davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

lowances The mints are under II. and
II has charge OF the imperial factories
which are situated In different parts OF
the empire. One of its bureaus. that OF
the three treasures. is devoted to the
storing of the metals, stationery. silks
and dye stuffs OF the imperial family.
The board of revenue sends out once
year to each of the provincial govern
ments a statement of the amount IL is
expected to furnish the general govern
ment To this must be added the local
taxes. the civil and military taxes. and
item the rate Is fixed. After receiving
the estimate the viceroy or governor gives
his directions to the different officials.
In many cases the taxes are farmed out
successfully by the higher officials to
those beneath them. and on, until
they reach the men who actually get
the money from the people.
II IL from this collection of taxes that
the Chinese officials are able to pay such
high prices for their Offices The real
salaries are practically nothing. but the
percentages which they can hold back
from their collections make the high
places exceedingly profitable. Some years
ago collector of customs at Canton was
expected TO send about 100000 to PEE
king, whereas the annual receipts of his
office were known to be over Soo0,o0o
ltsiS man pIppdpiN had salary OF a
couple OF thousand dollars a year. The
Chinese merchants of Hongkong told
Lord Bercsfurd that mandarins who had
salaries OF $1,000 We're accustomed to
spend $4,000 10 keep mp their establish
ments. and that viceroys who received
hut s6000 had often necessary expenses
amounting TO as much as $1,000 year.
Notwithstanding this. such officials usual
~ retire from their offices rich.
Moderate thteving in government work
IS not considered dishonest. 1t is only
when the steals are OF enormous size
that they create comment or are noted
IN Chinese history. Take Ho kwan. for
instance, who was one OF the high officials
OF the Emperor K'ien Lung Io Kwan
was poor Tartar. who became an Off
cial 81 great wealth and power When
kien Lung died the next emperor feared
Ito kwau. and had him dseapitated His
estate was c0nfscated, and was found
20 be enormous. Tie had more than 800
strings ~ pearls and precious stones. and
enc If the pearls was bigger than any
ia the imperial crown. He had precious
stones In the rough and diamonds made
into buttons and also millions OF ounces
Of silver and gold.
Take n Hung Chang. No one knows
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

One Of the young women looked hastily
around for their escort. bat the other
stood glued. The man stood with his feet
far apart and smiled into her eyes like
safyr. Then he pat out his hand and
attempted to chuck her under the chin.
Thereupon four things happened Ia
quick succession. Tommy. who had baen
only q few yards behind the young wo-
men. and who had seen the whole incl
dent dashed forward and laid hold Of the
Van Dyke bearded man. The latter made
terrible sqUlFm and took 20 his heels
down an alley. leaving "a part or his coat
collar in Tommy's grin The two Young
women Hed hack toward the corner. they
did not notice Tommy az al. AT fhs same
moment the young w0mens cscor; and
the other woman appeared around the
CORNER The tive Young women began TO
speak 20 the bis man with one voice
stand right here moment" he said
and hurried up 20 Tommy
Did you address those two ladies7" he
asked
NE" answered Tommy pleasantly. Il
happrnasi--@
you iie." said the big man. and hit
Tommy in the eye.
Tommy WAS annoyed as he picked him
self up from the Sidewalk. Also the big
man had hold OF bis collar. The big man
evidently contemplated nothing so vulgar
as a street fight. He merely intended 10
shake most III Tommys teeth down his
throat ~ lesson. and then 70 proceed
on his way. But Tommy had another
speciality besides electrical engineering
football, at tackle. II Was related Of him
that he had rubbed Yale tackles nose
So continuously in the dust durlnx 4
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

made on the day following.
Tommy hreaihed sigh ~ relief and
went hack 20 his hotel The rest ~ fhAf
day and night he wore n becfstesk poul-
tlca over his eye This was beneficial
from medical point 81 View, but as Tar
AZ appearances went the eve was more
gIaringly impressi0uisiic the next morn
Ing than before. Tommy felt depressed
az be started for she cold storage office.
There were four or fsve applicants IN ths
outer office. who looked az though they
had been brought M ~ ssif-rexpeciiaE
Christian BONES Tommy sat in oae
corner and gIared st anyone ne caught
looking at hls ere Then the clerk said
the president would see hln. ard smiled
again pegsimisiicalix isut this tiHna
70 resent H.
The president aat az handsome cherry
desk He wAs a large man. bait ~ WAS
generously decorated with c9urt-piasfeF.
and there wAs a sort % passeboard bridge
over his nose. heil on BY cgurt-plaster.
Ills right sse was covered BY a patch.
and his left eye was partly closed and
Of color scheme that rivaie3 Tommys
own Tommys heart Aid down into bis
boots aud tried 10 get through the floor.
The next moment he found himself sit
ting In a chair at the right u the psesi-
dents desk He sat there and regarded
the presidents innrmitieS dunbiy
You are applying for this position -
asked the great man harxhiy.
Tommy admitted that he was. Recon-
mendati0ns7 Tommy explained holloway
about honors In electrical engineering and
~ iAet e Ixok eaaS1s1 aH6 svasEIae
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11
TAX { OllECTORS.

