Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-10-24
CAUSE FOR Hope IN
THE PRESENT
STRUGGLES
IN CHINA
Beloved that Order Is About
Due to Come Out of the Elk
isting Chaos in New Repub-
lie.
MARY GREAT PROBLEMS
ARE ALREADY SOLVED

(As4pclnied f'rUaa snOndcncc.l
Picking oct gs.--Present sfrugglos
In China arc believed to BE- resulting
In the consolidation rainier than the
dialntogration Of China. The over
throw az the Manchu dynasty By arms
LETT many unEolted problems. among
them the following. Should the new
government be n monarchy or a re-
pubucg should the capital Dc az
Poking or Nanklng3 should the ruler
be Yuan Shi-kai o. san Vat Sen 2
should the central government be-
strengthened or should China remain
looso nsgregate Of semi-indopena-
ent provincesg
Those problems we're settled not by
force but BY compromising In which
the Views OF the south were accepted
on tho flrst and most important prob
lem az TO the form Of government,
and those Of the north on the second
and third problems; while the fourth
4 problem, the relative strength OF the
central government and the provinces,
was left unSolved These conclusions
were reached b. the consent OF Yuan
Shi-kai 20 the adoption OF the re-
public and by the decision OF II yuan
Hung. who had charge Of the revoiu-
tionary forces. and OF all the more
thoughtful leaders Of China In favor
OF yuan Shi-kai for the presidency.
The nrst problem which confronted
Yuan Shl-kai a. provisional president
and the new government was the
problem Of finance. Fortunately, the
finances Of China are In good condl-
tion. 50 far as indebtedness and tho
annual expenditures Of the nation are
concerned. The total Indebtedness OF
China for the central government, the
PROVINCES and the cities, plus the re-
cent loan. IN ti,079. 100000, gold, Of
which S277.000. 900 are on railway
and telegraph lines and other Indus
tries which are earning more than
interest, leaving some $500. 1000. goo 70
be met by taxation. Considering that
+ Japan's national Indebtedness Is
81, sos. 9Ot,499 and that China's pop
ulatlon and natural resources are
some SIX OF seven times az large as
Japanv China's Indebtedness, speak
Ing In comparative terms, Is not large.
/ Putting iho matter In another form.
/ Chinas total Indebtedness Is about
two dollars per capitum. whereas
| Japan's. Including the Koreans in her
population. Is some twenty dollars per
capitum.
In regard 20 current expenses Yuan
Shi-kal is making favorable show
ing. Tho gross expenses OF the gov
eminent for tho first six months OF
1918, as recently submitted 10 par
lament, we're sS4.ttl,726 gold. This
Is at tho rate Of sl6S,Sa8,4b2 year
These expenses are little less than
one-haif Of the annual expenditures
OF the apnnese government
but while the expenditures Of the
FIRST six months OF 1913 were Ss4,-
4ii,T2s. tho receipts for the same
time were only S25.66S.4O thus
leaving deficit for these six month,
OF over sbs.OOO,O 600. This grave
problem brings up the stlll graver un-
solved problem OF the relation Of the
central government TO the various
provinces In the history OF China
down 20 tho present time the central
government has received It's income
through the provincial officials. with
the exception OF the salt and customs
tax Tho Chinese know that govern
menls rests ultimately upon ths
power Of the purse Hence, In order
for the central government 10 feel as
surcd OF its income the emperor had
appointed every provincial official
down 20 the head OF the county
Whatever else an official mighi 0i
might not do. tho payment Of the
taxes 20 the central government was
/ A.
could hope 90 retain his Office. Bu
lnasmuch rs the imperial government
frequently had been dcsposit. the pub
nc sentiment Of China has been fol
centuries ln favor of local govern
ment % over as inst tho imperia
government.
Hence, in the revolution, on IA,
hight OF the Manchu governors, th'
\ provincial assemblies followed th,
natural incllnauons ~ their leaders
and the example OF the United states
and elected governors for their prov.
incos Thus yuan shi-kai found him,
self face 90 face VITA governors who
asa NOT owe their position 10 him
The problem became more acute DO
oaaisc seven OF th twenty-five prov
inces had not remittcd "a single dollar
on taxes since tho revolution brok,
out IN November, 1911, and the re-
naming fifteen had RENTED Gar leN
taxes than usual. Therefore, despite
tho small expenditure OF CHINA "a
compared with other nations. Yuar
shi-kal had less than 0ue-third Of the
income needed, and foreign govern
ments were pressing him hard ion
overdue interest on the public debt
Had Yuan shl-kai displayed the
I. | qualities OF dictator. ho would have
removed the officials who failed "a
pay taxes and would have appointed
governors loyal 10 the central gov.
eminent Upon the contrary. he hn'
displayed great tact Probably a pol
icy of mnstorly Inactivity was the wis.
cst for him under tho circumstances
An who are familiar with western
governments felt that tha provincial
assemblies were right IN insisting up
on the authority Of tie provinces ID
elect their own governors. ana had
Yuan sNl-kai presumed 10 remove the
officials chosen hy the provinces and
% punish tho provinces for not remit.
Ting the taxes unQueaiionahiy ~
would have had a formidable robei'