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212
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND
THE PROVINCIALS IN CHINA.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[March 24, 1902. some particular part. This is eminently than the Chinese merchant the method of the case with regard to the working of the greasing the wheels of his conveyance, and internal fiscal burdens on foreign trade. the fact that in so few instances is the (Daily Press, 22nd March.)
If these arrangements for augmenting the machinery provided put into action seems Recent events have served to emphasise the revenues of the provinces by the levying of to point out that some compromise where- peculiar relations which at all times exist octroi duties on goods in transit applied by the friction has been lessened has been between the Government of the Chinese Em- only to the staples of foreign trade the task found out. That this is the case becomes peror and his viceroys in the provinces. In of making a satisfactory arrangement would fairly evident when the prices at which the late troubles the salvation of the Empire be much simplified; but unfortunately they foreign imports are retailed in comparatively wus entirely due to the refusal of the pro- apply to the whole of the internal trade, insignificant places in the interior come to vincials to obey the commands of the Court; and even the most ordinary commodities of be examined. Now all this is doubtless practically according to European-ideas of daily life. They, moreover, vary widely in very unsatisfactory, and the uncertainty of government they were in contumacy, if not their incidence in the various provinces, the opportunity to compromise adds actual rebellion, and yet from no source do being light or practically absent in the increases almost as much as the exaction we hear any complaint of their disobedience, northern provinces, while in the south they itself to the burden on trade, but the nor any suggestion even that their conduct
are so oppressive as beyond a certain explanation is of course that the natural was otherwise than correct, or was inspired distance to render impossible the circulation instinct of the collector teaches that seme by any other feelings than those of loyalty of goods, and even in adjacent districts to money is better than none, and that to the state. A very similar course marked act as a serious brake. There never has sooner than forego the entire he will take their financial relations to the central been any great or insurmountable difficulty | what it is possible to collect. All these ex- Government: all the while they continued in getting the central Government to con-periences tend, however, in the one direction; sending the customary dues either to Peking sent for a consideration--to their formal and that is that, whereas under the pre- or to the spot where the Court during its abolition, and promises have been freely sent conditions of government in China it self-imposed exile was temporarily so- bartered against practical and substantial will be in the near future, as in the past, journing, and yet they did it in such a way increases of duty. It is, however, one thing, utterly beyond the power of Peking to that the Court was unable to use it for what as we have found to our cost, to obtain a enforce its own fiscal arrangements on the was pricipally its intention, namely to promise, and another to ensure its fulfil-provinces, it is quite possible to treat with continue its mad crusade against the ele- ment; and we have certainly spared no the powers that be, with the object of some ments of the higher civilisation which were pains to throw upon Peking all the obloquy practical alleviation of present disabilities. pressing for an entrance. The same feature attaching to its continual neglect of its Practically we have been compelled to treat of the independence of the provincials of engagements: yet by our own action in the on almost equal terms with the Yangtsze the central Court in matters financial is at
affair we
are not altogether guiltless of Viceroys regarding the internal affairs of all times even more marked, and their con- the failure. We bave in fact forced the their provinces. The viceroys have shown stant refusal to permit any interference Emperor's Government into a false position, their ability, and, what is of still more im- with their methods of taxation or their and that with a full knowledge of the cir-portance, their good faith, and in this apportionment of its incidence has at all cumstances. It has all through been per- offered a very pleasing contrast to the periods been one of the best defined features fectly well known to our negotiators, that shifting and equivocating conduct of of the very peculiar relations that exist the control of the central power over the Peking. Eventually, whatever nominal between the two sections of the Empire. provinces did not extend, nor ever had arrangement we may make with Peking, the This independence has betimes constituted extended, to these details of internal taxa- incident of the taxation must be settled with one of the staying sources of imperial tion which constitutionally were left to the the representatives of the real payers--the power, while at others it has been an un- provincials to arrange subject to their various provincial governments and it doubted element of weakness, and has led obligations to send up the customary con- would certainly be shorter, and probably more than once in the past history of China tributions to the capital. This right the to deep fissures, which eventually have Provinces steadily retain as a safeguard, broken up the state into small sections, which if once abandoned would leave them each professing to enjoy all the attributes open to uncontrolled exactions. If then it of imperial authority. These traditions
