Ie ina wise and excellent maxim of pressmen that "hawks maun'na pike at hawks' eea:" not therefore in @ contentious spirit do I refer to some recent remarks on this subject in the southern Press, I only desire inder which "an apparently fuirmiaded to correct, if possible, the misapprehension
critic is labouring, and to do bare justice to Mr, Tsai Shao-obli of the Tieatsin Municipal Extension Council. Justly Mr. Tsai was deliberately chosen by his eight colleagues on account of his unique qualifications for the post—Chinese natiouslity, high intelligence, publi. popularity with foreigners, and influence with the Chinese high officials. I say nothing of his Eoglish, hia long association with Eu his "American education, courtesy, ete. Secondly, he was ut the last (and first) annual public meeting of Owners, Fouers, elc., unantmously elected to the position he now fills. The conditions of Shanghai and Tientsia vary very much, it is quite probable that native councillors peas ost do in Shanghai, but in Tieatsia Mr. Tsai has been a great success. I speak from accurate knowledge when Tsay that every one of Mr. tsai's colleagues (and I believe nineteen out of twenty of hie constituents) would not only emphatically, but enthusiastically bear wituoes to this success. It is largely due to his wise mediation and grent personal influence with the provincial authorities, that no hitch whatever has arisen in the thousand and one difficulties of starting a now order: of things la an environment of igooraaée and suspicion. Mr. Tsai is quite an exceptional mao, and the destinies of thia ancient Empire}would be less dubious if there were a fow score of men of his kidney and calibre in positions of influence in the Eightoon Provinces.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.