108971908 Far East Maniac Chapter 4 to raze the subordinate

The development of the book country industry, the fire must be for its own, and the industry is said to be protected. It is embodied in Shuai Ceyi, that is, the autonomy of tariffs, but in the face of the fact that the great powers control customs affairs, this small and minimum industrial protection system cannot be established.

On the one hand, there is a massive influx of cheap foreign industrial manufactures, and on the other hand, a massive export of equally cheap industrial raw materials, and all this. The root cause lies in that line. The rate of customs duties.

In the customs, which was controlled by foreigners, the tax rate for imported foreign goods was 12.5 percent, and the tax rate for exported local goods was 7.5 percent. It is very unfavorable for domestic products, China's industrial backwardness, and the oppression of the Manchu court is certainly an important reason, but the loss of tariff autonomy is also an important reason.

In order to develop China's industry, it was necessary to establish a tariff barrier, but under the rule of the Qing court, it was difficult to make a breakthrough on the tariff issue.

Customs is not only about trade issues, but also about diplomacy, and now customs. At the same time, it also undertook the obligation to guarantee foreign debt loans, those foreign debts borrowed by the Manchu court and the Beiyang government. Basically, tariffs are used as collateral, and a large part of the annual tariff revenue is directly withdrawn from the customs yamen, deposited in foreign banks, and then transferred to special accounts designated by various governments.

Therefore, the Manchu court was an ATM for foreigners, and the customs yamen was also an ATM for foreigners. The difference is that this small customs yamen is directly controlled by foreigners, rather than acting as agents through a group of Eight Banner nobles, so that customs affairs are basically the final say of foreigners.

In order to save the rule, the Qing court had to pretend to engage in new policies and advocate industry, and the Qing court also realized the importance of customs, but the original customs had fallen into the hands of foreigners, and the Qing court had no strength or courage to challenge foreigners. Therefore, the Qing court could only find another way and put aside the customs. In addition, a new yamen was set up, called the "Taxation Department", but this yamen was not used to replace the customs yamen, but to undertake some affairs outside the management authority of the customs yamen, and to train the Qing court's own high-level customs talents.

After the end of the Qing court, the customs power did not return to the hands of the Chinese with the establishment of the republican government, the foreigners were still domineering, and the customs was still the "international yamen"

Now, the British Minister Zhu Erdian suddenly mentioned the question of the selection of the General Department of Customs and Excise Department, obviously wanting to do something in the affairs of the Customs, the former Chief Excise Department was Hurd, but he is very old, and he really needs a new successor.

The British minister's nomination for the General Taxation Department is Pei Shikai, who is also a British, he not only used to be Hurd's assistant, but also Hurd's brother-in-law, although the current customs is an international yamen, but the power to appoint and dismiss the General Taxation Department is still in the hands of the Chinese government, at least on the surface, so Zhu Erdian's nomination needs to be approved by Zhao Bei.

But Zhao Bei did not approve of this candidate. This is partly because of a conflict with his intentions. On the other hand, it is to refute the face of the British government, after all, the premise of winning over Germany is to exclude Britain, this point, Zhao Bei is not stupid, the German emperor is not stupid, put a long line to catch a big fish, sometimes, the necessary adventure is indispensable.

As a traverser, Zhao Bei is very clear about what kind of international situation Britain is facing now, at this time, it is difficult for the British government to make up its mind to completely turn the face with the government of the Republic of China, because this will affect the European strategy that Britain has implemented for many years, the British government simply does not have enough time to adjust this strategy, and now, the best choice for the British government is to wait and see.

This is also an important reason why Zhao Bei dared to move closer to Germany so blatantly, in terms of strategic vision, there is indeed no one who can compare with him in this era, which is the biggest advantage of the traverser.

"Mr. Zhu Erdian, as far as I know, a year before Mr. Hurd left China, he had conveyed a circular to the various departments of the customs, in which Mr. Hurd made it clear that from now on, the number of foreigners in the customs yamen would be gradually reduced and replaced by Chinese, and Mr. Hurd had even drawn up a detailed timetable according to which the customs yamen would completely eliminate the foreigners in a few years. So, it seems to me that Mr. Hurd, now that he has resigned from his post as the Chief Collector's Office, he is clearly doing what he promised. On behalf of the government of the Republic of China, I would like to thank Mr. Hurd for his diligence and honesty, and at the same time, I do not want to see Mr. Hurd accused of being a hypocrite who is inconsistent with what he seems, since Mr. Hurd strongly advocates the replacement of foreigners with Chinese to manage customs. I think that, as the head of state, I have every reason to agree with Mr. Hurd's proposition, and so, in my opinion, the chief tax department should be replaced by a Chinese employee. ”

Zhao Bei's words were so shocking that the voice fell into the net, and everyone heard a "bang" behind them, and someone broke the teacup.

Everyone turned their heads to look, but saw that Duan Qirui, the commander-in-chief of the Ministry of War of the Republic of China, was looking at his immediate boss in amazement, but his right hand was still subconsciously raised in front of his chest, and under his feet was a pile of broken porcelain pieces of teacups. The expression on that face was not only stunned, but also worried.

Can you not be worried? If the Directorate General is no longer British, this will certainly anger the British government and what the British will do then. Duan Qirui didn't dare to speculate anymore. This is no more important than a matter of power, and it involves a matter of substantial interests. Britain may not make concessions easily.

Equally astonished were the ministers of all countries, who quickly turned their gaze to the face of the British minister, and found him equally stunned.