were natural for Peking to seize the excuse are as old as the foundations of the Empire, of external pressure to extend its influence and have all the sanction of antiquity, and over the Provinces, it was equally incumbent though eventually in the best interests of
on the provincials as guardians of the the Empire itself it may become advisable, separate provinces to ignore these new or even necessary, to modify them with the fangled pretensions. This has been the real object of forming a strongly centralised contest, which remains as intense as ever. state; the time when the very existence of With regard to articles of foreign trade in the Empire is entirely due to the indepen- some, at least, of the provinces, a modus dent action of its provincials is hardly a fit vivendi has been found which, without
(Daily Press, 17th March.) moment for trying hazardous experiments. committing either party, has on the whole It will be seen from telegrams appearing We have been led into this train of reason. worked fairly well, and as it seems to offer in another column from Ceylon sources that ing by the extraordinary project of the
a way out of a difficulty involving the the home Government will ask for the usual Commercial Advisers to the British Govern-
entire system of government may well offer vote this year for the First Chinese Regi- ment of reviving the troubles incident to
a suggestion for some practical scheme ment at Weihaiwei. It was previously the internal circulation of goods through which may for the present at least help to announced that it had been decided either to the action of the various provincial authori- tide over the difficulty. The difficulty has disband it or to withdraw it-that is, pre- ties. We do not intend in any measure to been rather in the method than in the sumably, bring it down to Hongkong. offer apologies for the methods employed incidence of the taxation; in other words Mr. ST. JOHN BRODRICK's answer to a ques- by the provincials, but to point out the while the provincials were quite willing to tion in the House of Commons on the 27th reason why the efforts of the British compound on terms which would permit the February seems to show that the Govern Government to ensure freedom of circula- circulation of the staples of trade through ment has reconsidered its decision and that tion under the sole authority of the treaties, their provinces at rates corresponding to the the Regiment will be maintained, in some made with Peking, have in the past heen, half duties fixed by Tariff, they refused to form, for at least another year. According and in the future still must be, unavailing acknowledge the Transit Passes issued in to the Weihaiwei correspondent of the We do not either in tend to express our defiance, as it seemed to them, of their North-China Daily News, who gives as his concurrence in the relations which have undoubted rights of control over the pro- authority the local Gazette, the force is to be hitherto existed between Emperor and vincial finances, and practically this is the reduced gradually from its present strength provincials; nor do we hold that it is not system that prevails through the Yangtze of 1,300. The same correspondent wrote, advisable to exercise a considerable amount provinces. One of the results of this has at the time when he announced this:-"It of external pressure to bring about in the been that the number of transit passes would be interesting to know whether, -interests of China such modifications as may issued, and the amount collected by their when reduced, it is to be under the War bring her methods of government more up means, so far from showing a tendency to Office or paid and controlled by the to date than the present antiquated ma- increase actually shows a diminution. On Colonial Office through the newly appointed chine: but those efforts must be made the other hand the British Government, Commissioner." The last sumber to hand carefully and by degress rather than by too late awaking to the damage done of the London aud China Express advises. sudden jerks and interferences, which to British trade through its inertness, in an article written of course before Mr, may end in bringing the whole fabric has of recent years insisted on
BRODBICK's statement, that t e Regiment down about our
ears in our attempt every instance of exaction brought to its should at least be turned into a military to render more effective the working of notice being righted. No one better knows police force for use at Weihaiwei. This
more dignified, to treat in the beginning with the parties most immediately con- cerned. We do not say that in the future, even near at hand, some such scheme may be possible, even through the agency of the Imperial Maritime Customs, but that time has not yet arrived and the readiest way to hasten its arrival is to find out some way of attaining the co-operation of the great Provincial Administrations.
THE FIRST CHINESE REGIMENT.
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