Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-04-18
OPEN TO THE WORLD.
THE RESULT OF JAPANESE CON.
QUEST OF CHINA.
The Immense Empire to Be Thrown
Open to Foreign Commerce and Her
400, 900 Inhs bitants to Com pete
with European Labor.
Conditions of Peace.


confirms the reports from Tokyo that his
Government has made the opening of
China to foreign commerce and immigra-
ton one of the conditions of peace, which
will make the country the most attrac-
tive spot on earth for investment and
speculation during the next fifteen or
twenty years. The interior Of China, and,
as d matter of fact, the entire empire,
except the treaty ports, is 1900 years
behind the age, judged by comparison
with France or Great Britain or the
United States, but with it's marvellous soil
and 4OOOOO.00O of a naturally ingenious
and industrious population it is capable
of almost any degree of development. Its
advantages over Japan in this respect are
very great, and the latter country has
shown what progress people can make
when they accept modern ideas and meth
DDS.
The conditions Of peace include the free
admission of machinery to all parts of
China and the establishment of factories
by foreigners under the protection of the
Government. This has hitherto been pro-
hibited outside the treaty ports, and
there is practically no machinery in China.
The abolition of the "linkin tax" as it is
called, is also insisted upon. This is
local duty or tax that may be assessed
upon foreigners or foreign goods by any
province or municipality to such an
amount and as frequently as the local au-
thorities desire. 1t is in effect black
mail upon foreign trade and has been the
cause of great deal of trouble and con-
slant complaint Another condition is
the granting of free concessions, char
ters and privileges to japanese and other
foreigners for the construction of rail-
ways after the manner of civilized ma
tons. There is only one short railway
in China, and that belongs to the Govern
ment
1t is understood at the Japanese Lee
cation at Washington that all of these
conditions have been accepted by the
Chinese ENJOYS, and that the only point
at issue now is the cesson by China of
the peninsula known as the Regents
Sword, at the point of which stands the
citadel of Port Arthur. Therefore it may
be assumed as certain that the wall which
has kept foreigners out of China is to be
thrown down within the next few months.
The motive of Japan in exacting from
China the conditions described is the sub
ject of much discussion. but it is generally
assumed that it was done in compliance
with the suggestions Of the European ma
tons which desire to extend their mar
kets. 1t is also n question of serious
discussion among diplomatists whether
it is wise policy to encourage the indus
trial development of China by educating
the masses of the people in mechanical
pursuits and the use of labor saving ma
chnery.
The extraordinary capacity of the Chin
csc in all forms Of fabrication. their great
ingenuity and facility of imitation, their
ability to labor fourteen and sixteen hours
day on a few handfuls of rice. and their
willingness to work for wages that would
not pay for the tobacco consumed by an
American mechanic. will make them dan
gerous competitors in all lines of manu-
features, particularly in the production of
silks, cottons and other fabrics. If they
should enter generally into the manu-
facture of textiles with cotton of their
own cultivation they would effectually
close the mills of Manchester, which have
already been seriously crippled by the de-
velopment of the industry in India, where
the increase of spindles during the last
ten years has been greater than in any
other part of the world.
China is now the largest market for
British and American cottons. We send
to that country very little else except Pc
trOleum. Our exports last year 1S9D
were valued at 1858, 4SS, of which 3d.
SS4, 300 were cotton cloths and s., 43S, G36
petroleum. Our imports from China
amounted to SIT 1875 O2S. of which 49,
163,684 were silks, 1897 ,253 tea, $780,
635 mating and about 81 ,OOO,OOO worth
of furs and skins. Our exports to Japan
were valued at $3,9S6,S15, of which ST.
226,247 was petroleum. Our imports
from Japan amounted to $19, 426522, of
which over $1OOOO,OOO were silks, and
$5,5OO,O0O tea.
The Chinese market for manufactured
goods will never be much greater. The
wants of the people are few, and it will
be generations before they are educated
to the need of luxuries. Therefore the
demand for foreign merchandise will in
no wise compensate for the competition
they will Offer The opening of the coun-
try to manufactures will occasion a tenn
pOrary market for machinery, tools, rail-
way construction material and supplies
and improved agricultural implements,
but the Chinese are such clever imitators
that they will soon be able to supply
themselves.