Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-07-20

tial addition TO the productivenesso of the
Chinese customs and opium tax, and a
general reimbursement of the whole
system of export duties could. without
detriment to trade, be made 70 yield
double the present income. ms al
ministration of the maritime customs Is
the one honest departments OF the revenue
system of China. 1t brings IN over a
fourth Of the whole amount paid into the
Imperial Exchequer from all sources OF
taxation. But the peculation IN the
other departments Of the revenue service
is gross and palpable to an extent almost
exceeding belief. Kang Gu-Wel told
the emperor that in his native district
the total amount of revenue collected
was $3.50, 600 600 year, Of which only
$40. coo 600 found its way into the
Imperial Treasury. y British consul
who, some years ago, made a study of
the incident Of the land tax III the
Province of An Hwei, reported the
following state OF facts. The province
contains an area Of "a, 547, 200 acres. and
Is described as one or the rich. level, rlce
provinces. Land tax is paid on good
soil at the rate Of =. 90 to 300 per year
Der acre, and on poorer land at the rate
LOU
almost every yard, III the rich provinces
capable Of culture is eagerly sought for.
But in his report TO the Imperial Govern
ment the Governor of An Hwei officially
stated that only 5000, 900 acres, or a
little more than 1-7th Of the rich and
fertile province under his control, was
under cultivation. and in 1898 he report
ed the gross Weld Of the land tax to be
81. 140, 900 and the net yield 1910, 600.
Even supposing that the Governor had
correctly stated the number Of acres,
the amount Of the gross revenue account
ed for per acre wouid have been about
- cents. though it Is certain that the
amount actually collected must have
averaged - IS per acre III the rich, level,
rice plains The margin for peculation,
even on the area reported by the Cover
nor. was manifestly enormous, TO say
nothing of the unaccounted for majority
of the area on which land tax was un-
questionably collected
The unchecked dishonesty OF the pro
vincial Governors, who, it should be
added, haYe to pay all the expenses OF
local government ont Of the money they
collect, has its counterpart in the bound
less corruption of the Palace. The
favorite eunuch of the Empress died two
months ago, leaving an estate valued at
3S. 0O0. 600 taels, one-third of which was
hard cash, and the rest in landed estates
spread over the three provinces Of Chlhll,
Shansi and Honan This huge fortune
was accumulated in comparatively few
years through bribes and presents
princes from of the Imperial House
desirous of place and power, down tc
the official of the seventh rank or DIS
trict Magistrate VINO wanted his name
recorded in the Grand Council Books
for immediate substantive preferment
There was nothing too SINAI or insignlh
cant for this imperial favorite 70 pick al
and not a few single bribes OF from gao,
900 to $50, 900 tael5 were known 10 nave
come into his Golfers The man
annual income from such sources ls salc
to have been something incredible, FOL
once any person was 'hOn0red DJ
being allowed to send him gift, 1t be
came the duty of such one 10 repeal
the CONTINUATION st the end OF eacl
wear in order not 10 be forgotten.
The Empress Dowager is accused
by Kang Yu-Wei Of diverting Large
part of the 30, 900, 600 taels set aside fol
a Chinese navy TO the decoration OF th'
Eho Park gardens, and still larger pro
portion of the 30, 900, 900 taels raised fol
railroad construction. to a similar pur
pose. To say that the fiscal system o
China is absolutely incompatible witt
any theory Of capable or economical
government is TO put the case very
mildly. That II only needs TO b'
administered as a whole, as well as the
part Of it devoted to the collection o
maritime customs, TO be equal to al
possible demands that may be made OF
the Empire, win hardly be disputed
OF course, powerful influence both from
within and from without will be fount
working for the perpetuation OF the pres
ent corrupt spstem, and it will require
the most vigorous and resolute action OF
the part Of the powers interested II
maintaining the integrity Of the Chimes
Empire to effect the vitally essentia
reform Of the finances. That being don'
the rest, however, will be easy, and Il
will be found that the chief source o
the recurrent outbreaks OF anarchy II
China has been the rank dishonesty and
corruption Of its rulers The Review