The agitation against the tax applied to all freight shipments over the Kiao-Tsi Railway stands temporarily in abeyance awaiting the reply of the tax commission compromise offer submitted by the Japanese Chamber of "Commerc The latter offers, on behalf of the merchants it represents, to pay 40) per cent. of the tax on beef, RRs! Jand tobacco. The tax on these thre: commodities is a hundred per cen fof the freight charges and. shipmentments in these commodities have been materially increased be-tax went into effect.
Shantung beef and eggs form two of the principal exports to Japa which, to a large extent, is dependent upon, these staple products. Li learned here that Japan already ix feeling the absence of shipments land that prices in beef and eggs have been materially increase de-Jeause of the shortage. Consequent- ju importers "in Japan have been' offering local merchants prices out of proportion to the normal quotations. "Despite these tempting' offers the Japanese merchants have declined to use the railroad for transporting such shipments and no beef and eggs have been shipped.
It is ramoured that some of the 4 British and American concerns who. had decided on a virtual boycott of the railroad until the tax was repealed have felt obliged to change there was a lull: their tactics and have concluded to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.