To the Editor of the $m,—We benighted residents in the out-ports depend on the Shanghai ne' papers for whatever knowledge we obtain Of events transpiring in all parts of the Empire not actually under our own noses. As a rule, they serve us well: but in this most important matter of the proposed increase of import duties they have trived to leave us woefully in the dark. We have seen it stated that Sir James Mackay proposes that the import duties shall he Increased 15 per cent, making 20 per cent in all. Also, that the increase is to he to per cent, and no more. Also, that is a TA "por cent in contemplated, making there is a proposal to increase the import Auties happens to be admitted by all, whether they are to be quadray led, or merely made ies heavier, we have no means Mr. Editor, can you not kindly tell The public who lave to pay might fairly enough be informed before they are committed to i Every forei sident in' Chin Aceply concerned in this matter. On t+ supposition that the middle sum—an increase to 15 per cent—is the correct one, it means (hat, just as we are gert toned to paying five cents, out of every dollar we spend. in goods from home, to the Poking Government in recompense kind attentions of 1900, we are to he asked to pay a further ten cents out of that rapidly. vanishing coin to the same venerable institution for an equally doubtful boon, Heaven save as from friends! What have we dong to de: this treatment The boon proposed appears to be the total abolition of likin throughout the Empire. But does anyone who knows much of Chi-a believe ti it is within the power: f the Centr minment abolish this incubus, even hich is doubtful—-it really wanted to! As rds these three cities of Wuehan:
ud Hanyang, there are lik on every avenue of access by hard or water, There mast be good fifty of them, each supporting its synod of the and a host of hangers-on, and considerable town in the province is fenced round in the same way, and the are not the men to quietly agree to thei suppression. put of th pensable revenues of the province is derived from this sures. Unless the prs authorities can see how the Joss of them, they simply position of likin an uw the For a. sufficient considera would ne doubt he qiwte will the would be quite easy to issue an Edict ordering that from stich and such a date ne more opium should be smoked, or no more likin collected; but so long ialdom in profit. from the other. the fet would remain a dead letter. In deference to the throne names might be ged, but the things themselves would continue to flourish, Anyone who suppose otherwise dees not know the present-day Chin Just now the Chinese officials are making use of the indemnity pretext fleece the people most unmercifully. I addition to all the old taxation, we hay here an indemnity house-tax levied; it ranges from 400 cash to 6.000 cash per establishment er month. Also, an indemnity land-tax of 0 cash per mow per month. Tt works out out a dollar per month per family. there must be three million families im the province, these should bring in an extra thirty fon dollars per annum. Then, in n to this, the likin on every article which can be bought or sold is being increased month by month, and the process is only stopped when the point is reached at which the trate would stop if it did not. Further, we are to have a monthly Government lottery with a forced sale of tickets, and still farther, the opium business is being made Government monopoly, and yet the cry still for ses. The oft madly sowing the wind, and they will reap wind before lo1 To merely increase the taxes is not the way out China's sdvation at the pre ent moment Is would only mend the broken embankments, build the rained bridges, repair reads and introduce cheap methods of transport if they would open mines, ge wan factures, permit the fice investment of capital "and fair measure of security, the industry of this people would caure the country fo increase m wealth by leaps and bounds, Then, taxes might be levied to some purpose, but unfortathe official mind has not. the est perception of this truth, single step calculated to be Doing taken by then to find foreign commodities by dearer, and the mandarins are busy 1g the purchasing power of the people by making them poorer, it. is hoped that such an outery wal be raised by those who are likely to suffer by these proposals. that the New Commercial Treaty will wait ax long for i's ratification as the Chefoo Convention aid.
Tam, ete., Hankow, Lth March.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.