Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-06-05
GEN. sHARRETTs IN CHINA.
Saitimorean is Popular as United
States Official

The Shanghai (China) Times OF
March prints the following concern
ing Gen. Thaddeus S. Sharretts. Of
Baltimore. special representative Of
the United States government in he
tariff negotiations with China:
Gen. Thaddeus S. Sharretts. in
pleasant and highly instructive inter
view with Shanghai Times rep
resentative yesterday, threw mucn
light on the question of Chinese tariff
revision and of the proposal to raise
the duties to Is per cent. on a prom.
Use to abolish likin.
1T sAould be promised that General
Sharretts is a tariff expert. and it is
in this capacity that he was selected
by the president to be the sole rep
resontative of the United States in
the tariff negotiations with China. He
was sent for the subsequent com
mercial treaty, but he has now with
drawn from the latter duty. with the
presidents consent. The reason is
simply that the negotiation of the
commercial treaty seems likely, at the
present rate of progress, to occupy a
year or more. and General Sharretts'
duties, public and personal. prevent
his staying so long time from home.
His position on the tariff board OF
the United States government has
brought him into touch with all kinds
of tariff questions, the powers of the
board being in such matters equiva-
lent to those of the supreme court in
matters of law.
Having made a most careful study
of the questions connected with The
Chinese tariff, General Sharretts sub
mitted his plan for the new tariff, and
it only remains for the commissioners
to discuss the items one by one, in
which it is probable no question Of
importance will arise. The sole
| cause of delay now is the serious IL
ness of Sheng, the principal Chinese
| commissioner. He has been laid uu
| for a month with a severe attack Oh
scarlet fever. and without him the
other commissioners are afraid to
make any move. AS soon as he is
lwell enough to transact business
(Which will not be for five or six
weeks, as the convalescent stage of
scarlet fever is especially dangerously
General Sharretts expects the discus
sion of the tariff item by item need
rot take more than a few days-a
fortnight at the outside.
I'm the compilation of the draft
General Sharretts had a good deal OF
work, but the views of the othe,
countries are approximately the same
as to the details, and no divergence
is anticipated. The United States
commissioner has in his labors come
in contact with most of the Chinese
officials and foreign merchants, anC
has been well received, and made ex
cellent friends on all sides. In fact
with the the Chinese authorities he Il
held in such esteem that he /,
frequently consulted (of course in
private and unofficial way) on matter.
concerning the other powers: for tn,
Chinese, in addition to the confidence
inspired by General Sharretts' per
sonality, have great faith in the dis
linterestedness and non-aggressiveness
of the United States, being the only
great power absolutely zee from the
faint of land-grabbing.
But, while there may be little or
no discussion as to the detail of the
tariff, it seems probable that there
may be a very knotty point of prin.
ciple raised. The Chinese are most
eager for an allround increase O.
duties of Is per cent. in return for a
promise to abolish likin. Some of the
powers favor this and some oppose
| Regarding the United States, General
Sharretts points out that on the plain
import statistics American trade is
mainly with the north, where likin is
/ practically nonexistent; there is but a
small proportion of American trade n
the center and south where likin is
universal. 1t would, therefore, mean
| that the United States would concede
the 5 per cent. without any material
advantage.
THE Chinese commissioners, how
ever, claim that the peace protocol In
stipulating per cent. ad valorem
makes that only minimum, not "a
maximum, and that while the duties
cannot fall below that figure, they may
| rise above ito Is per cent. or IT,
an indefinite height. II remains to be
seen whether this contention will hold
water. General Sharretts, who is a
| man of thorough legal training, is
convinced it will not, and that the
Chinese commissioners are merely
raising the point in their desire to
induce the representatives of the
powers to agree to the Is per cent.
On this point there is likely to be con
siderable discussion.
THE United States commissioner
while fully cognizant of the incon-
veniences caused by the present likin
system, does not believe the Chinese
really could or would effect it's aboli-
ton in any such sudden manner as
demanded. Something could, how
ever, be done TO ameliorate it and
place it under efficient administration,
so as to greatly lessen the evils with
out imposing any extra burden on
trade.