To the Hditor of the "Norra Cama Daur Ney Sin,—To say that the attitude of the Municipal Council on the opium question as shown in the correspondence published in your issue of yesterday is disappointing to the majority of the community is in our mind putting it mildly. It was expected that, after the weeks and months of discussion of this question in the public prints and especially in the columns of your paper, the Council representing officially (if not actually as in this case) the opinion of the ratepayers of Shanghai would be moved to recommend to the Annual Ratepayers' Meeting some method of th reply to the Goat General clearly defining the at-unie Majesty's
tirade of the British Governmeot on the question, and in reply to the letter addressed by the Missionary Association, replies in effect "We must not too hasty, if 80) we will probably introduce more harmful conditions," etc. ete., recommending to the ratepayers for approval the inadequate and dilatory Fences by one fourth from the first of programme of reducing the opium
July next (or earlier) and saying nothing as to what should be done farther than that. This programme (7) of reform reminds one of the remark
teacher was ig the class a lesson in the boy made about his father. Th spelling sad explained the word vertebrate" to mean "an animal with back-bone," giving man us an example, One boy raised his hand and dissented ing " My father is not vertebrate cause mamma says he has no backbone."
The Council concludes its defence for not doing more by saying "Before the close of the year, thi opium movement will probably considerable strides, whereupon the community will be in position to decide upon farther steps in the direction which you have at heart, leading to the total abolition of the opium habit in the Settlement." We trust that this movement will take forward strides so rapidly the next two weeks that the Council will be aware that there is and. has been such a movement, not organized deep conviction in the minds of the ratepayers of the Settlement a movement that will convince the Council that public sentiment in Shanghai is as strong against this evil as it is in England and America and other parte of the world.
Now that the issue is clearly defined is to be that committee will be formed representing not only the missionary community, (unfortunately this was not done before) bat also that other larger section of the Settlement, including the business interests, who dissent from promise on this question, but stand by the position taken by the Consul-General in his letter which is, of course, the position of the Britih Jovernment. There is time to carry the matter before the Council and failing this to appeal to the decision of the Annual Ratepayers' Meeting to be held on March 20. Shanghai's attitude on this issue is being watched by the world. The Settlement cannot afford to show weakness, It isa time to show vertebrate strength.
Tam, eto.
Shanghai, March 5.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.