Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 October 1901 — FABLE OF THE CAMEL [ARTICLE]

FABLE OF THE CAMEL

He Got His Head Into the Tent and Mo?.t People Know the Rest. AH SIN SEES AN APPLICATION Foreign Merchants at Peking in Violation of Treaty and He Wants Them Out, ♦*' ‘ Peking. Oct. 10.—Prince Ching frasv written to the ministers of the powers requesting a withdrawal from Peking: Of the foreign business establishment?.. He says that Peking is not a treaty port, that foreign business houses have been illegally established here, and that all such should be moved. tG» treaty ports. He desires the ministers to secure their removal. The minis* ters have arranged for a meeting otrifrc' request of Dr. Mumm von Schwartienstein (German minister), to endeavor to agree upon joint representations in opposition to Priflce Ching’s demand. A controversy regarding the payment of octroi by foreign merchants appears to have precipitated the issue. One foreign house doing a large business with the Chinese objected to the octroi tax. arguing that the goods were for the use of the legations. v Answered by Prince Ching, Prince Ching points out that goodsv required by the legations can be ordered by them from treaty ports, and? when so ordered are not dutiable. The* foreign business community in Peking, (although small, Is important. Its? presence is considered essential to the comfort and convenience of the legations. and its members hope their status may now be definitely settled Foreign houses began to he located tr Peking in the ’Sits witli (lie tacit consent of tiie Chinese. The Hong Kong the Shanghai and the Russo-Chinese banks established brancnes here before the siege of the legations; a hotel was opened and a few merchants got a footing. The Yokohama specie banks Intend to establish branches here and there are now many foreign shops, the* German predominating, in the vicinitj' of the legation quarter. Where the Ru«hn Hand Appeard. These have made their appearance* since tiie military occupation began and have increased the foreign population. acquiring a considi rable trade witli the Chinese. >.»ien the demands to lie included in the protocol were framed Conger proposed including “the r opening of Peking to foreign trade. This suggestion was favored by a majority of the ministers of the powers ~ but M. de Giers (Russian minister) oppuosed it so strongly that the question was dropped because of tiie necessity of unanimity. The rovis on cf the protocol in article 11 for revising commercial treaties affords an opportunity for opening reking. whi< h the ministers are considering. Difficulty May Be Arrange.'l. London, Oct. 10.—The Peking ccrrvspondent of The Times, in a dispatefs dealing with *ae demand of Prince* Ching for the removal of the forelgnt business honsoe. says: “Probably- tbedlfficnlty will he arranged by a compromise, China consenting that reputable me-< hunts should romain pending r< vision, and the ministers agreeing to enforce payment by their respective nationalities of tiie full duties—the 5 pe< cent, import duty plus the* 2J& per cent, transit duty, which wild come into operation Nov. 11.”