, 1877-04-02
CHINA.
It's Finances-Wid Corruption-An
Empire Hun by Women.
San ETuncjseo {b4s,

Its Tlnanees-widc-sprcad Corruptfon-An
Empire ftun by Women.
San Frunc'seo Tbss.
For tho first tltnc III The history Of ChinA Inns
the state OF her Imperial flnunccs been dscloscd.
The Chinese budget for 1850 al,nws tho total
revenue In coin to he 81, ,05l, 200 tacls, sach tael
being worth st.0l tho grain tribute amounts 10
a,t77,60A pcculs Of 1888 pounds each, which Is
estimated to be worth ST., ,c0B tacls Thus tho
cnttrc Imperial revenue Of China during the
past fuaur!al year foots up total OF about S70,-
Oo0,000. Tho budget Of expenditure shows tho
cost Of the Central Government at 27,Uls, $50
tacls, of which tho army anil navy 10 act down
In round numbers Mt 4,s0, 600; anlnrics of evil
aud military otlrcrs, 7,0s7,lDs; administration
Of Central Government, 8Bs 81 tacls. Couriera
and malls cost nearly fur tlHles ~ much; river
enhanktncnas and public works arc charged
at 9,bo0, ,0D taels. Il rcserrc fund OF 1913, ,743
tacls IL set apart fur some unexplained object.
china Wns without the luxury Ut \ foreign debt
untl ISIt. .aSs "a e. loan ecafing pr esnt
Hong Kong a,rl Shanghai Bank by Imperial
authority, secured OIL the customs revenue.
The existence Of this loan cannot account for
such large reserve fund.- but there may be an
the dlffcrcncc.
Tho Emperor, being spiritual rs well as tcr,-
poral sovereign, maintains neither ecclesiastical
hierarchy nor priesthood; hence nn expenditure
Of 1sa, ~ tae's may be regarded as perquisito
Of tho Hubltmely Pure. fbere Is also slspl-
cous Item Ut los taels In miscellaneous CT
penlltarcs of tho Central Goycrulnent. Tho
next highest item Of expenditure Ii Tor cx-
animation aud aId 10 thu lltcratl, whIcl, u not
peculiar IN an Empire ruled BY red tape arl COM
peuttvo examination. Public charity and peIs-
slons anu gratltadcs likewise agura for solla
sums in the list Ut general Expenditures, But
the expenditures Of tho Imperial household,
which taltlte under separate head, foot up d
tota! ef l3a2o7,llS taeIs, being " exrcsa of o..
Considering tho wat Empire Of CHM, tho
revenue aud expenditure, ~ exhibited lu these
figures, Is not larRc; but these sulna DO not rep
srscht = titho Of tho money squeezed by pro-
yinelal magnatcs from telpless .peoplu. Tho
deficiency Of revenue Il usually inalu W. of dona-
ttons, which aretn exchange of sunk and plaGe;
In other words, by thc sale of otllce.
Tho heada ot expenditure u tho Imperial
nouschniu ot China Are Historically Instructive,
Iastar-like, tho Fsignlng family trusts To Tartar
Army Of tie Eight Burners and Mougul
auxiliary troop. Klce and other ft,ol cost oScr
4.s0o,uO tacls; ata 10 nlandarlns swallows 3Jl,-
szI5 tacls; !: prcsrnts md penslous lick up cool
bali .nlll!un; sarFilca 10 tho GrauI Luna
{aaothee Imperial pcrquisltu) ainouu.s to nearly
$50, 0o0 tae!s; whe porcelain, ETC., eost 9Oi 605
taels. Corruption and oppression nye rampant
within tho great wall. and 1t Is saIi enormous
sunns aIc annually diverted from their legitimate
uses into the pockets Of officials; The telldeu-
" of public CORRUPTION has not lessened since
tho usurpatlon Of power by y'won.en ot the Iu..
peral household, the Government Of China hayo
bcen run by two Empress Regents, ruling loint-
" since 1851, except = ahoTt ttnu during tho
reign Of tho late 10y Enpsrvr Tho ambitious
readily Imagined III such Court as that ot
ptkibE.