Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-04

by the people of the United States to those
Of China.
The YanstHe Kfan9 Valley.
A part of this publication which dis
cusses the commerce of the Yangtze Kiang
and West river valleys Is of especial inter-
est at this moment because Of the recently
published assertion that an agreement has
been made between the British and Rus
sian governments by which the latter con-
fines it's commercial ambitions for the pres
ent at least to northern China. The valleys
or the fangtze kiapg and West rivers
Which occupy central and southern China.
are shown by this report to be the great
commercial section Of the empire. Not only
so, but their Importance has been greatly
increased by recent events. One of these
events is an agreement by the Chinese gov
eminent that no section of the Yangtze val
ley shall be "alienated" to any foreign gov
eminent SO far as relates to trade prvi-
leges, while another of equal Importance Is
the opening of the West river to the COM
merce OF all nations free from any "aliena-
ton or special privileges to any.
Most Important Commercially.
That the Yangtzs and West river valleys
are by far the most important part of Chi
ma from commercial standpoint is quite
apparent. Two-thirds of the foreign COM
merce OF China passes through Shanghai.
located at the mouth Of the Yangtze, which
Westwardly from the Pacific to the extreme
boundary of the empire proper and pene-
trating an extremely fertile, productive
and densely populated area. Next in i'm
portance to Shanghai from a commercial
standpoint are Canton and the British pos
session of Hong Kong, which lies adjacent,
both OF them being practically at the mouth
of the West river, which is also an ex-
tremely important waterway and route of
commerce to the interior
A recent edict by the Chinese govern
ment adds very greatly to the Importance
OF these two rivers. This edict permits for
eign steam vessels to ply upon the naviga-
BILE waters Of practically all inland streams
this privilege being extended to small
steam vessels. which may so to the very
head of navigation in all treaty port PROV
inces. Another edict recently issued per-
mts foreigners to visit all parts of the en-
pire for business or trade purposes.
The Importance of these three agree
ments can scarcely be overrated. The COM
merce Of the YangtZe and West river val
leys remains open to all nations desiring TO
compete for it. Foreign steam vessels may
penetrate for business purposes to the very
head of navigation upon these and other
streams, carrying with them foreigners for
pleasure or business purposes, and foreign
manufacturers and the machinery which
manufactures them are much more freely
admitted than formerly.
Commenting upon the rapid DEVELOPMENT
of events in China, the publication of the
bureau of statistics says:
Extending FOreigners' PRIVILEGES.
THE more rapid development of the
privileges of foreigners in China and of the
Introduction of modern commercial methods
dates from the treaty of Shimoneseki, made
between China and Japan in 1895, at the
close of the war between those nations, and
followed by commercial treaty in 1896.
The important features of these treaties
were that they opened the waters of the
principal rivers and canals to the citizens
of other nations, giving foreigners the right
to purchase goods or produce in the in
terror of China, to rent warehouses without
the payment of special taxes or exactions
and to engage freely in all kinds of manu-
featuring industries in the treaty ports;
also to import all kinds OF machinery, pay
ing only the stipulated import duties there
on and upon products manufactured by
them in China, paying only such inland
transit dues are ieviabie on imported
merchandise Che latter provision having
been somewhat modified. however, by the
commercial treaty.. While the China
Japan treaty specifically conferred these
privileges only on japanese subjects, they
at once became applicable to the subjects
of other nations having full treaty relations
with China under the most favored nation
principle.
The prompt result of this was a move
ment from all parts of the business world
in the direction of China, and the establish
ment of business and manufacturing indus
tries, not only III the Ola treaty ports, but
in the new ones which were opened by the
Japanese treaty and by subsequent action
of the Chinese government. This was fol-
lowed by other evidences Of a disposition to
adopt modern methods. The railroad from
Pekin to Tientsin was quickly completed by
the Chinese government, and agreements
made looking to the construction by foreign
capital of other lines thousands of miles in
length: telegraphs were extended; electric
roads and lights introduced in the principal
cities; mining and manufacturing conces-
sons freely granted the West river, which
penetrates southern China from Canton
westward, was opened to commerce. and
finally, small steamers were given permits
sion to penetrate to the interior limits of
navigation on all the rivers of the provinces
containing treaty ports. The effect of this
is already seen in the establishment of fac
tories and business houses, the construction
of railroads. the extension and multiplica-
ton Of steam navigation lines and the OPEN
ing of mines in the great sections where the
iron and coal deposits are said to be the
greatest in the known world"
German POssessfons in China,
In view of the renewed attention to Chi
nese affairs, due to the Anglo Russian en-
tente report just issued by the German
government and received at the embassy
here, concerning the, development Of the
German possessions In China is of special
interest According to the report, the naval
chiefly to economical Considerations, 1T be-
ing held that aside from the Importance of
the place as a naval station its future
would be found in It's development as q
comm rcial colony and as a strong base Of
the German trade in east Asia for the OPEN
ing of vast h!nterland.
From this leading thought were deduced,
as to the administration. the following
principles: To make the government as in
d pendent as possible from the home gov
eminent, to encourage in every possible
way self-government and to impose upon
all official organs the greatest reserve in
measures regarding trade and industry to
facilitate these by granting exemption from
customs duties and doing away with all I'M
Necessary restrictions.
The Land Question.
The German territory leased from China
comprises $40 square kilometers, with 10000
to $4,000 Chinese Inhabitants. The report
ADDS that of the greatest Importance, but at
the same time of the greatest difficulty,
were ths conditions of the Chinese landed
property. Before the German lease, there
existed in Kiau-Chau, as we'll as every
where in China, theore tically, a feudal
right Of the emperor to the whole soil; prae-