The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-04

banks might be set down to an "act of
Cod or natural causes, but not in Chi
ma. The mandarf1s are in terror every
| time the great Yellow changes it's
course and overf1ows vast territory,
with enormous loss of life, and many
/ a one has lost his head because he did
not somehow avert the disaster.
! The evils of the Chinese provincial
system came out strongly in the war
with Japan, showing that, while it
might have been convenient to use the
! viceroys as scapegOatS at times, IL
would have been better had they all
been bound together under direction OF
| the central government. Local jeal-
ousies prevented other viceroys from
sending aid to Lii Hung Chang at the
beginning of that war, and the conse-
quence was that his armies were easily
beaten by the Japanese, taking them
singly,- when if combined the result
might have been different. The re-
nowned Prince Ching once remarked to
Lord Charles Beresford that he did not
think it would be possible or at least
advisable to alter the old established
custom of having provincial armies to
maintain order in China. The English
man replied that the Chinese govern
ment had, he thought. an excellent IL
lustration of that same provincial sys-
tenn when carried out with regard to its
fleet. IF, he said, the two feets-the
Peyang and the Nanyang-had been
national fleet under one commander
and organization, it would have been
impossible for the japanese to have OBJ
tanned the easy and brilliant victories
which they achieved in the late war.
THE lack. of patriotism" says the
editor of a Picking paper, that inspir-
ing sentiment of every true soldier, is
fo1,l h
rank and file, but among the high off,
Gals of both military and civil life
The man who does not fitch and steal
from his country's treasury when he
has a chance is looked upon as fool,
and the names of the viceroys and gov
errors who have grown immensely rich
from their official positions would make
a long list, including nearly all"
Estimates of the total revenues of the
imperial government vary from $780,
100000 to $500. 100000, but 1t is acknowl-
edged by all that it does not receive
one-third the aggregate sums collected.
In an address of the Chinese merchants
of Hongkong they say: Suppose it is
possible to furnish China tomorrow
with we'll equipped army and perfect
ly organized police. we are quite GER
tain that neither force would be main
tanned in an efficient state for year
and a day. China's corrupt govern
ment and her peculating officials would
starve out either or both the forces.
A high mandarin of cabinet rank in the
capital of China does not get more than
81, 900 a year; a viceroy, with emolu
ments, not more than $1,000; while in
point of fact the former requires from
10 to 20 times his salary to live upon.
and the latter expends not less than
$50 900 or $50 900 per annum!
"A general in the army an admiral
in 1ac tha
as salary, and from these high mag
mates down the Chinese officials are all
underpaid in the same proportion, until
one gets to the lowest grade. the petty
mandarin and the soldiers and sailors
who receive from 81 to SO a month.
their salaries? BY the squeeze. which
is exacted from the lowest to the high
est. Every sort of traffic and transac-
ton has to pay its tributes. Officers in
the army draw pay for hundreds of
soldiers not in the ranks, they buy am
munition for the government and sell it
for their own profit.
I'm short the board summarizes,
TASK any Independent Chinaman you
meet. and he will tell you the same
story-namely, that when a sum of
money passes from the imperial board
of revenue successfully through the va
rious channels to it's destination, like
wen Known musical Scdle, II gradually
diminishes and becomes beautifully
less"
There is at least one commendable
feature of Chinese officialdom, and that
is that all the offices are open to the
people, without any distinction of birth.
or creed-only of sex. The
SO called literary examinations are free
to all for competition, but are so Sc
we're that sometimes men pass their
lives in vain attempts to gain an Office
and die of old age without having ac-
the object of their desires.
The life history of 1.-The most distin-
guished foreigner in China" Sir Robert
Hart, is case in point illustrating
both the liberality of the Chinese and
the corruption of their officials. APP
pointed inspector general of customs 40
years ago, he, though a Scotchman
born, acquired the confidence of the
government by saving it many millions.
previously lost through the corruption
Of it's officials, and was made a man.
DARN of the highest class. He has
been the handspring of this great ad-
for twoseore years, and
while standing in relation to the Chi
1ese government as it's servant. though
i foreigner, yet in relation to the for
signers he was one of themselves,
hough a Chinese official
This citation shows that while, ac-
.ording to Lord Beresford. t'the tradi-
tional official system is corrupt, the
people are honest The integ-
-fty of their merchants is known to ev-
Try banker and trader in the east. and
heir word is as good as their bond.
they have, too a traditional and idol
atrous respect for authority, and an
hey need is an honest and good au-
hoFity.''
CLAIMING A. BARLOW.
FLOATING BIRDS NESTS.
There is a variety of grebe (ColymbuS
ain0TA which matches its vO1I0p on a