Evening star., 1900-08-18

unwelcorne arrivals have to bs provided for
by the local administration. Places must
be found for them in the inland customs
office or elsewhere. and scanty remunera-
ton drives them to all kinds Of illegal ex-
tortlon.
The PekIn Gazette some time ago pub
Hshed report of the yiceroy OF Kwangsl
and kwangCung in which he petitioned the
authorities al Pekin not to send him any
more candidates for office. as he had abso-
Iutely no for them. In kwangtu. he
declared, there were altogether only 414 APP
pontments for officials OF all grades while
In the salt department there was Rot room
Tor more than seventeen: yet the central
government had already sent him l.s2o ap-
plfcants for posts in the admlnl ra ton. ard
80 VINO sought places in the salt depart
ment. To support this vast influx OF grad
yates seeking employment, sums are re-
quired greatly in excess of the amount 81
lowed by the imperial eNchequer. In this
way. therefore, the Pek!n authorities force
upon their viceroys and governors. with
open eyes. malpractices which are strictly
prohibited by the laws, and they even have
the hardlhood to punish with severity cases
OF Illegal eNtortton that have become open
scandals. Which is much on q par with
the dueiing regulations in certain military
circles, whereby an officer is sent to prison
for accepting a challenge. but dismissed
from his regiment If he refuses to fight.
The Tribal Dependencies.
What has been said of the eighteen prov
inces appli-s equally to the administration
OF the Mongolian and Tibetan dependencies
of the empire. The Mongolian tribes are di-
vided and placed under the control of mil
itary governors. who are, for the most
part, of Manchu extraction. In Chinese
Iurkestan the administration is modelled on
the lines or the provincial governments
OF China proper. There Is a vceroy at the
head of affairs. aided by the usual superior
commissioners, and under him intendan;s
OF circuit, projects. subprefects and dis
trict magistrates. but the former system Of
military rule has aot yet entirely disap-
peared. More interesting and curious Is the
constitution of Tibet. which Is nominaIy
governed by the two sacred lamas. the
dalia lama al Lhassa and the panshen lama
who resides at a city called the Mountain of
Blessing, and whose functions are more
than those of his colleague.
In the eighteenth century Tibet became 4
dependency OF the Chinese empire, and n
new administration was substituted for the
hierarchy by the Manchu emperors. AS
stated above, the lamas remain nominally
at the head Of the state, but the govern
ment Is really carried on by a council OF
four Tibetan ministers acting under the
instructions Of an imperial resident fur
nished by the authorities at PekIn. The
authority Of this Chinese official, who u
usually a Manchu and Is ASSOCIATED with q
| colleague (calied assistant RESIDENT Of the
same nationality is rendered more consid-
cradle by the periodical and prolonged mi
when they die to be instantly reincarnated
in the bodies of newborn infants. Upon
the death of a lama, therefore, all the ba-
bies born Immediately after his decease
are promptly inspected, and the one which
gives a supposed sign that 1t is the person
sought-a crow Of delight or the stretching
out of the arms to the lama-hunter is con-
sidered to be sufficient indication Of divine
in: piration-is installed as successor.
Under Special Department.
All these dependencies are under the con-
troll of a special department of the central
government at Pekin, which ts entitled to
the Mongolian superintendency. OF colonial
office.
A particular form of peculation is prac-
ticed by the mandartns who are appointed
to posts outside the eighteen provinces. The
salaries paid to them are In many cases
absurdly low; but the paternal government
has opened up an avenue Of wealth by con-
ferring upon them the privilege Of levying
the means of transportation for the long
journeys which they have to take in con-
nection with their official duties. This fore
sight on the part of the Pekin authorities
| enables the mandarins to rob the people
within their Jurisdiction to their hearts
content by demanding horses. camels, or
WI atever else may be handy, vastly in ex-
cess of their actual requirements. The sur
plus animals are sold and the proceeds
may be supposed to yield a handsome
profit to the spectators.
Another fruitful source OF gain. accord
ing to Professor Douglas, is the system OF
issuing passports to Cinnamon who cross
the frontiers. These only hold good for
forty days, and II the time be exceeded g
fine is inflicted. ''the amount of which de-
pends mainly on the will and pleasure of
the mandarin who issued the passport"
The Chinese are very ingenious at arrang-
ing delays. and 1t is probable that in the
hands Of an expert manipulation this prac-
tice Is made to yield handsome revenue