The sale éax on cigarettes pass ed by the Kiangsu Assembly fixed at 20 per cent. of tha which would be the lightest tobreco tax in the world, view ing it as a levy on luxuries. Dealers have really ao ground to complain, and they are not com plaining. The dispute is mainly sustained by dealers fighting for the farming right as already said, and they rely upon the big tobacco merchants to. back them up. In China, tobacco merchants are almost all of foreign sation alities, native merchants forming only an infinitesimal purt thereof. Thus, the cigarette business may be regarded as the foreign ex's business. As foreigoors have no genuine love for China, they would pay money to whomaoover could best protect them, against the sale tax. They think that if the payee should spend such money on firearms and kill poo-Cirom such killing). The tobacco lo, foreigners would be immune:
merchants have promised to pay 2! per cent, to the Ceatral Govornment, and 2b to local authorities. Based on this percentage, Kiang-ssu would benefit to the extent of $200,000 a year only. which would not go far in furthering cduentional work in the province, But, (and it is a great "but,") if other provines should follow suit, the total sum available Peking for. the purchase of arms and slaughter of people would be very large indeed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.