The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-05
JUSTICE IN CHINA.
Pooh.Bahs VINO Arc Able to Save $40 900
Ont OF $500 Q Year.

MACON, Mo-, March 4.-sNobody dreams
OF going to law in China for the purpose Of
obtaining Justice writes the Rev. W. H.
Sears of Pingtu, Baptist missionary, In q
letter to a friend here. mo Chinaman
Ia safe from the ENHANCEMENT OF law
suit no matter how high . degree Of recti-
tude characteri1es his life.
The local Magistrate is at once the civil
and criminal Judge: also the Sheriff. the
Coroner, the Treasurer and the Tax Com
missioner for large and populous districts.
Manifold as his dignities are he gets less
than $500 per year for his work.
This is scarcely sufficient for one day 8
expense with his large following Of secre-
taries and other subordinatcs. But he
don't worry. He even saves money out
OF his job.
aThe Pingtu official handles yearly about
500 600 that he receives from land taxes
alone. 1t is a very unthrifty official that
does not clear SIC, 900 a year out OF his office.
His secretaries and higher subordinates
receive salaries. His constables, deputies
and runners Of this class get no salary,
but yet such positions never 60 begging.
The chief revenues come from lawsuits.
when q man IL arrested the first thing
he has TO do Is to pay the constables a nice
little sum for the trouble they have put
themselves to in coming after him. II he
does not put up the tribute at once he is
bound and tortured until he Is convinced Of
his duty.
THE prisoner il brought into the city
where he is handed over to a grade higher
set OF underlings and the money-extorting
process is repeated on very extended scale
He finds that money Is the only, salve that
will help his condition and make life en-
durable. Remember during all OF this he
may be a. innocent as an angel
There are three sets OF these small-fry
officials whose clutches are fastened on the
victim He is passed from one to the other
each sucking blood from him at every stage
Of the game.
.1he Magistrate is expected TO know
nothing Of the arrest until the underlings
have squeezed every possible cent out OF the
prisoner. who Is then brought before the
chief dignitary for trial. Reversing the
American maxim, every man Ii supposed
to be guilty until proven innocent. A man
may be falsely accused: he will be treated
"a though guilty just the same and his road
TO liberty will be laid with thorns.
If a man has the money TO spend and
will fee the oonstables liberally they will
return to their chief and report that he has
run away and cannot be found II Ia part
Of their business to he secretive on such
occasions
The district magistrate. like all Chinese
officials. Is supposed TO have a thorough
acquaintance with everything on earth.
underneath the ses and In the heavens
above Hence II would be a violent insult
u his Exoellency 10 suggest q jury to aid
In deciding a case.
Witness by the score are produced.
but none of them In expected 10 tell the
truth OF oourse, with such Wholesale
lying going on II In impossible for the judge
"a decide as 20 the true merits Of the case
When the controversy 10 finally closed and
hi. decree la . lot 81 high sounding. mean
lnKles~ words and u costs ~ much Ia ec'
q new hssrns thA, tlserr IL seldom an appeal
from the mos, absurd decision.
Some days the magistrate will 18TH.
q dozen OF more kno,ty oa-ss A. other
times, when II .uits his pleasure, u. will
Is.rmit suits Ia drag along Tor y-srs, even
though II may mean rum To- ia. htlssniz
III " nothing uDconiinon fm q lawsuit
To start over quarrel amons clildvn
and cDniinu. until both parties "a tls uon-
iros.sy have spl slons ~. y'afs shd made
IauIeIs ~ 'hsulss.l,'~