spite of this the Regent, by virtue of his local knowledge, his birth, his influence on the population, his financial resources and corresponding mode of life, is in a much higher position. Moreover the Regent, as the representative of the Javanese element of a district, and being understood to speak in the name of the many thousands of souls that form the population of his regency, is, even in the eyes of the Government, a much more important person than the modest European official, whose discontent would occasion no apprehension, as there is no difficulty about replacing him, whilst the more or less unfavourable disposition of a Regent might become the germ of disturbance or rebellion.
From all this, then, results the strange circumstance that it is in reality the inferior who issues orders to the superior. The Assistant-Resident instructs the Regent to furnish him with reports. He instructs him to have the taxes collected. He calls upon him to attend the district council, which he, the Assistant-Resident, presides over. He censures him when found guilty of dereliction of duty. This most peculiar relation is only rendered possible by extremely courteous formalities, which, however, need exclude neither cordiality nor, when necessary, severity, and I think the tone to be observed in this relationship is fairly well indicated by the official instructions on the point: the European official must treat the native officer who assists him as a younger brother.
But he must not forget that this younger brother is greatly beloved—or feared—by the parents, and that, in eventual differences, his greater “age” would count as a reason for blaming him for not having treated his younger brother with greater indulgence or tact.
However, the innate courtesy of the Javanese grandee—even the lower-class Javanese is far more polite than his European equal—makes this apparently difficult relation more bearable than it would otherwise be.
Let the European be well-bred and discreet, let him behave with kindly dignity, and he may rest assured that the Regent on his
