维新何以成“运动”:以《时务报》报费的流向为个案

How Can the Reform Become Movement: A Case Study on the Flow Direction of the Shiwubao(The Chinese Progress)'s Subscription Fee

文章以《时务报》被外埠派报处拖欠报费的数额、成因及其去向的分析为个案,试图探究其中蕴含的资源调配机制。通过对数据的分析,发现与报馆主事人存在密切人际关联的"亲友派报处"总体上更倾向于延迟将报费交给时务报馆,由于"亲友派报处"在外埠销量中所占份额较大(通常在60%左右),这就造成了时务报馆应得的报费大比例、长时期沉淀在它覆盖所及的区域(尤其内陆地区)。这种情形,当然不利于报馆自身的运营。但被"亲友派报处"拖欠的报费,却有相当部分,很可能被维新同道挪用于在地开设其他新型建设。而且,在如湖南等本地财力并不丰裕的内陆地区,往往还是维新同道的唯一选择。就此而言,《时务报》遍及举国的发行网络是维新中人融合资源的中介平台。在财力、人力和发行网络上的互助,实乃维新各报的相处常态。藉此个案,也许能对维新何以迅速在空间和群体上延展开去,成为举国运动的内在机理略有管窥。在这样流动性的共享体系里,时务报馆担当核心,既出于实力雄厚,也是"士道"的情理使然。

This paper, taking an analysis on the amount, causes and the whereabouts of subscription which was defaulted by external newspaper-delivery office of the Shiwubao as a case study, tries to explore the resource allocation mechanism. Through the analysis of the data, we found the subscription fee from"relative"newspaper-delivery office tends to delay for a long time in general. The large share of "relative" newspaper-delivery office in the overseas sales volume(usually around 60%) leads a declared the subscription fee detained by large scale, long period in nationwide coverage(especially inland areas), of course, this is not conducive to the newspaper's own operations. But the fees owed by the‘relative' newspaper-delivery office"(up to nearly17000 yuan), a considerable portion of these money was likely to be used as the start-up funding for other reformers' local construction. Moreover, inland areas such as Hunan province, where local financial resources are not abundant, are the only alternative for rejuvenating fellow citizens. In this regard, Shiwubao spreads throughout the nationwide distribution network and serves as an intermediary platform for rejuvenating the integration of resources with other people. Mutual aid in financial resources, manpower and distribution networks really means rejuvenating the daily life of newspapers. In this case, it may be possible to have a glimpse of how the reform quickly spread out in space and groups and become the internal mechanism of the national movement.In such a fluid sharing system, the Shiwubao office acts as the core out of its strength as well as the "Shi Dao" spirit.