The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-05

The ProHra in DctaiI-Schene to
Rinse n Fund to Reimburse the
Celestial Government for Defcien-
cIes Caused by It's indebtedness
PEKIN. April 5.-Accoring to the
complete programme submitted to the
foreign ministers by Sir Robert Hart,
the Imperial Commissioner of Chinese
Maritime Customs, fer the payment Of
indemnities to various Powers. the
money to come from the stamp duty,
the tax on native opium, ana the house
tax. which has been referred to in pre-
vious dispatches. is intended merely as
additional taxation for the purpose of
reimbursing China for the Deficiencies
caused by the increase Of her indebted
ness to the foreign Powers
Sir Robert Hart proposed as security
for the payment OF the indemniues:
First, the salt tax. or salt gabelIe,
which is capable Of producing from 49,,
coo 600 to 20,000. 600 taels annually; sec
ondIy. the customs duties paid by Chi
nese junks, which range from 100000
to 5000 900 taeIs annually; thirdly, II
needed. the Pekin octroi, which brings
in 100000 taeIs annually; fourthly, the
Manchu stipends. which yield 100000
q year. and. filthy, the abolishing of
grain tributes by substituting payments
by check or in cash, which would bring
in 100000 additional
Sir Robert Hart also suggests that
the Maritime Customs Department
shall supervise the collection of the salt
gabelle and the duties on native junks.
He aIsc recommends the gradual aboli-
ton of the Hkin and favors an increase
in the tariff of from to 10 per cent.
which, if done, would make other mas
ures for raising the necessary revenue
needless.
He shows that a 5 per cent tax i'm
posed forty years ago. payable in taels.
would be equal now 10 10 per cent
tax as at the time referred to three
taeIs We're equal in value to pound
sterling, while now it requires about
seven tacIs TO make a pound. Hence,
arguing from this standpoint Sir Rob
ert thinks that, by reckoning on the ba-
sis of pounds sterling, the increase he
suggests in the tariff IS. just and would
furnish an easy mode Of meeting a por-
ton Of the indemnity
The other proposition made by Sir
Robert, that China pay the indemnities
by annual installments through each
country accepting Chinese Government
bonds in proportion TO the Indebtedness
/ Of China. 10 each Power is opposed by
/ several of the ministers for three rea-
/ sons First because a serious compli-
/ cation may arise before the final pay
ment; second because Of the probable
/ failure of all the Powers to harmonic
on the question as TO maintaining a
method of similar yearly payments. es-
/ pecially If the Chinese revenue in some
/ one year should fail 70 meet the amount
due to all; and, third, because several
Of the Powers desire immediate pay
ment Of the indemnities ard say they
/ see no reason why foreign countries
! should meet China's losses, which were
| incurred through China's crimes.
! According TO Sir Robert Harris state
| ment as TO the Chinese present rate Of
! taxation, including the cost Of coIIec-
ton and extortion, each Chinaman is
I only taxed about IS cents gold per an
mum. or about one-seyenth of the Jap
/ asrese per capita taxation Hence, as
/ three Of the ministers remarked at the
meeting when the scheme was present
! ed, China is abundantIy able under a
/ just administration to pay the full in
/