The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 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 complete census of
the Empire was taken in 1912 and the
returns then gave total of $50, 900, 900.
which is the figure at which the popula-
ton ever since has been popularity sup
posed to stand. We know, however.
that since that time half of the provinces
were the scene Of an internecine war,
which ragged for some ten years, and
which was estimated to have caused the
deaths of from 10000, 900 to 80. OO0, 600.
and the border provinces of Yunnan and
Kweichow have all but been devastated
by the MahOmedan rebellion, not TO
speak of minor wars and deaths from
famine in other parts. Taking all these
things into consideration, and allowing
for possible increase in some places,
foreigners best able to judge have been
of opinion that the total of 100000, 900
was very much over the mark, and from
250,OO0,000 to 300,O00,000 would be
nearer it. This opinion has been more
than corroborated by the publication, of
census of one Of the provinces which
has lately appeared in the Pekin Gazette.
BY the letter of the law every province
ought to make an annual return of its
population, but in consequence of the
Reorganization caused by the Tapping
rebellion, this seems like many other
things to have fallen into disuetude.
Only one province so far. has resumed
the practice-viz., Chekiang. In 1872
this province stood for &c, 256,0 900, and
it is now reported as containing only
1l,570,000 inhabitants. Chinese returns
are not of course, very reliable, but
they may be taken, in default of better
evidence as approximately correct. At
al events, taking the two returns of
equal value, it appears that the popula
ton of this province has fallen off nearly
sixty per cent. Now Chekiang certainly
suffered severely during the Tapping
rebellion, but not more so than several
herprovinces, and. moreover, it is a 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 Is, 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, 900, 900, and tina. the present
population of China does not exceed
$50, 100000. The returns of land tax
payable are further coniirmatory of this
conclusion. In 1912 the land tax payable
in Chekiang was 5,856,0O0 taels, now it
stands at only 100000 taels and in q
memorial dated May of the present
years, the Governor declares that the
actual collection fails far short CT even
this sum. The same complaint comes
from almost every province. A censor
writing i'm March of this year on the
financial embarrassment, says: Ever
since the outbreak of the Tapping rebel
lion the financial prosperity of the En-
pire has steadily declined. Its officers
have sought to raise funds from every
source, but their efforts have resulted in
no real benefit to the revenue; the re-
ceipts that find their way into the public
eXchequer are more Insignificant than
ever; the resources of the Empire are
exhausted. and its people are in a state
of poverty that has no precedent in the
annals of the Empire" Tso Tsung
Tang, Viceroy of Nankin, writing at
later date on the state of affairs in his
own particular jurisdiction, expresses
himself in much the same terms, and it
would be easy to multiply authorities
If the revenue free at the
disposal of the Pekin Government-:hat
is to say, after deducting the necessary
sums for carrying on the provincial
Government-waS correctly estimated
in 1912 as being about fl2. 900, 900, the
sums now derived from the same sources
do not probably exceed two or three mil
lions sterling.
Luckily for the Pekin Government 9th
or sources of revenue have been opened
up, which in a great measure compen-
safe for the falling off of the normal
branches. Of these the principal is the
maritime custom revenue, which now
amounts to upward of f4,000,O0O ster-
ling. 1t is surprising that the rapid
which this branch has made,
and is still making, should not have sug-
gested to the Chinese officials the true
for the present unfortunate state
Of affairs. All the advance which the
country has lately made in wealth and
has been in connection with
foreign trade. The tea and silk districts
have been large gamers and, apart from
the boards in the families of retired Off
cials, nearly all the capital in the coun-
try is in the hands of the merchants,
bankers and middlemen engaged in for
eign commerce. But of all the numer-
Gus memorials that have been presented
to the throne on this subject not one has
hit the real cause. They abound in COM
plants of peculation on the part of some
officials and of extravaganza on the part
of others, and think that, that being
remedied. all will be well. Ii does not
occur to them that by promoting the free
of commodities between
different parts of the Empire whereby
the producer could get better price for
his produce and the consumer be able to
supply his wants cheaper, something
might be effected. But in their necessi-
ties the Government adopted scheme
which was, perhaps, the very worst they
could have tried and the most effectual
in arresting the development of trade at
the time when improvement was most
the imposition of the in
land tax on all goods, without exception,
passing from one market to another.
This produces q revenue of, roughly
speaking, f2,OO0 000.-Hong KonJ Cor.
London Times.
NJ KamrbiIIs RrnakSast-