The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-09
THE LIKIN TAX
is ABOLISHED
This Considered One Of the Most I'm.
portant Features of Treaty-Long
Sought Privileges Are Granted
to American Missionaries.
Importation of Morphia
is Prohibited.
nv Associated Pre,sl

WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.-Thc State De-
partmcnt was informed to-day that the
Aniercan-Chincse commercial treaty has
been signed at Shanghai and that the Jap
ancse- -Chineses treaty will be signed this
afternoon. The tcablegram announcing
the signing OF the treaty was sent from
Shanghai and was signed by Ministes
Conger, Consul-Geueral Goodnaw, and
Mr. Seaman. the three commissioners. Wf,o
negotiated the instrument
An imperial decree By tho Chinese gov
crnment has made the treaty effective SO
far as that government is concerned, but
it must be ratified by the United States
Senate before ratification can be ex-
changed and tile treaty put in operation
Great satisfaction is expressed at the
State Department at the outcome as IL
makes certain that the two ports IN
AIanchuria will be opened 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 upon adj
hcrence is that the treaty arrangement ts
made with China covering ManchuriaE
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 provision o! article
xi, of the final protocol signed by the
Powers at Pekin on September Z. 1901,
terminating the anti-foreign outbreak 0f
the preceding year. The present treaty
has for its object to extend the CONNER
cial relations between the contracting Pow
ers by amending our existing treaty OF
commerce and navigation with China and
other subjects concerning commercial re-
lations.
Articles /, 2, and 8 refer to the rights
and privileges Of d 'plomatic officers, con-
suls 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.
ABOLISH L1K1N.
Article Is the most important of the
treaty BY it the Chinese government.
recognizing that the present system Of
levying dues upon goods In transit, and
especially the system of taxation known
as likin. mpedes the free circulation OF
commodities to the general Injury OF
trade, undertakes, after the ratification
Of the treaty and at a date to be mutual
" agreed upon, to abandon the levy OF
likn, and other transit dues through the
empire and to abolish all the barriers
and tax stations maintained lOr tnelr COZ
lection. The United States in considera-
ton of this change agrees, II all other
Powers having treaties with China do
likewise, to pay at the port Of entry on
all its imports into China surtax Of
one and half times the tariff import
duty.
BY this payment they shall secure COM
plete immunity from all other taxation
whatsoever within the empire. Exports
from China shall pay ~ per cent. ad va
loren Gas at presenD the whole amount
of the duty being collected at the port of
eXportation.
These are the salient points Of this ar
ticle which officials believe may bring
about complete and salutary reform In
the fiscal administration of the empire and
enable the central government to derive
much larger sums from the internal taxes
than 1t now does when the cost of col
lection is perhaps so per cent. OF the
whole. But the remaining provisions of
article G relate to the method to be fol-
lowed In abolishing the present Internal
tax levy'ng system so it limits the places
where native custom has can be ma!n-
tanned provides for certificates of idenu-
fcatlon for foreign imports, the treatment
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