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Kwangtung, when the Nationalist Government had its
headquarters there, lasting for 15 months. All workmen,
merchants, peasants, students and soldiers supported it.
They maintained an unbroken front and boycotted Hong Kong,
finally bringing their opponents to their knees. The
Nationalist Government decreed a levy of 21% surtax on
ordinary goods and 5% on articles of luxury. The British
Government dared not raise a word against it. The Peking
Government has also had one or two Tariff Conferences. All
these will prove that with the support of the masses the
abolition of the unequal treaties can be secured. Since
in such a trifling matter, the unity of the masses has
proved to us its great power, if all the masses really
combine themselves in their demand for the abolition of the
unequal treaties, nobody can resist the combined strength
of a population of 400,000,000. We shall get the unequal
treaties abolished without sacrificing a soldier or a war-
ship.
When we get the unequal treaties cancelled we shall see
to it that we recover the Customs, and this will yield us
an annual revenue of Tls.70,000,000. With this revenue we
will improve our industry and communications. We shall
also work to resume control of the salt-gabelle, and then
we shall see great prosperity in commerce, industry and
banking business.
Furthermore we can adopt a sliding Tariff System. If
for instance any native products are dearer than those
imported of the same kind, we can increase the tax so as to
eliminate foreign competition, and when we are in need of
any particular kind of goods, we can reduce the tax on that
kind of goods. By so doing we shall be able to protect the
industry and commerce of China.
There is yet another thing.
When we recover these
sources of revenue, we shall use them in the interests of
the