The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-09
CHINA SIGNS TREATY
TWO PORTS IN MANCHURIA TO BE
OPEN TO UNITED STATES.
TREATY BINDING ON RUSSIA
NOT AFFECTED WHETHER MAN.
CHURIA BE EVACUATED OR NOT.

The Instrument Intended Primarily
for Extension of Commemorative
Will Abolish the "LiI<in"-AErees
to Establishment of Bonded Ware
houses at Open POrts-Americans
May Conduct Mining Operations
Within "a Year-UnifOrm Coinage
to BE observation-disclosures
Given Rights.
Washington, Oct. S.-The State De-
partment was informed to-day that the
American-Chinese commercial treaty
has been signed at Shanghai and that
the Japanese Chinese treaty will be
signed this afternoon.
The cablegrams announcing the
signing of the treaty was sent from
Shanghai and was signed by Minister
Conger, Consul General Goodnow and
Mr.. Seaman, the three commissioners
who negotiated the instrument.
An imperial decree by the Chinese
tive so far as that government is con-
cerned, but it must be ratified by the
United States Senate before ratitica-
tions can be exchanged and the treaty
put in operation.
Great satisfaction is expressed at the
State Department at the outcome, as
it makes certain that the two ports in
Manchuria will be open to the United
States regardless of the outcome of the
negotiations for the evacuation of that
country by Russia. The assurance that
Russia had previously given and to
which this government would insist up
on adherence, is that the treaty ar
engagements made with China covering
Manchurian ports will be binding upon
the Russian government.
The negotiations between China and
the United States, which eliminated in
the treaty signed to-day at Shanghai,
were initiated under the provisions of
Article XI of the Final Protocol signed
by the Powers at Pekin on Sept. Z, 1901,
terminating the anti-foreign outbreak
of the preceding year.
The object of the present treaty is
the extension of the commercial re-
| lations between the contracting Powers
by amending our existing treaty of
commerce and navigation with China
and other subjects concerning CONNER
cial relations with the object of facili-
tating them.
Articles l. II and III refer to the
rights and privileges of diplomatic Of
fcers, consuls and citizens of the
United States in China and embody a
number of changes which have been
sanctioned by usage in China since the
treaty of 1858.
Important Provisions.
Article VI is the most important of
the treaty. By it the Chinese govern
ment recognizing that the present sys-
tenn of levying dues upon goods in
transit, and especially the system of
taxation known as likin. impedes the
free circulation of commodities to the
general injury of trade, undertakes
after the ratification of the treaty, and
at a date to be mutually agreed upon,
to abandon the levy of likin and other
transit dues throughout the empire,
and to abolish all the barriers and tax
stations maintained for their collec-
ton.
The United States, in consideration
of this change, agrees if all other
Powers having treaties with China do
likewise, to pay at the port of entry on
all it's imports into China a surtax of
IL times the tariff import duty. BY
this payment they shall secure complete
immunity from all other taxation
whatsoever within the empire. Elk
ports from China shall pay IL per cent.
ad valorem (as at PRESENT., the whole
amount of the duty being collected at
the port of expectation.
These are the salient points of this
article which officials believe may bring
about a complete and salutary reform
in the fiscal administration of the en-
pire, and enable the central government
to derive much larger sums from the
internal taxes than it now does whom
the cost of collection is perhaps 50 per
cent. of the whole.
Abolish Internal Tax.
The remaining provisions of Article
VI relate to the method to be followed
in abolishing the present internal tax
levying system; it limits the places
where native custom houses may be
maintained; provides for certificates of
identification for foreign imports: the
treatment of Chinese machine-made
goods, which are to enjoy rebate on
the import tax, and exemption from
export tax.
Finally, it provides the method of in
vestigation of complaints, and declares
that an imperial edict shall be issued
at a date to be hereafter fixed, setting
forth the abolition of likin taxation, and
charging the various high officials of
the empire with carrying it out.
To Have bonded Warehouses.
BY another article, the Chinese gov
eminent agrees to the establishment of
bonded warehouses by citizens of the
United States at the open ports of
China.
BY Article VII the Chinese govern
ment agrees within a year to permit
citizens of the United States to carry on
in Chinese territory mining operations
and other necessary business connected
Herewith.
Articles TX, x and XI provide for the
protection of trademarks, patents and
copyrights, respectively, in China.
BY Article XIII the Chinese govern
ment agrees to take the necessary steps
to provide for a uniform national coin
age, which shall be a legal tender
throughout the empire.
Article XIV relates to Chinese Chris
tians and to missionaries 1t insures
to the former the free exercise of their
religion and protects them against the
Injustice of the native officials, while