religion. His assistants rule over subdivisions of the regency, performing all his duties except that of legislating, and estab lish contact with the native officials, the regents. The controleurs are the lowest European officials in the actual administration under the regent and his assistants. Their position is theoretically perfunctory, but, actually, by coming in daily contact with the native regents, they occupy positions of much local importance, and exercise much influence upon affairs. The native regents who exercise the immediate rule over the natives are of princely rank, and are responsible for the conduct of their subjects. Their hereditary succession is maintained and the Government thereby gains the prestige and influence of the old native rulers. The district heads are appointed by the regent and, being in close contact with the lower Dutch officials, are directly subject to Dutch administration rather than to the regent, much of whose authority they exercise. Below these officials are heads of village groups whose principal point of contact is the district head. These village officials are important in apportioning the land tax, but otherwise exercise little influence. Evils of Dutch East Indian Government.-There are many evils in the centralized form of Dutch administration in India. By concentrating all collections and all payments of revenue in one central office, extravagant demands are made by local officials out of all proportion to their contributions, and great difficulty is experienced in making a wise apportionment of expenditure. Due to the press of business upon the central Government, local matters of much importance are left unattended to, resulting in dissatisfaction and discord. A general reorganization of the central Government seems necessary, which would restrict the influence and power of the Secretariat, and place greater emphasis upon more independent coöperation between the Governor General and the heads of his departments. With a view to giving greater rights to the local inhabitants, provincial councils have been suggested which are to be composed of European and native officials, and private European and native individuals designated by the Governor General. They should pass upon matters of public works, agriculture, and industry, and for these purposes should be allowed to expend about a third of their revenue. Under the present system many misuses of power by European officials are noted. Improper gains from auctions and notarial functions, receiving of presents, and misuse of natives for personal service have attracted the attention of the central Government. The chief result of too great centralization is the fact that minor faults of the central administration become greatly intensified as they pass down the scale of authority. Although schools have been formed to train native officials, many of them are without such training. As a result many faults are observable in them, such as the willingness to take advantage of opportunities for abuse of power, and the lack of independence in seeking to placate the Dutch superiors. These weaknesses only call for European officials of qualities above the average, whose training should be specialized in the social and political organizations of the East. The Dutch have exhibited several good sides in their colonial administration, and not the least of these has been a studied attempt to further close and confidential relations between European and native officials, rather than maintain an imposing aloofness and reserve which smacks of terrorism. In order to obtain officials who will further these ends a well established system of education and selection, coupled with a satisfactory arrangement for pay and promotion, has rendered the provincial government service attractive to good men. Considerations Affecting Colonial Government in the Tropics. The prime consideration underlying the modern development of the Far Eastern tropics is the fact that nature is so bountiful in supplying so full a satisfaction of the |