The Colonizer and the Immigrant: Sir Cecil Clementi Smith, Sir Cecil Clementi and Singapore Chinese Societies

[[abstract]]本文試著透過海峽殖民地社團條例的發展沿革，觀察英國殖民者對新加坡華人移民者的統治、華人社團的活動發展，與雙方多重複雜的互動關係，其中將進一步深入探討史密斯總督與金文泰總督統治時期針對華人私會黨與中國國民黨所推出的社團政策，分析兩人政策的影響，以及華人社團與華人社會的回應。 華人私會黨自新加坡開埠以來，就困擾著殖民者與當地民眾。海峽殖民地政府制訂《1869年危險社團壓制條例》規定私會黨必須向政府註冊，配合「以華治華」的策略，與私會黨領袖合作管理私會黨。儘管日後又在1877年成立華民護衛司署、1882年與1885年兩度修改社團條例，仍舊無法有效遏止私會黨作亂，不僅使得人民的生命財產受到威脅，連殖民官員也遭受蓄意攻擊。 1887年10月，史密斯總督上任，旋即大刀闊斧展開改革，主張全面禁止私會黨，積極催生新的社團條例。1889年2月立法議會通過《1889年社團條例》，建立起一套社團管理制度。私會黨從此成為非法社團，其餘十人以上的社團則要依法登記，取得註冊社團或是豁免註冊社團的合法身份。新加坡華文報《叻報》對此政策十分支持，更扮演政令傳聲筒的角色，成為政府與華人之間的溝通橋樑。 《1889年社團條例》確立英殖民政府的鐵腕政策路線，即使社團條例之後曾於1893年、1901年、1909年、1911年與1921年多次修訂，最終更名為《第一一六號條例（社團）》，政府管制社團的決心和立場卻未曾動搖或改變。 繼私會黨之後，中國國民黨成為英殖民政府另一個亟欲鏟除的目標。1930年2月，與國民黨因為省港大罷工種下心結的前香港總督金文泰接任海峽殖民地總督，初抵新加坡隨即下令禁止國民黨在馬來亞活動。原本單純的殖民地內部社團問題，卻演變成英中之間的國際外交事件，由英國駐華公使出面與中國外交部部長協商，在1931年4月達成「王藍協定」。中國政府表示國民黨無意在馬來亞設立黨部。海峽殖民地政府則依約修改社團條例，通過為國民黨量身打造的《1931年社團（增修）條例》。 不論是成群結黨的私會黨或是提倡中國民族主義的國民黨，在殖民者的眼中都是「政府中之政府」，嚴重威脅英殖民政府的至高權威，因此壓制他們是殖民者不得不作出的自我防衛。至於其他華人移民者的各式社團，只要依法活動、無礙社會秩序與殖民統治，皆可以自由地運作。[[abstract]]By examining the development of the Societies Ordinance of the Straits Settlements, this thesis aims to investigate the following issues: how the British colonizers ruled Chinese immigrants and their societies in Singapore, how Chinese societies functioned under this Ordinance, and how complex the relationship was between the colonizers and the immigrants. In the history of the Societies legislation in the Straits Settlements, there were two important and famous ordinances made during the reigns of Sir Cecil Clementi Smith and Sir Cecil Clementi. Therefore, this thesis strives to discuss thoroughly their policies on suppressing secret societies and the Kuomintang of China (KMT) and analyzes the influences of these policies, and the Chinese responses. Chinese secret societies had always been a crucial problem for the British administrators and people in Singapore. The Dangerous Societies Suppression Ordinance, 1869 was the first attempt of the Straits Settlements Government to deal with the menace of them. By virtue of this ordinance, secret societies were first time under registration. The Government also utilized the method of “ruling Chinese through Chinese” and collaborated with headmen of secret societies to keep their men quiet and amenable to the law. In 1877, the Chinese Protectorate was established to manage Chinese affairs. In 1882 and 1885, the Societies Ordinance was amended twice. However, secret societies still threatened people’s lives and property and constituted a serious danger to the peace and good order of the colony. They even tried to murder a colonial official who revealed their viciousness. Sir Cecil Clementi Smith arrived at Singapore in October 1887 as the new Governor of the Straits Settlements and implemented reforms on dealing with the problem of dangerous Chinese secret societies without delay. He adopted a policy of total suppression of them. In February 1889, a new law called The Societies Ordinance 1889 was passed. All secret societies were declared to be unlawful. Other societies of ten or more persons whatever their nature or objects should be legally registered as exempted societies or registered societies. Lat Pau, the most influential Chinese newspaper in the late nineteenth century Singapore, supported this law and became a communication bridge between the Government and the Chinese. The Societies Ordinance 1889 indicates that the Straits Settlements Government decided to rule with an iron hand. Even though the Societies Ordinance was amended many times in 1893, 1901, 1909, 1911, and 1921, and renamed as Ordinance No. 116 (Societies), the strong determination and position of the Government to rule all societies was never shaken or changed. After secret societies were suppressed, the KMT was the next target of the colonial Government. In February 1930, Sir Cecil Clementi, the former Governor of Hong Kong, who disliked the KMT because of the Canton-Hong Kong strike, assumed duty as Governor of the Straits Settlements and immediately issued an order to clamp down on the KMT and its activities in Malaya. A mere and domestic society question in the colony became an international and diplomatic affair between Britain and China. The British Minster to China had to negotiate with the Chinese Minister for Foreign Affairs. Finally, they reached the compromising “Wang—Lampson Agreement” in April 1931. The China Government stated that the KMT did not propose to establish central or branch party offices (tangpu) in Malaya. The Straits Settlements Government amended the Societies Ordinance for the KMT and passed Societies（Amendment）Ordinance, 1931. For the British colonizers, establishing an imperium in imperio in the colony was undesirable. Since both secret societies and the KMT were severe dangers and threats to the paramountcy of the Government, suppressing them was the action that must be taken by the authorities for self-defense. As for other Chinese societies, most of them could function freely as long as their activities were obedient to the law and innocuous to the peace of the colony and the colonial administration.[[note]]碩