are to pay the guaranteed interest on
railroad undertakings comprise the to-
tai debt OF this nation OF ioo,9N,eN peo-
pie owning some of the richest agricul-
tural and mineral lands upon earth
No one knows what the revenues OF
China are. The taxes collected are enor-
nous. but 10 per ceat. OF them never
gets TO Pekiug; the balance is either swal-
lowed up In the form of costs or presents
to official superiors, or remains In the
hands OF the tax collectors.
There Is no country SO office ridden.
There Is a class OF men known as yamsu
runners connected with all government
places. who are paid out Of taxes and
Squrexes. 1t " impossible 10 tell what
Is collected Accounts are rendered In
piecemeal, and no province furnishes
balance sheet OF its whole expenditure
and revenues. There Ia never a surplus
ana there are often deficits.
No Increase Is ever reported No one
axpects an Increase. FOR he knows that
II such a condition occurs the surplus will
so into the collectors pockets. Indeed,
II the official figures Of China are cor
rect the government revenues have heen
falling on, although in commerce. husi-
ness and wealth the empire has been
steadily growing
The revenues actually paid today are
estimated at 77,0a@a taeis call them
even ss7,oCo,cSo. Increasing thereby the es-
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

match game. that at the close the Yale
tackle had sat down IN his tracks and
wept Also Tommy he'd been fond 81
spafrinS. He hooked has right arm Into
the biz mans eye and swung his left
into MS belly. where. from the big mans
build he was sure that It would make
an impression.
Then for a space Of two minutes things
happened swiftly The big man was az
stroug as a buffalo. and he undoubtedly
knew what a boxing glase was, But also.
undoubtedly. be WAS good liver. and
Tommy hammered his waist line faith
fully. Tommy had also found the big
mans other eye and his upper iip which
needed a stitch, and his nose. which called
abound for the attention OK a surgeon.
On the other hand, Tumuys own eye was
sealed like government envelope.
A respectahle-siEaa crowd had gather
"a, who evidently appreciated the fact
that they were getting q choice sample
% the 0stic art at "a bargain price The
three women who had accompanied the
big man stood where they could view
proceedings. wriuging their hands. sud
denly the one whom the Van Dyke-beard-
ed man had accostea uttered a little cry
~ horror. This distracted the big mans
attention for a fraction Of second. and
Tommy promptly inside-right-co
him on the saw and brought htm to his
knees. Then Rwo policemen came up.
Thith fellow Instituted a young wn-
man in my party said the big man stern
" through has damaged in.
"Oh, Henry, gasped the young wo-
man who had been insulted, he IS not
the one at all II was = tail man with =
beard"
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11
MlI MEETS AN EMERGENCY,
AND GETS A START IN Lift.

tween 10 and T. he went without them
That night IN New YORK hastng roth
inE b~tter 90 DO. tie went 10 theNter
with roof garden attachment. When
the vaudeville palled a hit be started Tor
a stroll preparatory 70 going 70 bed. As
ne was leaving the fheater man ae-
eampanied by thrce women precraed him
out of the door. They were uiec-iooSing
people-she man big. Prnsperous-look-
ing chan IN evening clothes. and the
women IN pretty summer dresses, As
Tommy passed them at the door they
stopped 10 speak 20 some acsuaiafanccs.
That is. the man and one Of the women
stopped The other two women walked
slowly ON ahead. At the corner they
turned into the comparatively quiet street
chat ran along one side OK she theatcr,
evidently under the Impression that their
escort Was close behind 4 few yards
down this street a sslt man with a Van
Dyke beard stood on the curb. As the
Two Young women approached he turned
toward them and as they got opposite
him. he took off his hat and stepped Ia
their path.
Good evening, pretty little girls lac
said. Which way you goingfs
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

