Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-06-05
GEN. SAaRRETTs IN CHINA.
ealtimorean Is Popular as United
States Official

! The Shanghai (China} Times of
March prints the following concern
! ing Gen. Thaddeus S. Sharretts. ct
Baltimore, special representative of
i the United States government in The
tariff negotiations with China:
! Gen. Thaddeus s. Sharretts. in
pleasant and highly instructive inter
view with Shanghai Times rep
lfesentauve yesterday, threw mucn
| light on the question of Chinese tar;r
revision and OF the proposal to raise
/ the duties to 10 per cent. on a prom
Use TO abolish likin.
1t snould be promised that General
SharTetts is tariff expert, and it is
In this capacity that he was selected
by the president to be the sole rep
rescntative of the United States in
the tariff negotiations with China. He
was sent for the subsequent com
merclal treaty, but he has now with
! GraWn from the latter duty, with the
presidents consent. The reason 1s
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 a 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
Chlnese tariff, General Sharretts sub
mltted his plan for the new tariff, and
1t 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 ii.
ness of Sheng, the principal Chinese
commissioner. He has been laid up
for month with a severe attack OF
scarlet fever, and without him the
other commissioners are afraid to
make any move. AS soon as he IS
well enough to transact business
(Which will not be for five or six
weeks, as the convalescent stage of
scarlet fever is especially dangerous)
General Sharretts expects the discus
sion of the tariff item by item need
rot take more than few days-a
fortnight at the outside.
In the compilation of the draft
General Sharretts had a. good deal of
work, but the views Of the Other
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, and
has been we'll received, and made ex-
cellent friends on all sides. In fact.
with the the Chinese authorities he is
Eeld IN such esteem that he is
frequently consulted (of course in a
private and unofficial way) on matters
concerning the other powers: for the
Chinese, in addition to the confidence
inspired by General Sharretts' per-
sonality, have great faith in the dis
1nterestedness and non-aggressivenes
OF the United States, being the only
great power absolutely lee from the
Itaint 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 very Fnotty point of prin-
ciple raised. The Chinese are most
eager for an all-round increase of
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, Genera!
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 Is per cent. without any material
advantage.
| The Chinese commissioners. how
ever, claim that the peace protocol in
stlpulating per cent. ad yalorem
makes that only a minimum, not a
maximum, and that while the duties
cannot fall below that figure, they NAV
rise above ito Is per cent. or to
an indefinite height. 1t 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-
Venlences 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 anG
place it under efficient administration.
SO as to greatly lessen the evils with
out imposing any extra burden on
trade
General Sharretts is finding the
tedious delays very irksome to IN
active man. He says year of Shang-
hal would kill him; things move 60
slowly. However, we are sure we ex