Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28

is that foreign goods in no inconsiderable.
and, as compared with previous years, In
creasing, quantities are being brought
into Manchuria via Dalny and the South
Manchurian railway duty free. Those
goods are entered and cleared for con-
sumption at Dalny and the leased terri
tory, and thus avoid the payment or
import duties. 1t is obvious that goods
thus imported have a great advantage
over similar goods which have been re-
quired to pay the duties.
Goods Most Affected.
THE articles of merchandise most seri-
ously affected by this smuggling are
cotton piece goods, cigarettes, -four, sugar
and beer. Cotton piece goods to the
amount approximately 100000 pieces
were imported into Dalny in 1908, While,
according to the customs returns. only
591.922 pieces were forwarded into the
interior of Manchuria. OF cotton yarn
1.142, 1873 pounds came into Dalny. but
only 100000 pounds are reported to
have gone out. OF Japanese cotton cloth
3,319,5o yards were imported into Dalny,
none of which Is reported to have left the
leased territory. During the year Hal
kuan taels 64s,965 UNITED States gold
s42l ,S2O worth of cigarettes entered Dali
ny while only taels 222.170 Omitted
States gold s144.4OO), worth found their
way into Manchuria via the Chinese I'M
The remedy at present proposed by the
Chinese authorities to correct this form
of smuggling. namely, the levying OF
likin. transit dues, consumption and other
taxes, upon all Ioreign goods entering
Manchura, not covered by exemption
certificates issued by the imperial mari
time customs, is, under present condi-
tons, utterly impracticable. As already
stated, foreign goods imported at Dalny
may be declared for the leased territory
,yol, I,.4xr to ,lca
quently these same goods are forwarded
by the train to some point along the
South Manchuria railway, and there un-
loaded on railway property.
To Stop Illicit Importation.
ITO collect import and likin duties on
such goods would require customs officers
anu examinations at sheds at each station
along the line, but the railway company
will not allow either Chinese customs Of
ficers or examination sheds on it's prop
erty. So the goods thus struggled in are
quickly and quietly distributed or stored
in the railway settlements without any
reference whatever to the lkin or Gus
toms officials.
THE only effective way to stop this
illicit importation of foreign goods into
Manchuria is to establish at Puantien,
on the boundary between the leased ter
rltory and Fengtien province, an imperial
customs station where all merchandise
carried by the South Manchuria railway
shall be carefully examined and the regu-
lation duties levied and collected on all
goods found unaccompanied by exemption
certificates. This is the method at pres
ent pursued on the TranS-Siberian rail-
way at the Russian frontier, where it
has been found to work satisfactorily.
Need for New Arrangement.
1.-The need in southern Manchuria for
such an arrangement is even greater than
on the Russian frontier. and is necessary
if foreign importers are TO be afforded
equal opportunity in the trade of Man
churia"
He declared also that in view of the
Manchurian governments precarious
financial condition the loss to the govern
ment in revenue for the goods thus lille
lily brought into Manchuria makes the
matter one of great Importance to the
Chinese government.
1T has been shown that foreign goods
to the value of Haikuan taels 6. 1919. 465
Omitted States gold, 81, O29,6o2) were i'm
ported in 1903 on which no duties were
collected. At the ordinary rate of duty
) per cent, ad valorem. that amount of
goods would bring the Chinese govern
ment a revenue of haikuan taels 800, 1913
Omitted States gold, S2O1 ,4So), an amount
equal to approximately three-fifths of the
total revenue collected at Dalny during
1908 the exact amount collected being
haikuan taels 534,964 Omitted States gold,
S347 726)'