The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-12-01
The Decay of China.


There is every reason to believe that
this country has fallen off enormously
IN wealth and population during the last
fifty years. The last compile census of
the Empire was taken in Bl2 and the
returns then gave a total of 500, 900, 900,
which is the figure at whichthe popula-
ton ever since has been po,ularlv sup
posed TO stand. We know, however,
that since that time half of he provinces
were the scene of an intenecine war,
which ragged for some TEL years, and
/ which was estimated To have caused the
/ deaths of from 10000, 900 tdS0,000, 600.
and the border provinces of Yannan and
| Kweichow have all but been devastated
/ by the Mahomedan rebellion, not to
| speak of minor wars and deths from
famine in other parts. Takingall these
4 things into consideration, and allowing
! for possible increase in some places,
/ foreigners best able to Judge lave been
/ Of opinion that the total OF 30,000,O00
was very much over the mark, md from
T 25O. 600. 900 to 800, 900, 600 would be
nearer it. This opinion has ben more
than corroborated by the publication of
census of one OF the provinces which
has lately appeared in the Pekiu Gazette.
BY the letter of the law every province
ought to make an annual return of its
population, but in consequence of the
disorganization caused by theTaeping
rebellion, this seems like mIny other
things to have fallen into 6suetude.
Only one province so far hasresumed
the practice-viz., Chekiang. In 1912
this province stood for 20. 25G000, and
it is now reported as containing only
II, $40 900 inhabitants. Chinee returns
are not of course, very relhble, but
they may be taken, in defaul of better
evidence as approximately correct At
al events, taking the two 'eturns of
equal value, it appears that tie pspula-
ton of this province has fallenor <frly
sixty per cent Now Chekians cetainly
suffered severely during the Teping
rebellion, but not more so than several
other provinces, and. Moreover, il lisa very
fertile province and the center Of the silk
industry. so that the population might
be expected to fill up by immigration
more rapidly than in other places. |
If, therefore, Notwithstanding all these
advantages the population in this one
province has decreased by 10, 900, 900, it |
is not unreasonable to suppose that the
falling off over the whole eight or ten
which are known to have suffered is at |
least 100. 600, 600, and thai the present
population of China does not exceed |
250.000, 900 The returns of land tax /
payable are further confrmatory Of this |
conclusion. In 1912 the land taxpaTable |
in Chekiang was $500. 600 taels, now it |
stands at only 2. 40, 600 taels and in a
memorial dated May of the present |
years, the Governor declares that the
actual collection fails far short Of even |
this sum. The same complaint comes |
from almost every province. a censor |
writing in March of this veal. on the
financial embarrassment, says: Ever
since the outbreak of the Tapping rebel
lion the financial prosperity Of b-sin-
pire has steadily decline>. as officers
have sought to raise funds from every
source, but their efforts have resulted in
no real benefit TO the revenues; the re-
ceipts that find their way into the public
eNchequer are more Insignificant than
ever; the resources of the Empire are
exhausted, and its people are in state
Of poverty that has no precedent in the
annals of the Empire ESQ Tsung
Tang, Viceroy of Nankin, writing at a
later date on the state of affairs in his
own particular jurisdiction, expresses
in much the same terms, and it
would be easy to multiply authorities
I definitely. If the revenue free at the
disposal of the Pekin Government--that
5 TO say, after deducting the necessary
sums for carrying on the provincial
ioYernment-was correctly estimated
n 1872 as being about fI2. 000,0 600, the |
iums now derived from the same sources
TO not probably exceed two or three mil /
ions sterling.
I rrnlyslx- g.. l., I)ol-:.-
n sources of revenue have been opened I
Up, which in great measure coinpen-
ate for the falling off of the normal
branches. OF these the principal is the
maritime custom revenue, which now
amounts to upward of "a 600. 600 ster-
ing. 1t is surprising that the ranid
progress which this branch has made.
md Is still making, should not have suo-
rested to the Chinese officials the t,,Ie
emedy for the present unfortunate state
# affairs. All the advance which the
country has lately made in wealth and
has been in connection with
oreign trade. The tea and silk districts
AVE been large gamers and, apart from
he boards in the families of retired off;-
ials, nearly all the capital in the conn
ry is in the hands of the merchants
,ankers and middlemen engaged in for.
ign commerce. But of ali the MINER
'us memorials that have been presented
o the throne on this subject not one has
lit the real cause. They abound in com
'laints of peculation on the art of some
'fficials and of Extravaganza on the mart
# others, and think that, that be;ng
all win be well. II does not
ccur to them that by promoting the free
of commodities between
ifferent parts of the Empire whereby
he producer could get a better price for
is produce and the consumer be ahls RI
upply his wants cheaper, Sometime
night be effected. But in their necass;7,
les the Government adopted scheme
7hich was, perhaps, the very worst thew
ould have tried and the most effeet,,.l
4 arresting the development of trade at
he time when improvement was most
eeded-viz., the imposition of the in
md tax on all goods, without exception.
assing from one market to another
his produces revenue of, roupblv
oeaking, f2,00o. 000.-Hong Kong Cor.
ondon Times. /