New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-24
CHINA ATTHE PRESENTDAY
HOW THE COUNTRY WAS OPENED TO
FOREIGNERS.


ors 10 that country agree that hatred of for
eigners exists in all classes of Chinese society.
The merchants ana traders make strong efforts
to conceal this characteristic, and like to throw
the blame for the condition on the lower and
uneducated classes. and the same attitude is
assumed by the official class but polite terms
and assurances Of respect do not deceive the
visitor, and he usually learns shortly after his
arrival in the country that the foreign devil"
is unpopular
The Chinese ideas have undergone remark
able change in the last sixty years, and the
foreigner has advanced wonderfully in their
timation in that time. He is still looked upon
with misgiving and suspicion. but he has
cess to many parts Of the country which only
sixty years ago were closed against him. For
, eign dogs We're rot wanted the outside nations
were not recognized and foreign diplomats who
wished to bring messages either of business or
courtesy to the reigning monarch had to go
through a long, tedious and humiliating process
Known "kouow." This was to knee three
times before the Emperor or his representative,
and then bump his head upon the ground nine
times in token of submission and subserviency.
Since that time more than twenty cities and
towns the coast and in the interior have
been opened mining and manufacturing conces-
sions have been extended to the world, and for
ogn business methods have come into use.
Until lS43 any merchant or manufacturer who
wanted to sell his wares in China had to do
so through native merchants at certain ports
These go betweens were known hong mer-
chants" The word hong" means warehouse
so these mddlemen were really warehouse mer-
chants. They were located for many years only
at Canton, and held responsible for the
duties which were levied the imported goods
In 1854 the first American trading began and
continued through hong merchants until 1913
when the hong" system abolished and the
'Coors OF China were partly opened for direct
trade with other nations The change was
brought about by the opium war between Great
Britain and China in 1910 The treaty of 1912
opened Shanghai fer commerce and residence to
British subjects, and similar treaty was made
by the United States in 1914 Canton was
opened in 1879 other ports followed. and in
,lSG2 there were twelve treaty ports These
treaty ports, which frequently spoken
Of were simply the doors through which the
goods from other countries entered the empire
The treaties stipulated that foreigners should
}have the right to live at these ports but the
privilege covered only certain part of the
place. This it was stipulated should be under
the control of the foreigners resting within it.
and this rule has continued to the present time.
In connection with the commercial develop
ment Of China a recent edfct as to the nav
igable streams of the empire plays an important
part. Until February, 1898. no foreigners could
travel in the empire except to certain named
enthusiastically the treaty ports. But by this
edict all foreigners who have passports may
visit any part of the empire on pleasure or
business, and other vessels may navigate the
streams of the various provinces Under the
treaty of Shimonoski, entered into with Japan
in 1870, further concessions made and for
eigners permitted to establish manufact-
uring concerns at the treaty ports and with
that end in view to bring their own machinery. !
All this would make it appear that China is /
a most desirable business country But there |
is another side to the picture aside from the
natural opposition to foreigners the part of
the people. The taxes which one must paw /
makes business a precarious undertaking. The |
customs duties not high and they are fairly |
collected, but the Government requires each
province to contribute its share toward the |
national expenditures and allows it's officials |
10 devise the ways and means for collecting
the required amounts.
6 The greatest source of revenue for the prov |
inces is the duty on goods coming over their
lines from the adjacent provinces. These duties |
are known as "likin" duties, and they must be /
paid not only for taking goods from one prov. |
nee to another, but from one subdivision to |
heavy To get around this and to save the
trouble and cost of frequent examination the |
Chinese Government agreed to allow foreigners