TOR AND STA
*** TOWGI C
502
and avoid contentions. Both upper and lower classes in Hupei are law-abiding citizens; yet it would have been unfair to take advantage of their complaisance to lay on them undue burdens. I understand that the Board of Communications intend that, in the future, railways under commercial management in all the provinces will be resumed by the officials; but there is as yet uncertainty as to the date when and the terms on which this will be carried out.
Under my scheme the capital of this section of the Ssu-chuan-Hankow Railway, no matter what the present proportion of funds provided by the officials and by the merchants is, either 25 or 30 years after the completion of the line, will be held, as in the case of the Tientsin-P'uk'ou line, by officials and merchants in the perpetual ratio of 50% each.
The Board of Communications, however, are anxious to get the control of the line into their own hands; I have ventured to object, and the discussion is now going on. For if the control reverts to the Board, the profits of the undertaking are entirely vested in them, and Hupei does not benefit a jot financially. Again, a loan made by the Board and repayable by the Board does no good to the mercantile community of the province. These two are the chief considerations for my objections to management by the Board. I do not say that the management should be left to my control; it should, I maintain, be under control of the province itself.
Supposing the sanction of the Board can be procured to provincial management by Hupei, that management should be in the hands of Viceroy Ch'ên; it would be impossible for me to undertake it. Even supposing all the officials of Hupei and Ssuchuan were to request me to undertake the management of the Ssuchuan section of the Ssuchuan-Hankow Railway, it would be a great mistake.
Formerly
TOR AND STA
*** TOWGI C
502
and avoid contentions. Both upper and lower classes in ilupei are law-abiding citizens; yet it would have been
unfair to take advantage of their complaisance to lay on
them undue burdens. I understand that the Board of Commu-
nications intend that, in the future, railways under com-
mercial management in all the provinces ill be resumed by the officials; but there is as yet uncertainty as to the
date when and the terms on which this will be carried out.
Under my scheme the capital of this section of the Ssu-
chuan-Hankow Railway, no matter what the present proportion of funds provided by the officials and by the merchants is, either 25 or 30 years after the completion of the line, will be held, as in the case of the Tientsin-P'uk'ou line, by officials and merchants in the perpetual ratio of 50!
each.
The Board of Communications, however, are anxious to
get the control of the line into their own hands; I have
ventured to object, and the discussion is now going on. For if the control reverts to the Board, the profits of
the undertaking are entirely vested in them, and upei does not benefit a jot financially. Again, a loan made by the Board and repayable by the Board does no good to the mercantile community of the province. These two are the
chief considerations for my objections to management by
the Board. I do not say that the management should be
left to my control; it should, I maintain, be under
control of the province itself.
1€
Supposing the sanction of the Board can be procured to provincial management by Hupei, that management should be in the hands of Viceroy Ch'ên; it would be impossible for me to undertake it. Even supposing all the officials of Hupei and Ssuchuan were to request me to undertake the management of the Ssuchuan section of the Ssuchuan-Hankow Railway, it would be a great mistake.
Formerly
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