The sun., 1908-02-23
special cGO's Despatch to The sUS.


NIeaSures-AppraIslnS EAglands Wealth
special coO,s Despatch 10 The Sun.
LONDON, Feb. 22.-England, even more
than America, has cause TO complain of
Japan's restrictive control Of ManchuriR.
Not only has the foreign trade Of the coun-
,rv been monopOli7ed by Japan but the
nominal sovereignty Of China is not per-
mitted TO extend even to the construction
II railways.
The real object Of Japan's secret agree
ment with China in regard to Manchuria,
which was made in lse. has just been
made plain. China at that time agreed
not 10 construct any main line which should
enter into cOmpetition with the South
Nanchurian Railway or any branch which
should divert traffic from II prior TO her
recovery of that railroad fifteen years
hence. Japan has now used this agree
ment 20 veto any railroad in Manchuria.
The Chinese Imperial Railway from
pekin 70 ManChuria ends at present at
Hsn-mn-tung. thirty-five miles west Of
NIukden. IL of course Is of the greatest
importance that these points should be
linked UP and branch constructed to
the important city u Fakumen. fifty miles
distant. The Chinese Government recently
gave a contract foI this work to a British
firm of contractors. who have just been
notified that Japar has forbidden the con-
strIction of the road.
The British Foreign Office has taken up
the matter. but lhiis far seems 10 think
that Japan is the sole judge of what inter-
feres with her interests in Manchuria.
The foreign commercial trade of Great
Britain. howeve', is joining with Other
nations in a growing protest against Japan's
exclusive policy in Manchuria. and the
Anglo-Japanese alliance is becoming more
unpopular .:
SULTAN MISCHIEF MAKING.
The developments of the week fully con-
firm THE SUHs statement of a week ago
IN regard To 0he success Of the Sultan in
throwing the apple Of discord among the
Powers in regard TO Macedonia and the
balkan question. Germany announces her
fun support a. Austria in the latters request
for a railway through Novi Bazar. Ger
many indeed was the only Power Privy TO
he scheme
The war scare has subsidized a st. Peters
burg, but tho Russian counter project for
railway from the Danube to the Adriatic
will be pushed with vigor. England must
now strive TO the utmost TO reconcile Russia
and Austria and also to put fresh life
into the demands for Macedonian reforms,
which the Sultan eXultantly believes have
been e. ectually shelvel. He IL probably
right. for Germany has no real interest in
this matter, and with Russia and Austria
poor friends the idea Of putting any real
pressure on Abdul Hamid is almost out OF
the question.
THE MING L; POLITICS.
Even Goodwin Smith. writing to the Spec
,qtor. opens the fundamental question Of
King Edwards interference in the policy Of
the present Government. He says a rumor
has reached Toronto thai the extreme policy
of the Liberal ministry has been modified
by the influence Of the King, and then goes
on 10 say
"Supposing the TlInlOr is true. it does not
seem TO me to give the Liberals any cause
for alarm. The character Of Edward VII. is
sufficient assurance that his motive is patri-
Otic and that there will he no disregard for
the Constitution
THE extreme measures IN question hGvs
never been before the people, noE are they
the embodiments .of principles held by
ANYTHING tia. Co6Id properly 'e called
q
is stvleI a party il made ap of five dis
cordant elements. VIZ: LibsraIs, Radicals,
Labor men. Socialists Pnd Irish Home
Rulers. The Home Rulers ere where?
They are not for the purpose of assisting
but for that ~ tlis.ractinR 'he national
councils in order to force the nation into
practical dismemberm-nt As lrishmen
they NAV be patriots: TO the United King
-. Ia.
The mspsures fire. med bv the leaders Of
such 4 party may he the offspring Of an
unprinciplcd compromise. The King may
in such q. case. without any departure !rOm
the Constitution, use his influence ia favor
IF a modification or 20 esk for time in order
to get verdict of national opinion
COUNTING PHIIAIN's wE,LIH.
How shall the wealth of 4 country he
computei? This is q problem Of first i'm
por.ance, especially in a nation where the
burden of taxation is enormous and the
Government is constantly seeking for new
sourCes of revenue. No reputable econo-
mist has heretofore attempted to solve 1t
on any basis commanding greater respect
than shrcwd g,Iesswork and estimates put
forward in England have ranged over a
wider divergence than 100 per cent.
Most Of the calculations have been based
on the capital represented in the payment
of death duties year by year. The question
then arises what multiplier should be used
on the capital paying death duties in an
average year in order to ascertain the
total wealth Of the nation. The authori-
ties have varied in this respect all the way
from q TO 55. with the result that the British
assets are calculated all the way from
rbirty-one and half TO seventy-three bill
lion dollars.
The subject has been tackled recently
On a broader basis by Bernard Mailet. Com
missioner Of Internal Revenue. who gave
the result Of his Investigations to the sta
tstical Society this week. His data in
clude the annual yield from the income tax.
the average revenue from the estate tax
and the average death duties. He analyzes
the latter by giving considerable signifi-
Cance to the ages of the decedents. The
subiect is too technical TO follow all his
processes but he reaches the conclusion
-, n, l.. q v,or,ar r,n,tlfinlier In the death