The Chinese Press has been very busy with the cigarette tax during the past week or two. There has grown upon various officials in China a realization that the existence of this illegal impost in so many provinces is likely to prejudice China in the eyes of an. commission which is charged wi the settlement of future revenue questions, and if it could be quietly put out-of the way it would be a blessing to the Government. Unfortunately the provinces have shown little inclination to oblige, so that now, according to the 'Sinwanpao' the Cabinet, urged thereto by the British and American misters, has ordered the provinces to cancel the duty. It is much to be doubted whether this formal order will have much more effect than the hints already forthcoming, for if the story of this tax has been correctly told, the provinces imposed it without even
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.