The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-05
THE CHINESE QUESTION
a German View of tho Situation In
Tint Empire.

a German View of tho Situation In
fhnt Empire.
WASHINGTON, D. C., May Ain
view Of the renewed attention TO Chi
nesc affairs, due to the Anglo Russian
entente. report Just issued by the
German government and received at
the embassy here. concerning the de-
velopmen, OF the German possessions In
China Is OF special interest. Accord
Ing to the report the naval adrninistra-
ton OF K!no Chou was due chiefly TO
economical considerations. II being
held that aside from the Importance OF
the place Us naval station rs future
would be found in It's development as q
commercial colony and as = strong
base of the German trade In East Asia
for the opening OF vast Hinterland.
From this leading thought were de-
duced, as TO the administration, the fol-
lowing principles: To make the gov
eminent as independent as possible
from the home government, TO encour-
age In every possible way self-govern-
rncnt and to Impose upon oil official or
gans the greatest reserve In measures
regarding trade and Industry TO faclli-
tate these By granting exemption from
customs dntles nnd doing away with
all unnecessary restrictions.
The German territory leased from
China comprises $40 square kilometres
with $1,000 TO $1,000 Chinese inhab!-
tants. The report adds that OF the
greatest importance, but at the same
time OF tho greatest difficulty. were the
conditions OF the Chinese landed prop
! erty. Before the. German lease there
existed In kiao Chau as well as every
where In China theoretically, federal
right OF the emperor 10 this whole soil;
practically. however. the ownership Of
the holder OF cultivated land was rec
ogn!zed II he paid ground rent. There
were no REGISTERS OF landed property.
but only tax Lists. In order to bring
about n just solution OF the land ques-
lions q proclamation was issued on the
very day Of the Germans taking pos
session OF klao Chou forbiddinS the
sales OF landed property which were
replaced through voluntary contracts
with the Chinese TO the effect tina. the
Inhabitants of the various villages re-
celVed the double amount of the an
nual Chinese ground tax as kind OF
- ~ I'll WHICH lUey
bought themselves to sell their land to
nobody but the German government. In
case the land should be bought by the
government. the local price before the
German lease was to be paid. In the
meanwhile. the owners continue TO hold
and TIL their ground. It was extremely
difficult task to conclude shese agree
ments, but the German government has
now secured the option to the greater
part OF tl@ territory necessary for the
erection of streets. squares, quays, pub
lie buildings and Notifications.
On September 2. 1885,, Klao Chou was
declared free port and opened to the
trade of all nations. The free port dis
trict includes the whole German terri
cory. a Chinese customs office was es-
tahl!shed in the German territory near
the landing place OF the ships. At the
head OF 1t Is 4 German IN the service of
the Chinese maritime customs admins
trat!on. The establishment of this Gus
ION Office Is of particular advantage to
the trade, as 1t saves tims and expense
OF another examination OF imported
goods on the crossing of the hInterland
frontier. The customs and duties are
regulated according to the tariff for the
chinese treaty ports. Particular attea-
ton will be paid 10 the minerals of the
province and It Is expected that coal
VIII become the most important export
article from Kiao Chou. All Inhabitants
OF the territory without difference OF
nationality are equal before the law
with the exception OF the Chinese who
are dealt with In civil law cases &c
cord!nS to the local Chinese law, while
In criminal cases they are subject chief
~ to the German code. the punishrnents
OF the Chinese criminal code being con-
s!dered too severe.
There are three different German mis-
SionarE societies working In the Klao
Chou distric, while the American pres
hy;erian mission maintains few stu
tons In the Shane Tung province. The
representatives of the German missions
look also after the spiritual welfare of
the Germans living there besides
teaching the German language to Chi
nese. The results In this latter tl!rec-
ton are said to be- very satisfactory.
a port for the merchant vessels and
men of war, Il d0cl, yard for the execu-
ton o! ship repairs as well rs whole
modern town with distinc; business
part. nre being rapidly constructed.