The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-09
1T is EFFECTIVE AT ONCE
This at Least So Far as China is Con-
cerned, Though Our Congress Must
Meet and Pass Upon the Convention
Before Ratifications ars Exchanged
---China's Valuable Concessions to
America.
America.
tBy the Associated Press, J

Washington, Oct. S.-The State Depart
ment was informed today that the Ameri-
can Chinese commercial treaty has been
signed at Shanghai and that the Japanese
Chinese treaty will be signed this after
noon. The cablegram announcing the
| signing of the treaty was sent from Shang-
hal and was signed by Minister Conger,
Consul General Goodnow and Mr.. Sea-
man, the three commissioners who nego-
tiated the instrument.
An imperial decree by the Chinese gov
ernment has made the treaty effective so
TAR as that government is concerned, but it
must be ratified by the United States SEN
ate before ratification 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 Man
churia will be opened e the United States
regardless Of the outcome of the nego-
tiations for the evacuation of that coun-
try by Russia. The assurance that Rus
sia had previously given, and to which
this government would insist upon adj
made with China covering Manchuria ports
will be binding upon the Russian govern
ment
The negotiations between China and the
United States which eliminated in the
treaty signed today at Shanghai, were
initiated under the provisions of Article
XI of the final protocol signed by the
powers at Pekin on September T. 1901,
terminating the anti-foreign outbreak, of
the preceding year. The present treaty
has for its object to extend the com
merclal relations between the contracting
powers by amending our existing treaty of
commerce and navigation with China, and
other subjects concerning commercial re-
lations with the object of facilitating them.
Articles I, ii and III refer to rights and
privileges of diplomatic officers 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 1855
Article VI is the most important of the
treaty. BY it the Chinese government re-
cognizing that the present system of levy
ing dues upon goods in transit, and espe-
cially the system Of taxation known as
merce to general injury of trade, under
takes after the ratification of the treaty
and at a date to be mutually agreed upon.
to abandon the levy of lllxin and other
transit dues throughout the empire and
to abolish all the barriers and tax sta
tions maintained for their collection. 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 its imports into
China surtax of 11a times the tariff
import duty. BY this payment they shall
secure complete immunity from all other
taxation whatsoever within the empire.
Exports from China shall pay 71a per cent.
ad-valorem Gas at presently, the whole
amount of the duty being collected at the
port of expectation.
These are salient points of this article
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 eollec-
tion is perhaps so per cent. of the whole
The remaining provisions of Article VI
relate to the method to be followed in
abolishing the present internal tax levy
ing system; it limits the places where
native custom houses can be maintained,
provides for certificates of Identification
for foreign imports, the treatment of Chi
nese machine made goods which are to
enjoy a rebate on the import tax. and
exemption from export tax. Finally, it
provides the method of investigation of
complaints and declares that an imperial
edict shall be issued, at date to be here
after fixed, setting forth the abolition of
hsin taxation and charging the various
high officials of the empire with carry
ing it out
BY another article the Chinese govern
ment agrees to the establishment of
bonded warehouses by citizens of the
United States at the open ports of China
BY Article VII the Chinese government
agrees, within a year to permit citizens
Of the United States to carry on in Chr
nese territory mining operations and other
necessary business connected Herewith.
Articles TX, X and xI provide for the
(Continued on Fifth Page1