The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-01

confined to the guilty party. CWhiIe
the practice of including innocent rel
dtiVes in the sentence seems barbar-
GUS in the extreme 1T was, after all,
not so different in principle from the
practice Of the western nations which
in times of war, inf1ict punishment in
G1scriminately upon innocent and
guilty alike)
5.-The branding of criminals has been
abandoned.
6.-CorpOraI punishment of criminals
is also abolished.
THE tOrturing of accused persons
during trial. except where the accused
is charged with murder. and where the
evidence of guilt is clear, has also been
abolished. According to the Chinese
law, person convicted of murder can
not be put to death until he confesses,
and torture has been retained in a case
of this kind as a means of compelling
confession when the guilt has been 9TH
erwise established, but Mr.. WI ex-
presses the hope that torture in such
cases will be abolished in the near fu-
ture
The revision commission has also sue
ceeded in obtaining an imperial decree
ordering the construction of more mod
ern prisons, requiring the inspection OF
prisoners and compelling humane treat
ment Formerly relief from cruel treat
ment could only be secured by paying
the official in charge.
The commission is now working upon
a code of procedure and intends, among
other things, the recommendation of
system of trial by jury. the admission
of lawyers to practice in the courts and
the relieving Of prisoners and witnesses
from the humiliating practice of kneel-
ing in court.
In order to secure competent Judges
and lawyers for the carrying out of the
new code. the commission have obtained
the sanction of the government for the
establishment of q law school at Picking
(the site has already been purchased.
and the high schools ana colleges of
the various provinces have been in
structed to add law to the curriculum
of their studies.
Minister WI called attention to other
reforms that have been introduced into
China within the last few years, among
which may be mentioned the construc-
ton of railways, the establishment of
a government board of commerce, the
formation of a police force, municipal
and provincial, the PRONUNCIATION of in
corporation laws and the establishment
of minis.
At first the railroads were built by
concessions issued to foreign companies
but because of the constant difficulties
which grew out of such concessions,
there is growing sentiment in favor
of government railroads. 1t was in r.
pursuance OF this policy that the gov
eminent acquired the rights of the
American company which was project
ing road from HankOw to Canton.
Some of the Americans residing in
China have expressed regret that this
road should have passed out of Amerf-
can hands, but l am satisfied that IT is
better for the United States that China
should own the road than that 4 should
be IN the hands Of foreigners or even
n the hands Of Americans. It would be
impossible 10 operate the road without
more or less friction, which would in
volYe the countries in diplomatic con-
trOVeTsieS. If China operates the road
herself, we Will have equal rights with
foreigners without the risks involved in
private ownership. And. speaking of
roads. the city Of Picking is passing
through an era of street Improvement.
some eleven miles of pavement has been
i3ld within three years, and concrete
SIDEWALKS are making their appearance.
The finances of China have been in
miserable condition. Cash Is the mon
ey in common use, and these brass
coins, running about 1000 TO the dollar,
are too heavy for any excepting the
smallest transactions. Think of doiuo
business with money so heavy that YOU
must carry 100 pounds Of money TO
make SO purchase Some complained
of silver in the United States because
OF IFS weight but the silver certificate
completely answered this argument. for
n silver certificate is as convenient IS
q gold certificate. and more convenient
than gold coin; but IN China they had
no paper substitute. The monetary unit
IS called tael and, f coined. would
weigh about one and One-third times
the Mexican dollar. but no coins Of this
denomination are in circulation The
Mexican dollar is in common use. and In
some OF the provinces there are frac-
toual silver coins. But the Mexican
dollar is so often counterfeited that It
is customary 10 test each coin as If
passes from hand to hand I secured I.
Done Of the three piece dollars" as they |