the
CHI
IEF REVISION.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
A STAMP TAX FOR CH
as
TAK BERASION 80 pass offici
the
|
|
has
tax-in
the taels could and on any o
bez institution
a stamp tax in China would
dead letter.
THE REBELLION IN THE PHILI PINES AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ISLANDS
posin
Philippines
Go
out.
It will be seen from our Canton Notes that The negotiations with regard to an increase
a means of of the amport duties in China will evidently a censor has suggested th start with a very wide divergence of views increasing the revenue of China ʼn stamp as between the Chinese Government and tax should be imposed. Considering how the British residents in China. LI HUNG- ingenious the Chinese officials are in CHANG has declared that the Chinese Gov-imposition of squeezes it is almost a wonder ernment will not consent to abolish lekin, that this idea has never occurred to them and the British and foreign merchants and before. The Censor estimates that the tax traders with equal decision are prepared to would yield not less than a hundred insist that only on such a basis as the abo- million taels a year, which would be a lition of all inland charges is it possible to nice addition to the revenue of any concede an increase in the tariff. The ex-country and especially to China in her The Censor, moreover Viceroy endeavoured to dazzle the British present straits. public and the Premier with the bait that seems to have some regard to the real wel- China would require large loans with which fare of the_nation, for he suggests that if The rebellions in Cub "to build railways, the money to be raised in the proposed stamp tax were imposed lekin should teach the Great Britain and spent there in material. might be done away with. In most civi-useful lessons, But Lord SALISBURY was not dazzled. Helised countries the stamp tax is a recognised breaks are has heard this sort of thing before, and.he institution and excites comparatively little surrection in Cuba very sensibly rejoined that he would refer discontent, though if it be closely examined scale, and the issue is
proposals to the Chambers of Commerce it is as objectionable a means of raising gone conclusion. T in the Far East for their opinion. The revenue as could well be conceived. A mense advantages o Chambers of Commerce will, we take it, re- taxpayer who would grumble exceedingly acclimatized. They ar *peat what has already been laid down by the if it were proposed to add a given sum to ter acquainted with China Association, that they have no objec- the house tax will pay ten times the amount well supplied with tion to a moderate increase of the ad valorem in stamp dues on his daily mercantile trans- leaders are not even uj duties on imports, provided the one duty actions without ever thinking about it. to have mismanaged affairs, frees the goods for distribution all over the Although much more money is taken out of are anything but bright Empire. If, however, the imports are to be his pocket he seems to feel it less, Pearl of the Antilles. The co charged double the present duty and still to because it is taken in dribblets, just campaign is also enormous, and be subject to the numerous imposts which at as people who indulge in extravagant as present so greatly restrict trade in the luxuries cheerfully pay for them interior, then the Treaty Powers will they consume them without ever thinking only be agreeing to saddle their pro- of what the cost amounts to in the course ductions with an increased duty which of a year. Stamp taxes, therefore, owing to will assuredly serve to further restrict the small amount of opposition they excite, trade without giving them a single advan are a favourite, form of taxation with Go- And, notwithstanding the tage beyond, perhaps, a few contracts for vernments. railway material, new gunboats, and arms.abstract objections to a stamp tax, it would It is true that Li HUNG-CHANG is reported certainly be a great improvement on he
tax, was willing | lekin
lend itself to have said that China
it would to open the whole of her seaboard to less easily to squeezing. The lekin tax foreign trade; but this concession would is farmed out and the farmer and his certainly not prove of much advantage minions down to the very lowest rank have if the provincial officials retain the power to make what they can out of it, the prin- to levy such a multiplicity of duties on ciple being to extort the highest amount the goods as will effectually debar them from possible from the owner of the goods on finding their way into the interior. It is of which the tax is levied and to account for course desirable to increase the points of the smallest sum possible A stamp tax contact, but the opening of new ports, would not so readily lend itself to that form unless in a few isolated cases, would serve of treatment. The tax on each particular to divide the existing trade rather than to instrument would of necessity have to be very greatly increase it. Proof of this is fixed, and although the ingenuity of the afforded in the comparatively small results collector might enable him sometimes to which for some years attended the opening impose on the public for his own benefit, the of the new ports under the Chefoo Conven- number of officials engaged in the service tion. To secure any really considerable would be much smaller than in the case of expansion of foreign trade with Chipa it lekin and at the same time their oppor- will be necessary to obtain free access to the tunities of squeezing, if not altogether done interior for goods that have once paid the away with, would be largely reduced. The import duty. We naturally hope to see change from lekin to stamp tax might there- some development of trade follow the fore be accepted with satisfaction if there were of Hangchow, Soochow, Shasi, and any possibility of carrying it out. The stamp hungking, but it would be folly to expect | tax, however, is only adapted to a country in that they may either dictate
which the people are as a rule willing to render to the Government its just dues with out evasion, whereas in China the people look upon the Government as their natural ene my they expect the officials to squeeze them as much as they can, while they themselves are firmly resolved to pay no more than they can help and think it a very proper thing indeed to evade payment of a tax if the op- portunity offers. In business they are willing to deal with each other on a basis of mutual trust when the characters of both are known, and the two parties to any particular transaction would quite readily of all matter agree to waive the formality of stamping up a strong and to share the amount of the duty saved of things. thereby. In Hongkong, while the Euro- the disconten peans pay the stamp duty as a matter of tion course without giving it a second thought, peo probably not one tenth_part commercial instruments which change hands when one
+
•
any very great commercial movement there- upon. Nor, much as
we desire to see the inland waters of the Two Kwang Lopened up to steamer navigation and trade, do we look for any astonishing increase in trade to result therefrom for some years to come. The growth will be gradual, and it may for a time be small and disappointing. With free access to the interior after payment of a single duty #franking the goods to any part of the Empire, we undoubtedly should witness large and immediate growth of trade. This is what we want and what we must have if we consent to the import duties being raised from 5 per cent ad valorem to 10 per « Cent. The sooner the ex-Viceroy of Chihli and the Tsung-li Yamen understand this the better it will be for both parties, as it may serve to avert a great deal of useless
discussion:
,
the
a severe drain on the Madrid Treasury. The outbreak in the Philippines is likely
the Spanish further tax the resources Government. They are bending, Yout, hvo thousand men with all speed and raise the European force in the islands from 1,500 to 8,000 as soon as possible. Pr tion would have been better than cure an efficient white army h before, the rebellion mig. at all. The Spaniards: relying on native troops, and that they have been leaning reed. It is doubtful whether these will fire on their own countrymen, the rebels ouce achieve a substantial the whole of the native army likely to go over to them in · a body The Spaniards, however, immense advantage over the The latter have scarcely any firearms, and few serviceable weapons of any kind. The danger is, of course, that they should attack and seize the arsenal at Cavite before the reinforcements arrive from Spain. They
e facilities for obta have not the same arms as the Cubans being practically titute of money or means of commun
They are with other countries.
driven, by their necessities, to, secure control of the arms now held by the Governmen pines. If they can do this
鲜花
Insurgen
ition Philip
out the Spanish troops exhausting_defence. The doubtedly serious, if not cri
The time has arrived for the Spanish authorities at Manili to carefully cou
છે કે એ લીટ their ways and ask themselves; the people have any real plaint. ~ A very brief direction would suffice to are many grievances un tyranny of the religious actions of the officials foreign goods, and the
the
inin
ses of
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