The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-12-28

China has at last awakened and
joined the progressive nations. The
throne has granted a parliament due
TO the efforts of the young Chinese.
the leaders of the progressive party.
being those educated in the United
States and the schools OF Europe. Four
powers have agreed To float for her a
loan Of $50,000.00O for the purpose Of
carrying out needed reforms. The pro-
gressive party has a big task before il
when il is recalled that country
which in something more than 1000
years of storm and sunshine has never
taken advantage of any of the oppor-
tunities TO alter its form Of govern
ment is a stronghold OF conservation.
Despite the autocratic form of it's in
situations. China is in substance the
most democratic of nations Mean
while the field for constructive states
manship is a broad one.
One of the needed reforms is that OF
the currency system. Since Japan.
the Philippines, the Strait Settlements
and other Oriental countries have been
put on a gold basis, il would appear
that the business of China, which has
a commercial code dating back farther
into antiquity than written history
should cease to be at the mercy of
spectators in silver. The eighteen
provinces Of the empire. majority of
them employing a dollar of it's own de-
sign and standard, not taking into ac-
count the subsidiary coins or quanti-
ties OF Mexican pesos, that serve for
large portion Of the circulating med
ium, with the inter-provincial trade
based upon the "taer' or silver ounce.
which varies as widely as do the mint
ed tokens. ii is a wonder that any
business is transacted.
The fluctuating value Of silver makes
it almost impossible at times for ex-
porting firms to exchange their gold
money for that bullion TO buy goods
for shipment with any profit. Realiz-
ing this China has already begun
changing her system, which must.
when fully developed along the line of
the system in other Oriental countries,
result in the needed reform of curren-
cy long desired. one of the great
drawbacks TO a complete change is the
likin tax, and one in which China will
find "A hard task TO uproot-a tax
imposing duty on goods crossing the
provincial frontiers, which has been
the principal source of revenue for the
provinces. They have opposed with
determination any move toward it's
abolition. Nevertheless, the variable
nature of the sums collected itself has
offered a cloak for brigandage. Despite
the tendency with which the custom is
conserved, IL will have to be swept
away before any program of interior
development can be carried out salts
factorily. Reforms i'm the Chinese i'm
perial customs tariff necessary though
they may be. are not so essential to
the growth of China's commerce as is
the abolition Of the likin.
Reform has been made already in
the army il having been reorganized
after the German system and drilled
under German tactics. The navy is to
be overhauled and the empire is TO
add TO its strength by the building of
modern warships. With what has al
ready been done in the last few years
the awakening of China is assured. It
has Joined the progressing Oriental
nations and its progress thus far has
been remarkable. It's contemplated re-
forms, political, defensive. commercial
and social, Will soon bring it to the
front among the nations of the east.