Evening star., 1925-10-01
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

Tennyson has testified:
The jinglng of the guinea helps the hurt that
And the nations do but murmur. snarling at
each others heels.
/ The Chinese complain more against
British "jingIing OF the guinea" in her
imports, especially of opium. than
against any other nation. British IN
dia sent into China, in 1920. 65,521
kilos of opium; in 1921, 26,297 kflos,
which in both years exceeded the Chi
nese opium imports from any other
country by from 10000 to 10000 kiios.
The young Chinese have risen in
patriotic demand that their country
shall be freed from foreign domina-
ton; that the courts of foreign ma
tions shall no longer administer JUS
tice to their respective nationals, but
that Chinese courts shall have 5uris-
diction throughout Chinese territory:
that the Chinese tariffs, originally
fixed by foreign dictation and treaties,
shall be raised to protect Chinese Ia
Dor in their home market and give
adequate revenue to enable the CEN
trail government to enforce its author
ity against local or provincial rebels
fighting among themselves and de.
flying national jurisdiction.
China contains quarter OF the pop
ulation of the world and is the Oldest
organized civilization, yet she is domi-
mated by comparatively little peoples
of foreign nations and foreign inter
ests, who limit her revenues, dictate
her traffic in opium and protest
against her nationalisn, which in
other nations is lauded as commend
able patriotism.
There Is an international conference
to convene December 18 in Peking,
which Is called to decide what the ma
tions will approve as to the proposed
revision of her tariff. Some observers
predict that the increase permitted
will not be in excess of what will pro-
est and other claims of Europe with
out benefiting the Chinese.
X X X x
A newspaper correspondent, Mr.
Thomas F. Millard. who has lived
many years in China. describes con.
ditionS there as analogous to the
status of our Government under the
confederation. with no authority in
the Federal Government which could
override Estate rights" China has
no revenue from her provinces. and
would have no funds except for the
foreign administration of salt gal
belles'-tax on salt-and the wholly In
adequate customs also protected" by
foreign domination. The real power
rests in the "tupan' or governor of a
province. and the ''tuchan." command
er of the military forces of a prov
ince. or the field marshal" who com
mands the combined forces of several
provinces working together, but not
subservient to the central authority
at Peking.
Therefore, when the international
conference this Winter agrees upon
an increased tariff which will increase
the cost of imports for the ultimate
consumer. how will that act be re-
ceived by the provinces? If the
tupans and tuchans consider it detri.
mental in interior provinces, will the
foreign nations lend military support
to the federal government in enforc-
ing it? -
* **
All agree that a stronger national
and tuchan really supports the idea
only when he thinks he will be the
chief in control thereof. All are for
tariff autonomy, upon the idea that
with 1t China can fix her tariff as she
pleases, or as will give the most rev.
enue. At present vast duties are col,
lectedi at every provincial boundary
on all interprovincial commerce. in
spite of Federal laws, and when it is
proposed to abolish that practice and
enforce free trade between the prov.
inces the local interests will defy the
central government with the view to
seizure of customs revenues by the
military dictators.