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Kiangpei.-A "tsung kuan kao tien was opened in the city the year before last; its representatives in the market towns were the local headmen. The competi- tion of the smuggled drug was too strong, and the present stock in the "tien" 100,000 oz.
is
Question 10-What taxes is it proposed to introduce to replace the revenue
derived from opium and opium dens ?
Replies.
Liangshan.--No new taxes have been suggested on land apart from that levied for railway construction, which is half as much as the original land tax. In addition to this, taxes have been levied on the paper industry, which has given rise to con- siderable friction. Salt has also been more heavily taxed at the source of supply.
Tung Hsiang.--No information.
K'ui Hsien-I have not heard of any suggestions.
Wan Hsien.---No other taxation has been proposed as yet, but heavier tax on opium consumed has so far resulted in a large increase to the authorities.
Fengtu. No arrangements made for substituting other taxes.
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Fuchou. Official idea is to increase li-kin, e.g., an addition of 4 cash per catty on salt. If taxation assessed as follows were imposed: ie., 300 cash per "tso" of wine, 200 cash per "cha" of oil, with 3 to 4 cash per tso " and "cha" for petty expenses and 500 cash per pig, and the whole were handed over to Government, it should be possible to make up the opium revenue.
land.
Chungchou. Possible substitutes for opium revenue are taxes on boats, houses, and
Shih Chu Ting-The country south of Shih Chu Ting produces very good tea, and the Viceroy has ordered increased cultivation; the mulberry does well and can also be extended. Officials look to taxation on these two products to make up loss of opium revenue.
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"tso
per
Nan Chuan-Suggests taxation on wine, oil, pigs, paper, tea, iron, and coal as follows: 400 cash per
of wine, 200 cash "cha" of oil, with an allowance per "tso and "cha" combined of 800 to 400 cash for petty expenses, 500 cash per pig, 48 cash per picul of paper, 750 cash per picul of tea, 10 cash per pieul of iron, and 7 cash per picul of coal. An additional li-kin of 100 cash per head of cattle. 100 cash per pig, and 200 cash per head on water buffaloes might also be introduced, and the combined total derived from all the items mentioned should slightly exceed the opium revenue, provided the whole were handed over to Government.
Pa Hsien Suggestions.-Increased taxation on sugar, oil, and salt, and, if this should be insufficient, the addition of a house tax and a levy on prostitutes. For the people it is suggested that they should improve their methods of agriculture, and experiment with sericulture, forestry, and tea planting.
Kiangpei.-Suggests increase of land tax, and, if that should not be sufficient, addition to the taxation on oil, pigs, and salt.
Remarks on the above.
It is my intention to offer below some personal and general observations on the whole question of opium reform in this province; but it will be desirable, in the first instance, to invite attention to certain matters having special reference to the information of my correspondents above given. They are :----
1. Sources of Information.The details in regard Liangshan, Tung Hsiang, K'ai Hsien, and Wan Hsien were kindly furnished me by members of the China Inland Mission; while the information as to Fengtu, Fuchou, Chungchou, Shih Chu Ting, Nan Chuan, Pa Hsien, and Kiangpei comes from Chinese through the agency, in the case of the first five places named, of a member of the London Mission.
2. Area under Opium Cultivation.-Opium is grown in all parts of Szechuan, but the most renowned districts are--
(a.) The Isi Ting (Suiting) Prefecture, which includes Tung Hsiang, Taiping, K'ai sien, and Wan Hsien.
(b.) The Chungchou Sub-Prefecture, including Fengtu, Tien Chiang, and Liangshan.
}
(c.) The Fuchou Sub-Prefecture. (d.) Yung Ch'uan Hsien.
7
(e.) The Chien Chou Sub-Prefecture, which is not under the Ch'uan Tung
taotai.
The Hsu Ting Prefecture. In amplification of the information already given in regard to various places in this prefecture, 1 should mention that the informant to whom I am indebted for the particulars obtained as to Liangshan states in the body of his letter as follows:-
"In your postcript you also ask for information from Tung Hsiang and Taiping. I regret to say that my knowledge of these two districts is very superficial, having merely gathered in the course of conversation with the worker stationed in Tung Hsiang that little or nothing was being done to stop the sale or growth in these two hsiens.' This seems to be generally true of all the large opium-growing districts in this part of the province. K'ai Hsien and Tien Chiang, with whom we join borders, rank with the above two 'hsiens' in being the main sources of the opium supply. To say that little or nothing is being done to restrict the growth or sale of the drug is to repeat the common report of those who trade or journey in these parts, and not to give first-hand information arrived at by personal observation and enquiry."
Another correspondent from Isu Ting, quoting from information supplied, mentions a very slight reduction in Ta Hsien, Tung Hsiang, Ch'ü Isien, and Taiping, and a distinct reduction in IIsin Ning Hsien, Ta Chu Hsien, and Cheng K'ou Ting, all of which places are in the prefecture. The information as regards Tung Hsiang, however, does not agree with the statement of the missionary gentlemen working in that district.
Yung Chuan-Reports from various sources are to the effect that the poppy was very extensively grown in this district, and that there was a considerable increase over the previous year.
Considering only the places the particulars as to which form a preface to this report, it will be noted that in three of them alone is there any mention of a decrease, namely, Fengtung, Chungchou, and Shih Chu Ting, the last having the same area under cultivation as in the season of 1907.
3. Comparison of Estimated Profits on Opium and other Crops.-The estimates of different informants vary, but a rough average makes the profits on opium three to four times as great as on pulse and cereals.
Observations.
I pass now to a general consideration of the opium question in Szechuan, and the remarks thereon will conveniently fall under the following heads :----
Measures for prevention of opium smoking.
Area under opium cultivation.
Taxation in substitution of opium revenue.
The position of the Szechuan farmers.
The effect of opium eradication on the economic conditions of Szechuan. Difficulties and prospects.
1. Measures for Prevention of Opium Smoking. The particulars with which this report opens do not encourage the hope that much has been done in Ch'uan Tung to exert a real check upon indulgence in the drug. Indeed, if Chunking may be taken as an example, I know of no better criticism on the steps taken than the Chinese aphorism, "Yu ming wu shih," ie., the measures adopted have had effect in name, but not in fact.
Chungking has had its "tu hang," or raw opium depôt, under official control, a head official prepared opium store ("tsung kuan kao tien "), four branch stores ("fen kuan kao tien "), licensed opium dens, and "pi fa tion." There remain at present the raw opium depôt and the head prepared opium store, and this is the net result: the smoker has been, and is, able to get all the opium he wants without application to any official institution, the city is honeycombed with secret dens, and the head prepared opium store has a large stock in hand of which it has been unable to dispose for some months. The doings of the deputy in charge of this store have been similar to those of his confrères at Chengtu. The drug was offered for sale at
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