innate one-ttird. as the tael is not worth
much more than 7s cents. In 1855 the
revenues were estimated at slo0,o00,o00
One hundred and nifty years later they
Appropriated 500, ooo.ooo and stiil later
Sir George Stanton estimated them at
$685. 1900, BY the best figures attain
able they are now somewhat as follows.
In taels.
Imperial customs. 22,oo0.oo0; land tax.
e0.0ooooo. salt tax. l0eoio0: nkin. i5.0Oo-
90: native customs, a,ea,09l: grain trib-
ute 100000 and miscellaneous sources.
4.ooo,o 600. making grand total OF 77.oO, 900
taels actually received.
Many Millions Made BY Tar Collectors.
The taxes Of the empire are collected
BY the board of revenue This Is one
OF the seven great departments Of the
government. II corresponds 10 our
treasury department, and has 20 do with
all financial matters II viii probably
have charge Of the national debt, aud an
matters OF indemnity will be lasd before
IT,
The board Of revenue IL known as the
lfu Pu II has two presidents. one a
Manchu and one Chinese. II has four
vice presidents and from six 80 eight d.
rectors. IL has its superintendents. secre-
tarleA. assistant secretaries. comptroilers
and clerks. II nomlnaily ievies all taxes
and duties and pays an salaries and al
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

y rv mar Be moral In this story.
1 " exact nature would seera
s.ss. Nascrsain Perhaps that = the
~. 'af rs helng sruc.
~. was a young man IN Boston
49, y start IN Ike. He had a doc
n nis trunk which certified that
|srs y > n. and that he kaew all
N snlass aaa0t electrical engineer
i ~ 'Ay b saw an advertisement In
|fr.s ssfk Paper IN watch the Ma
I'M sssa Storage Company. OF New
i ssstssed a desire for the services
ssrs..s 'psseat young man as assistant
Il, 81 its new plaRt. Tommy
eas the National Cold Storage
-. AID its new plant. rhey Mere
49, the largest things OF tho
| "a 70 coantry. and any connection
sss ase W." Dc hSeiy to De de-
~ s'>'As Backed a modest bag and
.s.ssss hork on the morning train.
y 49, have liked TO wait for two
~ Tvs q Recommendation which he
~ slld set. BUT as the men who
ns.sss written these two letters
% out OF town. and as the
$500 IN the advertisement for
seaoa were the next day be-
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

tendsnt Kendall ~ The General r,s~-
iric. being est ~ SOwn The president
sn0rted Then ne turned disgusiedly 10
TommY'a eye
DO you drink ~ asked.
$50 sir said Tommy.
Fight
''ph. 70. sir answered Tommy.
where did you get that eyer asked
ihr president
Tommy regarded tbs presiden, ou, Of
the other ape
= VS. rfanR q bicycle raid Tommy.
Tend ran into 8n electric ear"
The president sat % Hlssnrr far eev-
etli nefneoia Tommy began 70 fesi ug-
b.
What sc want faf fhis place SAID
the lsrsidsHt. Huafiy. 'is Il pushing self-
reliant. raaaureefai mss-~efe Who can
lay eat hla own work and fneef aueY-
genslee az thrg MriaH
The president pSpsea again thought
faiir
= ihiuk ought to aa The bgl.- h.
said
Tersmv sat motianiess for the srar. os
ruinuie Then b. ADDED ih~ President
the coat collar ~ the Wan Dyke board
ed mfn. ard eiiHcbes The bargain. -
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11


A curious tax levied upon lands In
China is the rice tribute This comes
chiefly from certain provinces In the val
ley Of the Yangtse. IL was originally In
tended for the support of the Manchu
soldiers In the capital, but part OF II
now goes to other funds The tribute
amounts 10 about lo4.0co tons OF rice an
nuaiy. This does not represent half the
amount collected. In all the large cities
there are imperial grsnsries built TO store
rice for times OF famine and for the use
of the soldiers. | saw rice barns at Nam
king and elsewhere.
The rice feet which carries this crop 10
Picking r. Of enormous extent. It is TO
be seen upon the grand canal, and Il has
Its chief depot at Tung Chow. fifteen
miles from Picking The rice tribute IL
handled by the transport department, and
there are thousands OF boats and tunks
engaged IN carrying II from one place 10
another The amount the government re-
ceives from 1t Is said TO be In the neigh
borhood OF $s0Oo.oo0 per year.
The manufacture and sale OF salt IL a
government monopoly The salt comes
from sea water. there being evaporating
ponds in the provinces near the sea. One
of tho largest II not far from The mouth
OF the peiho.
After the salt "a made II Is turned over
20 the salt commissioners. These men
hard n over TO those who have sait-seli-
ing licenses. ana they farm II out TO 9TH
ere.
TIE salt licenses are limited IN number.
They are perpetual and are passed from
father TO son. In good district IL
cense IS often worth as much as 1000
year. The government fixes the price at
which salt is to be soid 10 consnmarN 80
that the man who gets a contract makes
or loses. according to hiz selection OF
district. and The price az which he gets
his salt Some Wholesale dealers make
as much as " per cent Indeed, II Il
believed that the salt revenues could he
greatly Increased without Increasing the
cost of the salt 90 the people. Al press
emf salt costs only about SCENTS a pound
at Shanghai and not more than , cents a
pound az Hankow. The total government
revenue from u. according 20 one atis
ihorlty T. siaoDo 0sa II Il estimated that
the receipts are about Iaag9.le0. and os
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11
FIGURING w otlNAJ DEBs.

