The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-12

TRADING WITH CHINA.
When the prevailing troubles in China
are settled one of the first demands which
should be, and probably will be, insisted
on by the powers is that the restriction
which debars foreign merchants from the
interior will be abolished. According to
existing treaties with China foreign mer-
chants cannot now live in the interior OF
the country. All goods therefore pass
from treaty ports directly into the hands
of the Chinese. The disadvantage thus
established to foreign trade would not be
as great as it is were it not for the
''likin" or "octrol system under which
China suffers, and the appalling greed OF
Chinese officials. The ..Iikin' tax is a tax
on goods in transit from the sea coast
to the interior. 1t is not even uniform in
Its operation, but differs in different sec
tons according as the greed of Chinese
officials is greater or less
There is also a provision of existing
treaties whereby foreign merchandise Is
permitted by paying an extra duty at
the port of entry to pass untaxed to it's
final destination. But Chinese officials
are constantly infringing those treaty
rights, and SO slow in operation are the
means Of redress, that foreign merchants
choose rather to submit to Individual
losses than await the interminable de-
| lays that result in case protest is made
| These distractions and exactions have
operated thus far to discourage foreign
trade and to dfshearten those who could
and would otherwise engage in it with
profit to themselves and benefit to the
Chinese people.
| When this state of things is taken into
account in connection with the disturbed
| conditions of the internal affairs of the
country and the constant danger of up
| rising among the natives consequent
upon either the connivance of official au-
| thcrity or its helpIessness, 1t is easy to
| understand that merchants, especially
those of the United States, will refuse
to embark their capital in enterprises
which are attended by such dangers Of
loss.
There is little doubt that in the re-
arrangement of affairs which must in
every event result in China, the foreign
governments will unite in demanding
That these evils be removed so far as it
is in the power of Chinese authority to
remove them. But if it should prove to
be the case that the imperial authority
snail remain either unwilling or unable
te secure the reforms needed in these d.
rections, the progress of events must In
eFltably lead to some action which viii.
on the part of the powers afford ade
quate protection to the interests involved.
While American trade is still in its in
faney in China, and probably will so re-
main until we have done something nos
tive to encourage foreign SHIPPING. ard
while the United States government
should continue to occupy the position
which 1t occupies today of unwilling
ness to interfere unnecessarily in the in
ternal affairs of China, no reform which
may result from the demands of the now
efs viii be at all adequate which VIII
not bring an end to the unjust and
burdensome tax on foreign commerce
which is maintained through the oncra-
ton of the 'likin'' tax.
The Chinese country must be thrown
open fully to the commerce of the world.
freed from such restrictions as cannot
fightfully be regarded as necessary IN
the good of the country itself. This is
demanded as much by. the future welfare
OF the Chinese people as it is by the in
terests IF foreign traders. The princinle
of the open door applied by the several
powers owning spheres of influence in
their relations with EACH other must he
recognized by Chinese authority in the
administration of the affairs of the coun-
try: end all restraints upon foreign trade
which are not absolutely necessary to the
revenues of the empire must be abof-
ished
When this has been done and the safety
u eNe4E loreigtieF- securely guaranteed
everywhere within the jurisdiction of the
imperial authorities and the spirit of
modern progress has found the full
recognition amonge4Chinese, as it has
among the. Japanese, tnerc will be a cez-
sation- of the political activity Of
European nations. Until those results
are achieved the fate of the Flowery
Kingdom wall surely continue TO lang in
the balance.
x