Now, gentlemen, you may perhaps feel that we have not always i agreed with some of your conclusions with regard to fiscal mea-sores. I have particularly opposed a tariff conference with the Northerners and the position of our soldiers at the front to-day fully justifies my opposition. That question can best be discussed when we have reached The attempt to involve us liscassion prematurely was in the interest of -Peking politicians and I am not working in the interest of Peking. Similar-there are some obstacles in the settlement of the salt question. But these broader issues, which involve relationships with' the foreign Powers, can undoubtedly be much more satisfactorily handled when we shall have defeated the northern militarists and when it is evident that the country unified. But whether you have particular views on these subjects or not, you are bound to be in constant relation-business is affected by tax therefore I speak to you with such utter frankness when 1 say that! the elimination of waste and confusion from the collection of taxes is og much to your advantage as it is to ours. You may resort to technicalities to oppose the system matization of taxes, but you do 0 to your detriment, for it will cost you more in the end. It is. almost primitive to have to say this; yet there are those in China, Chinese and foreigners alike, who prefer the old ways because they are used to them, even if their own experienc: and wisdom dictates) a modern course.
The Spending on War "There is one other subject I want to touch upon and then shall be through, There "is the natural criticism that no matter how modern and efficient we may become in the collection of taxes, we have done. nothing to control the disbursement revenues. Gentlemen, we must first prove that we can increase the revenues, while reducing the amount paid in actual taxes, before we can Dogin to attack the extravagance and lack of system which is evid in the disbursements of revenues.
You must realize that we take on wars seriously. We are throwing, money and men into the fight with almost heart-breaking extravagance because we want to make this a fight to the finish. Every one is wars, The country wants to rest and to enter upon a reconstructive period, But there can be no rest as long as. feudal lords are everywhere maintaining huge armies which they trek across the country to suit thet convenience. We have to destroy these feudal armies and we have t provide for the return to civilian life of some of our own armies When you were fighting your own wars, you never stinted to achieve victorys We feel exactly the same way about it and we hope that deci. sive victory which will bring peace. This is not an idle hope. When that day-comes, we shall apply modern methods to disbursements as we ar now applying them to collections. To interfey> with the usual machin. cry at that moment might affect our military operations and frankly, we do not care to take the risk. The present conditions on_ our three fronts are most satisfactory. We believe that we shall reach Peking sooner than we had expected. And I donot regard myself as over-optimistic when T say, in conclusion, Wat the Second Stage of the Rev: elution, the stage of Reconstruction, 1s not far distant."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.