670
CHINA
the refugees was Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Thereupon the President and his Cabinet showed a greater determination to secure more effective control over the provinces. The first thing to be done was to confirm the President in his office, and Parliament, evidently impressed by the confidence the country had shown in him during the late troubles, elected him President of the Republic for the next five years, and Li Yuan Hung, who since the first Revolution had remained in command of the troops at Wuchang, was elected Vice-President. Hardly a month had elapsed since his election before the President startled the country by the issue of a mandate ordering the explusion from. Parliament of all members who had been identified with the Kuomingtang, the political party which had promoted the abortive revolution. This order was instantly obeyed, and the result of it was that Parliament was unable to sit for the remainder of the year, as without some of these members it was impossible to form a quorum in either House. Altogether 313 members were expelled, and the party was suppressed as a seditious organisation throughout the country. It is noteworthy that notwithstanding these drastic measures the President lost no opportunity of proclaiming his faith in the future of China under a Republican form of government, but, to use his own simile, the Nurse must not provide the infant with food only fit for adults." In the place
of the first Parliament, China now has a State Council (known as the Tsan Cheng Yuan), consisting of seventy members, whose qualification for appointment was that they had had previous administrative experience as grand councillors, ministers of state, viceroys, or governors, and, in so far as the Presidential policy has been endorsed, the Council has done all that was expected of it. This Council, which has drafted the laws for the election of the Li Fa Yuan or popular Chamber, acts as an advisory, administrative and legislative body, and will continue so to act until the formation and election of the future Parliament. It is believed that the new legislature will be inaugurated in 1916.
The permanent constitution of China is not yet finally determined. During the latter part of 1915 a committee of ten appointed by the Council of State (several of whom are not members of that body) were engaged in drafting the Constitution, and were assisted by Professor F. J. Goodnow, of John Hopkins University. After approval by the Council of State, the new Constitution will be submitted by the President to a National Convention for final adoption.
FINANCE
The discreditable conditions associated with national finance in China are gradually being replaced by an ordered system. Until now the amount of the public revenue has not been definitely known, and the national budgets compiled within late years and published at irregular periods left much to be desired. However, better things are hoped for 1916, and a budget statement has been under preparation since the middle of 1915.
According to an estimate of the Central Government the revenue of China for 1915 consisted of the following items :-
Income Tax ...
Land Tax
..$78,000,000
5,000,000
Salt Gabelle...
76,000,000
Stamp Duty...
5,000,000
Customs Receipts
62.000,000
Marriage Licences
3,000,000
Government Works
20,000,000
Tax on Convertible Notes
3,000,000
Minting Coins
20,000,000
Travelling Tax
3,0.0,000
Consumption Tax
15,000,00
Mining Tax
2,000,000
Tax on Spirit and Tobacco
15,000,000
Inheritance Tax ...
2,000,000
Title Deeds, Examination fees.. 13,000,000
Tax on Monopoly of Weights
Business Tax
10,000,000
and Measures
2,000,000
House Tax
6,000,000
Total...
$340,000,000
The Maritime Customs and the Salt Gabelle are the only two sources of revenue for which exact figures are so far available. The Customs receipts for 1914 amounted to Hk. Taels 38,917,525, which was only Taels 5,052,328 less than in the record year of 1913, a loss which is trifling in view of the disturbance occasioned by the outbreak of the European war. The Salt Gabelle promises to be as great a revenue producer as: the Maritime Customs, the net receipts of the former for 1914 being Hk. Taels 60,000,000, or four millions more than the gross yield from the Maritime Customs.
China had no foreign debt till the end of 1874, when a loan of £627,675, bearing 8 per cent. interest, was contracted through the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, under-