March 16, 1908.]
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
It is interesting to find that the present rulers have commenced to consult the Prince CHUN. Prince CUN, so far, seems to have kept himself free from the surrounding corruption, but is he strong enough to undertake the rescue of the State? Ou that slender thread scems to rest the future stability of the Empire. He cannot Emperor without
offending the oldest religious instincta of the State, but his son with himself as Regent may; but in any case the present regime has proved its utter incapacity for further rule, and the summer the replacement is made the letter for China.
not
173
terminate the Smugglers, while private having thus to pander to the iniquities of probability of a recurrence of the crisis of instructions, coupled with their own in- the Court, and inany of them would gladly | 1894. The forestry question on the right stincts, prompt them to temporise, which to hail reform. The whole system is, however, bank of the Yalu has long since consed to an official indicates a chance of hush money so utterly rotten from its foundation up-be anything more than Th mere Chinese not to be lightly thrown away. So the wards that no one can pretend that amidst bluff, the Japanese Forestry office having local officials find themselves accordingly the general corruption he himself is pure; | proceeded with its operations; and China blind to the whole affair, and carefully and the justest are so entangled in the has been similarly undetermined over the wait till on each occasion an emissary from slush surrounding themselves, that none are fishery rights on the Manchurian coast, the plundered craft comes to inform them found able to stretch out a helping band to letting the main contentions of the Japanese that pirates are about, when the news is their neighbours. As we have often pointed pass, and merely quibbling over certain received with well affected incredulity, and out, reform to open the way must begin at uninteresting details. It has been stated an official launch seut to "make enquiries.' the top, and nothing short of the puriti-that the question of Jap tnese mails in China The Shanghai Mercury thus writes on the cation of the Cart can be effective in amounts to little more than the conclusion subject: "I'iracy is rampant, and the stemning the current of corrupt on.
¡
This of a supplement to the Postal Treaty exist. authorities, if they can be called such who is just what the present advisers of ing between the two countries, It is not a have no authority, are helpless. We were
the Court-mn for instance like YUAN matter of any vital importance. The told some weeks ago that an army was on Shunsus-who live on its corruptions, are | Japanese postal service in China is to be its way southward for the express purpose not likely to do. Meanwhile the provinces, conductel as at present until the supple- of dealing with the salt suugglers and other disgusted the conduct of these who ought ment has been signed. Auy delay in the rapscallions of Chichkiang and Kiangsu. to be their betters, but are not, are growing negotiations on this question will have little Where are they? Probably the local officials uneasy, and organised marauders like the effect on the postal service. On the matter have had their own way, and the efficient Salt Smugglers of the Hangchow hav are of the telegraphs, the views of the two northerners have been effectually counter-reaping a rich harvest. It is evident that Governments have likewise come within manded. The local officials would have ha such a state of affairs cannot long continue. measurable distance of solution, only a to bear the expense of the invaders, their and that the overbalance ship of state, point or two still remaining unsettled. The own forces would have lost face, and-one unless taken in hand, must quickly founder, Japanese telegraphic service in Manchuria can never tell-there is cvery possibility but what is that to the present leaders ? It is working satisfactorily and no obstacles that certain official receipts might have it last their time, is not that sufficient; are now met with. This question is not of disappeared before such a radical cure as why take thought for to-morrow?