Zhu Erdian was a seasoned politician in the end, and quickly regained his stiff expression, glanced at the minister beside him, and then twisted

"Mr. President, perhaps you do not understand the fundamental reason why the General Department of Taxation has always been held by British citizens, because of the loan problem of the Great Qing Kingdom, the candidate for this General Department of Taxation must be selected from among the British employees, so I only regret your rude remarks just now, and there is no need to protest, I believe that you did not mean to. I need to consult the relevant parties about Mr. Hurd's Tongpu, but it seems to me that even if Mr. Hurd did publish a circular with similar contents, then he certainly did not mean to say the question of the selection of the General Taxation Department, but only to talk about other senior customs employees. ”

What I'm waiting for is your last few words! Count you as acquaintances!

Hear the last few words of Zhu Erdian. Zhao Bei sneered in his heart, that's right, from the beginning, he didn't intend to really veto the British to take over the post of the General Department of Customs, the reason why he wanted to go around in circles was of course to let the German minister see his "anti-British" position, but the more important purpose was to force the British to make major concessions on the issue of senior customs officers.

As long as the various high-ranking posts of customs are in the hands of the Chinese, even if the General Department of Excise is British? There is one word to describe this situation: overhead.

As long as the General Department of Taxation is put in the air, the customs has been lifted from the "international" nature of course. Not necessarily all Chinese employees are patriots, and there are many scum, but as long as the majority of Chinese employees are obedient. In this case, more than half of the power of the customs has been withdrawn.

But the situation of squeezing out foreigners and supporting Chinese is not something that Zhao Bei said, because those foreigners come from all catty. Country. They may not be willing to give up the opportunity to get a high salary in China, and China alone cannot drive them out, and they must be drawn into the great powers. Therefore, Zhao Bei used the General Department of Taxation to make a deal with the British minister, and this transaction was reasonable and in accordance with the "law", after all, there was no treaty that stipulated that the high-ranking posts of customs could only be held by foreigners.

This is a quiet deal, Zhao Bei's intentions are clear, and the British minister may not be pretending

Smear.

Zhu Erdian knew very well that when the Qing court set up that line, the "tax office" was to collect power from the customs, and even the corrupt and weak Qing court could go around in circles with foreigners on the customs issue, and now a strong republican revolutionary has served as the head of the country, then the situation of foreigners in the customs yamen will definitely change, and this is the general trend of history. It is also a further awakening of China's sense of sovereignty. No one can change that, maybe. Hurd had published the Circular because he had seen it.

Zhu Erdian must do this deal, if he doesn't do it, he can't do it, if he doesn't do it, he will be slapped in the face in public, and he will be slapped in the face by this "Far Eastern madman" in front of the ministers of various countries in China, and this face is Zhu Erdian's own. It is even more the British government, and this matter is substantially different from the previous anti-British sentiment power incident, once someone is slapped in the face on this matter, it is impossible for the British government not to react, because that will affect the international image of the United Kingdom, but once it reacts, how the situation in the Far East and even the situation in Europe will develop, it is not something that the British government can control, and when the time comes. The British government will certainly find a scapegoat, and Jurdian is the perfect fit.

And according to the meaning of Zhao Bei's words just now, he doesn't seem to mind embarrassing Britain in the matter of the General Department of Customs, Zhu Erdian has no doubt about this.

Therefore, whether it is for personal interests or for the benefit of the British Empire, Zhu Erdian must make this deal with Zhao Bei, he must stand behind this "Far Eastern madman", pinch his nose to support his tough position, and drive those foreign employees in the customs yamen back to their own countries, in exchange for Zhao Bei's approval of the British government's nomination of the General Department of Customs and Excise.

"So Mr. Minister thinks so too? That's right, now that the Chinese can completely replace the foreigners, the customs affairs should still be managed by the Chinese, not to mention anything else, that is, the Chinese dialects, foreigners do not understand. ”

"Yes, my personal opinion is so. Other foreigners can be gradually replaced by Chinese. But the post of General Revenue Director, in any case, must also be filled by an Englishman. ”

"As to the question of the choice of the General Taxation Department, in the previous revolutionary period, Pei Shikai was hostile to the revolution and arbitrarily withheld the tariff balance, which embarrassed the finances of the military government, and he was obviously unfit to serve as the General Taxation Department, and he was the brother-in-law of Mr. Hurd, and appointed him as the successor of Mr. Hurd. It seems that something is inappropriate, and those who do not know the inside may say that this is Mr. Hurd's nepotism, and it will even affect the international image of the United Kingdom. ”

"If Mr. Pei Shikai is not suitable. I think it may be possible for Mr. Anglian to take over the post of Director-General of Revenue, who is both an honest British citizen and a long-time senior customs assistant with extensive experience in customs matters. ”

Zhao Bei wanted to capture the old man, and Zhu Erdian was also acting on the spot, and two politicians, one Chinese and one foreign, sang double reeds. The cooperation was quite tacit, which made the others present couldn't help but be surprised, Duan Qirui's eyes widened and he watched the two perform in disbelief. It was only then that he really understood Zhao Bei's intentions.

If you talk about "razing and conquering" this Chinese, no one is more powerful than him. Admire, admire, Duan is convinced. ”

Duan Qirui took the cup of new tea brought by the adjutant. Turning his head to look at the tall guard captain standing beside Zhao Bei, he had mixed feelings in his heart, and he was really convinced.