It is stated by many that President Feng Kuo-chang died worth twenty odd millions of taels. We cannot find many that would disbelieve this statement. If true, where did he get his fortune? He had been an official all his life, and the salary that was paid him would certainly not allow of so great fortune at his death. We daily hear of this official, and that official being worth five, ten, or even twenty millions, We have often heard of the organization of banks and companies in which officials have subscribed to the amount of many millions. Where do they get this money?
Have the Powers ever thought of inquiring from the Government as to the reason why Chinese officials can become so. wealthy, when the Government seems to be so poor? The time has certainly arrived when foreign governments should take a little interest in the ancial condition of China, for loans, hundreds and thousands of loans will never put the finances of this country straight.
The more that we lend the poofer becomes China, and the richer the Chinese officials.
The personal wealth of Chinese officials should at least be an indi cation that something is radically wrong with the administration of the Chinese Government, and the Powers ought to ask a few very Pertinent questions of the Presi-con Cabinet and provincial offici als.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.