The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-20
CHINA CONSOLIDATING
RATHER THAN DISINTEGRATING

Pekin, Oct. 20.-Present struggles in
China are believed to be resulting in
the, consolidation rather than the dis
indignation of China. The overthrow
of h Manchu dynasty by arms left
many unsolved problems, among them
the following: Should the new gov
eminent be a monarchy or a republic?
Should the capital be at Pekin or at
Marking? Should the ruler be Yuan
Shi-kai or Sun Vat Sen? Should the
central government be strengthened or
should China remain a. loose aggregate
Of semi-independent provinces?
These problems were settled, not by
force, but by compromise in which the
views of the south We're accepted on
the first n most important problem
as to the form of government, and
those of the north on the second and
third problems; while the fourth prob
lem, the relative strength of the central
government and the provinces, was left
unsolVed. These conclusions were
reached by the consent of Yuan Shi-
kai to the adoption of the republic and
by the decision Of Ii Yuan Hung, who
had charge Of the revolutionary forces,
and of all the more thoughtful leaders
of China in favor Of Yuan Shi-kai for
1.-The presidency. -,-,. -
The first problem which confronted
L udll Sn1-hdi DIS pI ON4SAOIldA ~ SoluS4ll
and the new government was the
problem of finance. Fortunately, the
finances of China in general are in
good condition, SO far as indebtedness
and the annual expenditures of the
nation are concerned. The total in
debtedness of China for the central
government, the provinces and the
cities, plus the recent loan, is $1,079,-
100000, gold, of which $277, 600, 600 are
| on " aiJuyay an1 to1oora nh lirnC onH
other industries which are earning
more than interest, leaving some $780,
600, 900 to be met by taxation. ConSid-
ering that Japan's national indebted
ness is $1,306, 901, 499 and hat China's
population and natural resources are
some six or seven times as large as
Japan's, China's Indebtedness, speak
ing in comparative terms, is not large.
Putting the matter in another form,
China's total Indebtedness is about 50
per capitum, whereas Japan's, includ-
ing the Koreans in her population, is
some $40 per capitum.
In regard to current expenses Yuan
Shi-kai is making a favorable show
ing. The gross expenses of the gov
eminent for the first six months OF
1913, as recently submitted to- parlia-
ment, were $S4,411, 1875, gold. This is
at the rate of $16S,S23,452 a year
These expenses are a little, less than
one-half Of the annual expenditures
Of the Japanese government.
But while. the expenditures of the
first six months of 1918 were $84,411,-
1875, the receipts for the same time
were only $751; 6 400, thus leaving a
deficit for these six months of over
$58, 000, 900. This grave problem brings
up the still graver unsolved problem
of the relation of the central govern
ment to the various provinces. In the
history of China down to the present
time the central government has re-
ceived it's income through the pro-
vincial officials, with the exception OF
the salt and the customs tax. The
Chinese know that government rests
purse. Hence. in order for the centra
government to feel assured of it's in
come the emperor had appointed ev.
cry provincial official down to the
head Of the county. Whatever else al
official might or might not do, the
payment Of the taxes to the centra
government was the first condition
upon which he could hope to retain
his office. But inasmuch as the i'm.
perial government frequently hat
been despotic, $he public sentiment o
China has been for centuries in favor
of local government as over agains
the imperial government.
Hence, in the revolution, on the
flight of the Manchu governors, tn.
provincial assemblies followed tht
natural inclinations of their leader.
and elected governors for their PROV.
inces. Thus Yuan Shi-kai found him.
self face to face with governors wht
did not owe their position to him. The
problem became more acute becaus,
seven of the twenty-five provinces