how rich he Is. He has bank stock. rail-
road stock and factory stock everywhere
l imagine he owns foreign bonds. His
real estate possessions are large. and he
has much in jewels. He wears a diamond
button in his cap. the stone of which
Is as big as the end of your thumb. and
he has many diamond rings.
Sheng Is said TO be rich, and In all
probability is Kang vi and the other
close friends of the empress dowager.
Land Tar Aiose Could PAY the Debt.
The land taxes OF China could pay
big interest on three times any indemnity
the powers will demand, More than this
sum Is annually collected. although out
of II the government gets only 25,VoVD
taels. China is big country and vast
amount of Il is cultivated III half the
cultivated land were taxed at rs cents per
acre the gross revenue would be more
than 200G0,ooo taes. Let us estimate IL
roughly at s2oo, oo1 900. Set aside $4,000
600 TO pay the expenses OF collection and
in addition the enormous sum of si5o,eoo-
600, or per cent. on a loan OF $l5o,vpo,-
go The powers cannot ask more than
one-fourth, or at the outside one-third
this amount The estimate OF ~ cents an
acre Is very low and this IL on only one
half OF the cultivated land. II shows you
the addition OF tenth Of ] per cent to
her tax rate for government improve
ments IL her officials We're honest.
The lands OF China nominally belong TO
the emperor and all taxes come directly
from The crown. The lands are chiefly
held in clans or families. They are d.
vlced up into small tracts or farms. many
OF which are less than an acre In size
There Is a thorough system of govern
ment records. Real estate Is bought and
sold and the transfers are registered. The
taxes are levied upon the lands as de-
scribed In the government records. but
the expense Of transferring IL so great
that the ownership often pasees without
a government deed. The estates descend
to the eldest son. the other sons having
certain rights which must be satisfied
before the ownership can pass. The
daughters never Inherit
A part Of the land tax is paid In kind
and n part IN money. The tax t. est-
mated somewhat according To the amount
under crops. ard the farmers hrihe the
collectors 10 report less crops than they
actually have ia order to escape taxa
ton.
All money taxes are in silver, % per
cent. fine. There are bankers connected
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11
Tuherenl..l. an Paris.

~ the ssass deasaa whieh occurred IN
PARIS ID fass as nany ~ izses are attrib-
uted 20 Tuberculosis. or more than one
fourth.
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11
~ WHEEL GAR row S
NE TAXED.

