The Florida star., 1900-08-03
CHINESE CASH.


CHINESE CASH.
nize. frequently by weight. They pre-
fer gold when they can get il. When
subsidiary colns are needed or used,
however. the real trouble commences.
Various provinces mint them and pass
them into others. and these others re-
turn the compliment. But the China
man. being Ingenious. has found coun-
terfeltlng profitable and. being suspl-
clOus. will not take coins whose authen-
ticIty he doubts. Add 10 this some
other features OF the money situation.
such as debaslng OF the coinage by
sweating" and the use OF bullion sill
Yer or varying degrees OF fineness, and
you can understand that banking or
trading In China Is not an unallOyed
pleasure. Bullion silver, when used
as money. frequently is shaped like n
Chinese shoe and Is known by that
name. Its weight varies, but Is usually
90 ounces. When no acceptable coin
is ut hand and a purchase Is to be
made. a piece OF the shoe Is cut off
and weighed. or course. the fineness
OF the metal Is called into question and
must be settled.
The copper coins. or cash, are OF
very small value (abOut One-tenth OF
cent? and are made with square holes
in the center. They are carried around
Oh n string. Were il not that food is so
very cheap in China il would take
very long string OF them 10 buy "A
square meal Altogether the many
details OF the use of money In the
Middle Kingdom are wearisome TO re-
late. Enough has been told TO show
that the coinage needs reform as badly
as the government. To the American
merchant. accustomed TO a fixed, un-
varying standard OF value, the i'll
evitable fluctuations in value are ex-
Rsperating and retard trade. The Mex
lean dollar. which contains about 40
cents worth Of silver. ana the Chinese
tael, worth about 40 cents, constantly
vary in value. In n journey OF hun
dred miles they may have dozen diff
ferent values, according 10 the many
high and constantly varying rates OF
exchange.
Trade between provinces Is also
hampcrcd 10y the interprovincial duties
or customs. Such duties are known rs
likin and vary between cities and
towns. These customs are arranged
on sliding scale. determinations
being made. especially against for
eigners. Many attempts have been
made 10 abolish the likin, with vary
ing success, for il still exists. Its in
convenience may be imagined by look
ing III map of China. The country is
divided into Is provinces and is inter
sected 10y n network OF rivers and
canals. which form the highways OF
commerce. How To carry Oh trade aud
still continue TO pay likin when pass
ing from one province 10 another be-
come an interesting problem.
Foreigners must pay more than CHI
nese for everything. The ingenious
Chinaman believes or pretcnds 10 he
lieve that foreigner wouldn't live
among them if he were not rich and
charges him accordingly. They have
developed the system OF ~tippiLg' 10
an extent 10 make European hotel
walters blush. So much So that II Is
impossible for one foreigner even TO
visit another without paying tribute
To the servants ON both sides. Foreign
ers are charged commissions by their
servants upon every mouthful they eat.
The natives seem To be leagued in an
enormous conspiracy To eXtOrt money
from the strangers within their gates
This system Of brihing and tipping
adds much To the cost of goods ex-
ported and imported. American trad
ers have found that unless they sub
init 10 It they cannot do business in
China. Chinese officials receive prac-
tically no pay from the imperial treas
ury and rely upon bribes and black
mail for their income. The duties paid
by merchants not infrequently never