96 



JAVA, 



[ctlAP. Til 



3^et in tlie forest. He has not sufficient forethought to take 

 only a moderate quantity, and not enough energy to work 

 early aud hvte in order to get out of debt ; and the conse- 

 quence is that he accumulates debt npon del^t, aud often 

 remains for years, or for life, a debtor and almost a slave. 

 This is a state of things which occurs vtny largely in ever}' 

 ]>art of tlie world in which men of a superior race freely 

 t rade with men of a lower race. It extends trade no douV»t 

 for a time, but it demoralizes tlie native, checks true civi- 

 lization, and does not lead to any pennancnt increase in 

 the wealth of the country ; so that the Earopean govern- 

 ment of such a country must be carried on at a loss. 



The system introduced by the Dutch was to induce the 

 people, through their chiefs, to give a poi-tiou of their time 

 to the cultivation of cottee, sugar, and other valuable 

 prodtict:*. A fixed i-ate of wages— low iudeed, but about 

 equal to that of all places where European competition luis 

 not artificially raised it — was paid to the labourers engaged 

 in clearing the ground and forming the plantations under 

 Government superinteiuleuce. The produce is sold to tlie 

 Government at a low fixed price. Out of the net profits 

 a percentage goes t<> the chiefs, aud the remainder is 

 divided among the vrorkmen. This surjilus in good years 

 is something considerable. On the whole, the people are 

 well fetl and decently clotlied 5 and have acquired habite 

 of steady industry and the art of scientific cultivation, 

 which must be of service to them in the futtu'e. It must 

 be remembered, that the Clovernraent expended capitul 

 for 3'ear9 before any return was obtained j and if they 

 now derive a large revenue, it is in a way which is far 

 less burtlicnsome, and far more beneficial to the people, 

 than any tax that could be levied. 



But although the system may he a good one, and as 

 Tivell adajited to the development of arts aud indudtiy in a 

 half-civilii:ed people, as it is to the material advantage of 

 the governing country, it is not pretended tliat in practice 

 it is perfectly carried out. The oppressive and servile 

 relations between chiefs and people, which have con- 

 tinued for perhaps a thousand years, cannot lie at once 

 abolislied ; and some evil must result from those relations, 

 till the spread of education and the gradual infusion of 