3jY,6kled 1900 BY Frank q. Carpenter)
Shanghai Sept. 30, 1900.
* China nay It's war debt? This
i'll powers would like to know.
ESch viii demand satisfaction for
= ~ expenses II has incurred,
and also a good round sum for
~ i1nrV 10 iis citizens As to the war
8 ~ average will probably be $780,
80 31tecc. This, including Germany.
11 1apafs. England, France and the
Rates. will foot up about $780,
m damage to the merchants at
~ mrtcus ports. the wreclxing OF the
q Peking and the destruction
{ mtxsion stations everywhere. In
<1s rompxnsation for the lives OF
Sos1es, will demand millions more.
n ~ liz powers will probably ask for
& 0.oD. oO,10p. or just as much as
1870 demanded of France at the
~ 4 the Franco Prussian war.
~ China pay II?
Z unng Chang says she cannot, and
~ ~ will have TO give up territory
4 III Hung Chang, however. Is
No. official, "A cog In the most COR
r. 1olIlical machine OF the world, q
Ia that VIII have TO be rebuilt II the
~ y 10 continue He knows that a
ul3o0al debt means the tearing OF
III and HIS class from the machiu-
NJ The undermining OF the Chinese
nmsat
~ nth Il the Chinese could pay the
~ a. Z biilion-dollar debt and not
The present taxes are enough
- legitimate government expenses
4 VI cent. on a debt three times
-. They have now a smaller
~ - any Of the great powers. II
~ ~ equal dollar head, and
- 70 less than $20o.on0.coo. There
= local debts to speak Of. The
49, are unincumbered and the
~ ~ villages are unbonded indeed.
- 10 country In a better financial
n1saA
lWb Abis 10 Pay the Indemnify.
\ esnpared with the great powers,
- fich- England has one-tenth the
~ and carries debt ten times as
III ~ debt OF France Ia twenty times
China. and the debts of the other
y ers proportionately large. Here
~ uey are In round numbers Eng
sses C.2eteVA. coo, France. $3.50. Co.,
owuAny. t2.i00. 90, 900, while Russia
aeht Of $A.7sD, ooQ.coo Austria Hun
N "a Italy each owe eight times
nstA - the present national debt of
and poor little Spain Is paying in
~ o. loans six times as great.
e Chinese have horror OF debt.
"a hem bankruptcy Is a disgrace.
~ Nv their bills, settling all accounts
~ York. They especially dislike
y foreigners. and Il is the national
~ = keep out OF them
- nrst foreign loan was IN 1874.
msS borrowed SS,oa. 600 al s per
urough the Hongkong and shang-
INK This loan was secured BY
entsms Their chief debt was in
N after 1854. 10 pay the Japanese
During that year they bor-
hss,ea taels OF the English on
year loan, La 1856 they neEotiat-
safshss kngIish lean % about $751;
Per cent. TO run for twenty years.
me same time one OF about $50,
ne Russians and French, 10 run
1871 years az per cent. In 1886
-. They made two other loans OF
49, each Of the Anglo Germans. one
m the other az ~ per cent. The,
Ma WIS to run thlrty-six years and
&sna forty-iive These and few
sFy small loans. some 81 which
The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

Boys tn the navy.
Hereafter hoy4 who enlist 10 tho nAyx
NJ 1Ri hAxa. "A hsat saal4 aAt1axnA
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-20

road couldn't begin to afford to pur-
chase this up town property at the
price the property holders put On it,
and the first thing that any one knows,
there may be union depot built in
the east end of the city"
All Of which makes it probable that
the idea of q union depot here is very
active proposition in the minds of the
S. P. officials, and Mr.. Huntington, IN
his quiet little way, may havea scheme
of the sort In prospect.
IMPROVEMENTS AT GUAYNAS.
Il. E. Hunting ton, speaking for
the president, said:
From here, after going over the
Tucson division, we go down on the
Sonora road, to find out what we can
about the coal outlook there. We
ave in mind, as has been stated, the
uilding of big docks and terminal
facilities st Gusymas, and the estab-
lish ment of line of steamers from
there to South American ports.
"All this is to be done if the coal
we are now mining at poin hun
dred and ten miles east of Ortiz, proves
acceptable in every way.
Though careful analysis
has been made, analyses don't
count. At one time we brought down
from Alaska schooner LOAD of coal,
which analysis had shown to DE per-
fectly adapted for our purposes. Ac
tual test developed the fact that II vas
worth literally nothing to Us.
"This new coal is Lure anthracite,
and if it plans out we'll Il will be q
wonderful thing for us, but we pro-
pose 20 be sure Of its quality by actual
tests before We make any further
move. The coal which has been fur
nished to this division from Captain Is
perfectly satisfactory, l understand,
and we should be glad to find another
lot like it,
El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-03-20
ANOTHER LINK
In the Chain Which Is Forming To
Complete the New Trans-Conti-
mental Railroad.

A. Z. Ssillwell passed through Ell
Paso yesterday, to examine the new
line of road to the coast from Guerrero
vest which he Is to make a part of
the Kansas City. Orient & Gulf.
Credence is further given this pro-
ject by dispatch received from OKLA
hon which says that the territorial
secretary granted a charter today to
the Kansas City. Oklahoma & Mexican
Railway company, with capital stock
of 50 000,0 900. A. E. Stillwell, W. A.
Rule, d. G. Ward, G. N. Atkinson and
Edward L. Massie, of Kansas City, w.
G. Ed wards, of Lerned, Kas., and A.
Q. Springs, w. K. Criley and H. K.
Kicker, of Ell Reno, Ok. are the in
corporators.
This road Is of course but another
link in the contemplated Stillwell
road. Its promoters propose to build
line 200 miles long. from Augusta,
"ocd county, Ok, southwest across
she territory to the Red river, with
several branches in the western coun-
iies. This will be link in the pro-
posed through line from Kansas City
10 the western coast of Mexico.