Disease Incurable by Ordinary Means From Our Own Correspondent.
Haichow, Ku., Jan, 21.
From whatever section of China we hear there is practical un-Animity of opinion on two moral subjects, soldiers and ba
the soldiers is everywhere acknow-te The "need for, disbanding edged but it is also admitted that there is no hope whatever of it" being, accomplished: many columns have been written to ard wil inevitably fai, Goeause Mow any scheme yet put for-
it is contrary to the interests of shape who would howe to carry out—the military officials, 'With an exception here and there of some commander jis cleaning "house, banditry is growing worse and' the consensus opinion is that the soldiery of China either cannot or will not control the same.
Some are still pinning their faith to the force of Chinese pub-opinion which will finally, be ayoused when every family has ither been looted or had a mem bee Kideapnod, bub they fail to -#eo that such Will only be a little more noise in the ears of those responsible, Desperate diseases demand desand. the writer brings forward again a suggestion made in these columns De-fore, admittedly with small hope of seeing it carried cut.
the writer's. conviction that the same condition is respon sible for the growth of banditry
the nimble fact of an wnarm= sie menace and hat tpako" the case of "the soldier rte the pay Of the aoldicr is 80 small and in mo fore and hope-Tony in arrears that exnnot the aeviously anid that they fow'tho sake of thir dole. ist
pinin' truth, ix that white flary, is small amd. "noe the fare just about chocaes to make. inmost longings to. be, a. publi bully "and, naiganee, From, hoon shoved aside all his life now. delights in. swaggorin jddle of the Making every, man yield, the path. He "sumples" vegetiblo" stand "or basket. pastor and street munch what he want down, a Tew" coppers. that ihoprkeeper "way" "tne or. lone When tent. to" the country ho aioaen every. our and chicken that
fore (il 5) the amar nad or:
noses for-n bed Stereover he uble to one aN
16 in sill eas fo slate the ivuctions of the dis call 'The arent. bulk of robberies 1 perpetrated "on uesarmed, eneelens villagers and for the moat part is as safe as the task of the Iutcher' whet hay dozen Togs to Kill for the day's work The solution for There tities of sold ive is perfecti ing'. to Tet the robber oe th ptlin the ease of ery. lunge band, the robbers frp perfectly edatent to Tet the strongly armed villager severely alone. And finally. that on. the "lower middle class both soldi and robber' prey. with impunity.
Arm the citizenry and the situa tion will take care of itself. It is candidly admitted again that the first fruits of such w policy would be discouraging as many who found themselves able would not scruple to become robbers, but it is contended that such would only make the final sottle-[ment the more speedy and definite.
This suggestion is advanced on knowledge. of the Chinese in North China that will ibe concede ed by almost any old China hand. As already pointed cart the enlist: ed cootie and the robber are essentially cowards and only play the game because of ety. Another inet is that in defence hhis heine, be it only a one-room straw shut, a Chinese villager if armed will put up a terrific Bight.
Those who may doubt that armed citizenry would be free from bullying by soldier ruffians tare asked to listen to the folledrincident that lately occurred ina near country. district: farmer was celebrating his so wedding, and ae usual everybody was welcome. All went merrily until" some soldiers wha had shouldered in began to be too free with the refreshments, towards which they had not contributed, eand in due course their conduct was resented by some hotheaded member of the family and a fine row resulted. The soldiers. combined with the spontaneity chemical action and would have had a lovely time wrecking the place whut for the fact that one of the villagers ran out and beat the gong that was the 8.0.8, to the neighbouring villages. 'These villagers also displayed able spoiancity of action with the effect that' in a very fow minutes the braves found' themselves surrounded" by a Inrge bunch of "farmers armed witha medley, of rude but effective. wea pons." The soldiers "retired" to 8 large room aod tried to open negotiations, "The farmers "'nego-tinted" by firing their house shooting "down every one that tried (0 escape. The net result safety halt na howe was 17 dead Tt might have deen expected that the commanding—officers near would have descended on villages for summary vengeanco but, nothing of the kind Seourred. They had taken those men in order to get rid of them and the farmers had most Kindly. aided inthe task and made' it permanent!" The affair wan promptly. forgotten.
Mohr eNTOHKE CHIANER, she makes % sugar of providing. for. the iching to tome extent at least those: who have ight. ax ell bu pour ave himself some ie. to argue. for trance through the for-aston for anything in this froly feasible for provineiat authorities to esta Mist "factories, not dignified the nani of analy fo ting cwt auch nimble weaponia og. the Tanners. would require. "They could aniakey i€ good business and, at the sime time so their most wexine pruolom. And might see that" it ecdxw from easy ing it has been one tion that the sight of an immediate dollar ig always the deci sive element in China's sold, here are now being
"sand tinkers, immense bers oF what might be called sounitey cannon" for luck of a name, The first of these appeared here abut two years ago bat now they are to te sce perhaps torah contains. the
powder and this ie simply set ons on two. The cavity left for ity with shoved into the rear end of the barrel. A wooder in place and it is is provided for by " heavy stake attached to x movable near the contre of the mass.
take can be driven into the ground wid a play of ample proportions easily sect 10 look heavy contraption -identi-a weapon for homo defoneé only, so whatever may be
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.