such a nature to make the hurrying on of was suggested. Be this as it may, there is
the settlement a matter of first importance, no diminution of crime so far as We CAN
and the delay in the negotiations can discover, and the question arises: What
cause no special inconvenience to Japan. is to be done about it?" Now there is no
The dispute between Japan (on behalf of doubt from the eutire current of affairs
Kore) and China regarding the border that the greater part of this is correct; but
district of Chientao is still a matter of it is not the while truth. The provincial
negotiation, it is true, but 28 hag officials for the most part would, we believe,
already been explained in this journal, willingly wash their hands of the whole
that is a very ancient dispute, and now that affair, which is seriously interfering with
the excitable underlings on both sides have the finances of the country. True, they are
been checked, it is not likely that the not above taking advantage of the circum-
central authorities will fail to effect a stances to fill up the gap by accepting hush
permanently amicable settlement - though noney; but it is only fair to look at the matter from the provincial's point of view before condemning him too hastily. He has had to pay heavily for his office, the emolu- ments of which are pretty closely watched at Peking. But besides this, which may be called the regular contribution which goes towards supporting the Court proper, there are extra squeezes which go to support the Court improper, ie. the eunuchs and their belongings, which under the present re- gency is no light ma't r, including us it does not only the eunuchs, but all the irregular expenses of the Empress Dowager. Now in the majority of instance‹ the official has had to borrow heavily for his post, this lending of money to officials on appoint ment being considered quite honourable, and constituting a very important branch of. banking; and should be after app intment fail to repay his indebtedness on this seare, he is for over afterwards looked upon as a defaulter, and has no hope of over obta ning another appointment. Ti.is is the terror that ever hangs over the provincial official, whose whole life is occupied in keeping square, on the one hand with the fiction in power in Peking, and on the other with his creditors; who, he knows by too many instances among his friends, will have no mercy On him should he once make delault. Now of late years, instead of the expenses of her irregular Court diminishing with the advancing rears of the Empress Dowager, they have actually with the ever growing greed of her eunuchs been passing out of bounds; and the more the provincial is squeezed by the powers above him, the more is be driven to have recourse to devious ways. Now it is notorious that it is by ways such as these that YrAN SHUнSUN has contrived to make himself acceptable to briefly the Court, regular or irre,ular, and this of questions outstanding let reen Japan and course, is the secret of his recent promotion. ¦ Cluna, all of which together have failed The better officials feel the degradation of (we confidently assert) to revive any
SENSATIONAL NEWS FROM
JAPAN.
(Daily Press, March 10th.)
so quickly, perhaps, as impatient outsiders seem to think desirable. Authority has been claimed further for the statement that concerning the matter of the Customs in North Manchuria with the object of put- ting goods coming into China overland on the same level as those by an, an intimation
Wat
received in Tokyo recently that a Customs House had been opened. While it is to be regretted that the opening was delayed for so long, now that the Customs House has actually been opened, all complaints should reasc. Should any delinquencies occur in the operation of the Customs in North Manchuria the Government would be prepared to do its utmost to rectify matters. The question of the working of the Peng- chihu colli ry is still unsolved because it is
We have an authority other than our own observation and digestion for stating that the relations existing between China and Japan are by no means so critical as some newspapers have been suggesting they are, and as our Tokyo correspondent would seem last evening to have thought them. The present comments are offered to the public, not so much to allay alarm, as to dissociate ourselves from the alarmists. We are reluctant to believe that enher
49 vet undecided in which direction tha China or Japan is in a belligerent mood, track of the Mukden-Autung Railway ahall aud we cannot understand what can have
le laid. The colliery question itself could happened as an excuse for fighting. It
he settled at any time, but circumstances must have been evident to careful reiders ¦ did not allow of the completion of negotia- that the Tat-u Maru incident was one tions until a decision was arrived at concora- to be settled by a simple determination of ing the Mukden-Antung railway. facts, farts easily ascertainable by the sol prepared to investigste with open minds, and we have therefore no presumed to take sides in the arguments better lett to the responsible diploïnats. That there could have been 80 much argument at all in connection with so open and simple an affair is due to the peculiar conditions that have been allowed to grow up previous to the in ident. It is hardly necessity analyse the mixed feeling that are responsible for the curious divergence of views that we hare not end, and it should be sufficient to print out tunt * lar the Chinese authorvies here shown them- selves amenable t arment. of the
TU VIQU
SOM
ti
We may
nuniervus
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Prior to the incident of the " Tatsu Maru," in fet, it was claimed that all questions outstanding between China and Ja
Japan were either settled or in a fair way to be settled. Apparently China for her
part has discovere that there is no proft in attempts to bluff or bully her old vassal, and so far as Japan is concerned, being still on her best behaviour as the cynosure of foreign Powers, she is unlikely to go to any extreme without first having ample excuse It may be a disappointment to the sens tion-mongers to see a peaceful settlement of all their disputes, but no one else will regret it if (as we hope) there is not to be a rupture. Evidently in Tokyo last evening the boulevardiers were showing excitement, and this tension had been communicated to our representative in the Japanese capit il, who very properly lost no time in informing
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