The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-04

England exported to China in 1892 goods
valued at 500. co. COO. OF these there were
OF cottons SIS. o., 900; wooIens and worst
eds. 100000: iron, s1,soo.0o0. In return
she imported 1900. 900 worth of goods.
China Is now the largest market for Brit
ish cotton goods. America sends TO that
country about 100000 in cotton goods
yearly and about the same amount of
petroleum.
England sends 10 Japan yearly S. 900 900
In cottons, half OF which Is cotton yarn.
100000 Of worsteds and woolens and
sl.0e. 900 IN iron.
Germany sends TO China s.. 0o00oo worth
OF needles every year. si,0l0.0o0 of wooden
cloths, and 81 600 900 worth of dyes. There
is hardly an article in this list which I'M
der modern conditions of manufacture
may not be manufactured and supplied I'm
China for from Is to 50 per cent less than
IL now costs. They viii flood the world
with these cheap goods and drive every
civilized being who works for a living
away from his spindle. forge or lathe
There is no question that an era full OF
disaster TO civilized workingmen will be-
gin the moment Chinese cheap labor as 1t
really exists in China is put in competi-
ton directly with the great manufactur-
Ing centers of the world.
Abolition of the "Likino Tax.
Perhaps one OF the most important
privileges, which China has granted, is
the abolition OF what is known as the
''likin" tax. and perpetual free transit
for goods through the entire empire.
The ''likin" tax is an institution In
China as old as the revenue system-in
fact 1t has for centuries furnished the
interior towns with most OF the revenue
upon which they carried on their gov
erpment. With the advent of trades
from civilized countries IL became
means for extortton and blackmail. which
made IL practically impossible for any
one who didn't literally grease the
palms of the authorities to do any kind
OF business in the country.
II finally became a local duty or tax
that could be assessed upon foreigners
or foreign goods BY any province or mu-
nicipality to such an amount and as fire.
quently as the local authorities desired.
1t cassed an immense amount OF trouble.
and complaints were numerous at Picking.
but without avail.
Under the operation OF the tax and the
provision in it which perhaps caused the
Japanese more trouble than any one else
in recent years. for II was against them II
was most rigidly enforced. a merchant
shipping goods into the interior was liable
10 have them assessed for valuation and
taxation by every municipality through
which they passed. Frequently the tax
merchant TO pay the full value OF his
goods 10 have them released. The exac-
ton of this tribute really amounted TO an
embargo on trade. and kept traders out OF
the country.
Rush for Prospective Riches.
The rush OF capitalists to take advan-
tage OF the conditions Of the peace treaty
has already begun. Chester 4. HoIcomb
for many years secretary OF the United
n book called The Real Chinaman," is
already on his way TO China from Wash
ington City in the interest OF a syndicate
OF American millionaircs- His mission Is
10 obtain concessions and 10 pick out the
most likely places and lines OF trade or
manufacture in which money can be In
vested.
lie Is but ono OF a hundred others on
their way 10 China with a similar object
In view. and they are from England. Ger
many. Russia and France. as well as from
America.
About ten years ago an adventurer
calling himself Count Nitkiewicz OBJ
tanned concessions through Ii Hung
Chang and brought them 10 this country.
whore he attempted 20 neddle them among
uiilicnairas- lie succeeded finally il in
terest.ng The Nanderbilts, Philadelphia
clique headed hy Wharton Barker and
the late Elliott L. Shepard. Mltkiewicz's
concessions Included the opening I'd OF
mines. the building CT railroads ana
steamship lines and the estahlis hrlaut Of
Chinese national hank. and millions
were actually subscribed. though not
pad IA. towards the farthersnce o. the
scheme, when g. Was discovered that
MitkieWlCz had lied in some particulars
and lack 81 confidence ia hisa and The
insecurity % foreign interests n China AZ
that tire made MS hackers withdraw
Co. Shepard, however. followed TIE
matter up on his own hook. and was on
the point OF bringing 70 a successful CON
clusion negotiations FOR concessions
based on tines similar 20 The Mftkievvtrz
concessions, when he died. and the whole
matter again fell through.
Benefits Only the Capitalist.
The above only shows how Willing
capital is 10 take advantage OF an op-
portunity 10 20 10 China But the
only one 20 he benefited by the orenfpr
RID % the territory are men who aro al
ready Tn.iaionaiTes. The employment
the opening up OF the country VIII fur
rish will 20 20 Cinnamon These. work
ing al a rate OF wages less per day thar
s. sufficient - fed an American vel
low deg produce tron. coAl aua wheat
ard manufacture commercial articles Of
trade az q price which. as IN Japan. alb
solutelv teflCS competition and takes from
the civilized worAfnEu1en the little chance
he ROW has C supporting his family and