To the Editor of the Nonra-Cama Dany News.
Sin,—Would you kindly allow me a small space in your widely read paper to comment upon the letter of a" Philosopher " which has reached mo with your evening contemporary's issue of the 30th September. there are always two sides to every question, and he is to be commended for the ability motto is, with which he has exp: his view of the case. But as there are two or more sides to every question, so there are true and false philosophers, and the public will readily judge for itself. The careful and intelligent reader will not indeed be deceived by. the specious reasoning -and clever writing of the letter, but the shallow or hasty reader may essily'be Jed agbray and do injustice to a deserving and not incompetent body of men Your letter,. dear..Mr. Philosopher, is written with the best of intentions and if you lave succeeded in convincing but only one Customs man that his lot is really a happy and fortunate one you may indeed feel gratified. But do you really know anything about the Customs service and the hardships silently endured by its members, and have you, as a true philosopher, ' carefully "probed to the root of the evil? If so, jour letter is unintelligible; if not, may I enlighten yon and ask why is it that so many experienced men are fast leaving the service? Have you taken the trouble to compare the work and pay of a Customs Assistant and an Examiner, with the work and pay of employes in the larger public companies whose salaries are practically issued in sterling If Customs pay no louver admits of providing for the future, Lut even ceases to cover the bare necessaries of life, what is to be done? Do you really think that most of the members luxurinte in the "superfluities of life"; is it news to you that many quiet and economical men in both departments find it dificult to make ends meet Living in such an expensive port as Hongkong this surely cannot have escaped your observation! Dress in Chinese clothes and est rice" has been suggested by a lending Customs member in this city. Is this the philosophy propounded by a philosopher? We have all heard of" that _soi-divert Philosopher, who, possessed of all the luxuries of life, advised his suffering fellow mortalsfto be content with fewer wants, and their lot in life!
While all foreign governments provide pensions, China does not; and even the Id retiring allowance issued to the service given place to the silver one. Because Chinese officials are expected—and know how—to provide themselves with an ample provision for old age, does A Philosopher wish Customs people to do likewise Iwill pass by the sneer that the members are uneducated and not worth more than they get—even at the present reduced rate—and simply remark that dozens of them could have worked out far better tions elsewhere, had they been able to foresee the present collapse.
Through our indifference British prestige in China is not precisely in the ascendant. Lord Rosebery's government made asad blunder. If the present British head of the service fails to realise the necessities of the situation, by which the very existence of the service is threatened, is if, not possible that foreign powers will intervene and that we may see a German or Russian Tnspector- General? To accept this would indeed be true British philosophy No one denies the "heroism with which Sir Robert has stood to his guns" and—sterling pay too! Is "Philosopher" sure that a Commissioner, or even one of those educated out-door men, could not fulfil the requirements of the post, with equal lustre and less pay than the present incumbent?
But, Mr. Editor, no clever reasoning or Undinage can get' over this fact which "Philosopher" has quite overlooked, the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.