Evening journal., 1901-04-03
NEWSPAPER OPINION
Chlna's Fiscal Resources
From The New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
We learn from Pel1in that the for
eign ministers, who are now engaged
in discussing the indemnity question,
have delegated to a committee the task
Of ascertaining from Sir Robert Hart
and other authorities, native or for
eign, the amount of revenue drawn by
the Chinese government from taxes
under normal circumstances, and the
extent to which the revenue might be
increased by different fiscal arrange
ments. As it happens, great deal OF
| trustworthy information on this sub
iect is forthcoming in the book on
China just published by General James
! II. Wilson, whose data are taken from
a series of articles which originally ap-
peared in the China Mail, and were re-
printed in pamphlet form at Hong
/ Kong in 1885. The figures, OF course,
lrenresent the income obtained at a
time Of comparative TRANQUILITY and
net that obtainable in period OF social
disorder and political confusion.
General Wilson points out that the
sources Of the imperial revenue are
! five. to wit: the land tax, the salt mo-
nOpCly, the likin, or transit dues col
lected on inland commerce, the mari
time customs, and, lastly, the money
acuuing from contributions, ''assess-
ments" and subscriptions, and, also,
| from the sale Of Official rank and titles.
The yield of the land tax for all the
| provinces as given in the Chinese Red
Book, should amount to 32,845,474 taels
in silver Ca tael is now worth about 20
cents in gcld) and to 4,356,S82 piculs Of
rice, or to about 100000 900 taels in all
This assessment, however, was fixed at
about the beginning Of the century, and
is considerably in excess of the amount
actually collected, which, Of late years,
has not averaged over 27,00O,0O0 tae.s
per annum. General Wilson deems it
certain that, with a proper registration
b Of the land, such as is required by the
theory Of the government, and with a
rigorous system OF collection and ac-
cOuntability, very much larger rev.
enue, or, say, 10000 900 taels, might
= be procured from this source.
With regard to the salt monopoly, it
seems that there is no restriction upon
the amount produced; but the govern
ment requires that it shall all be sold
in the first instance at fixed rates to
! government agents, who establish de-
pots near the salt works. The distri-
;, button and resale of the salt is man
aged by salt merchants licensed by the
. salt commissioner in charge Of the cir
q cult. The government makes a profit
!, on the original sale, and taxes the salt
p at fixed rate per picul The profits on
sales and the tax assessed upon the sal
are collectively computed at 9,6S0,00I
taels per year; but here, as in the lant
tax, there is room for a large increas'
in revenue under q more careful system
u OF administration and accountability
In General Wilson's opinion, fOunde'
on the belief OF close observers, tn
" Chinese government might, without in
e. creasing the cost of salt to the con
L. sumer, derive from that commodity
It revenue OF 2O,00O,00O taels, or at leas
r double the amount that now finds it
ry way into the imperial treasury.
The likin is a tax levied on all c.asse
as OF goods in transit: internal custoI
s. houses, commonly designated by for
eigners as squeeze stations, being es
tablshed for its collection on all trad
routes. II Is not an ad valorem, bu
n "a specific duty, assessed upon cac
r. bale, box, piece or picul. The amour
Ia collected at any one station is incor
I'M siderable but. if the goods have to g
al any great distance, and, consequent,
IN to pass numerous squeeze stations, II
~ tax becomes an intOlcrable one, an
/ exFts a powerful influence upon II
repression Of trade. General Wilso
estimates dhat the sum received al
nually from this source by the impe
90 ial treasury does not exceed 1l,000, OF
~, taels. which is generally believed TO
sts but a small part Of the collections a
~ tifally made. We may mentiCh In tn
place that the actual yield from q
sales Of honors and titles and of Il
taxes levied for licenses, and und
the names of contributions, ,assessmen
us and subscriptions, was placed in is
ss s ut only 100000 taels. which, accor
III ing to General Wilson, is scarcely
tenth part of what ii ought to be.
,ry We come, lastly, to the martini
ne customs arising from a duty Of p
ion cent. ad valorem in silver on all Il
en- eign merchandise. These customs duti
are collected by a corps Of onici;