Jan. 14, Tue Chinese shopkeepers and Street Unions are to be congratulated on the wisdom of their resolution not to declare a general strike. This does not, it is true, appear to include a specific order to members of the unions that they should pay their taxes. But the two things are probably understood to go together, and while there may still be some refusal to pay for a day or two, it seems safe to assume that prospects of serious trouble are over. How the leaders were brought to the decision taken at Monday night's meeting is immaterial. On the one point, on which the Council had no option but to take a firm stand, satisfaction has been obtained. Authority has been vindicated; and negotiations may now be begun and, we trust, conducted in amity on both sides. Assuredly the Council has no pleasure whatever in being oblived to sue Chinese citizens in the Mixed Court and use force against them.
With a frank determination on both sides to have done with misunderstandings there appears no difficulty in the way of reaching a solution acceptable to all parties. As we showed yesterday the modifications which the Chinese ask for in the Advisory Committee to be proposed at the Ratepayers' meeting ought to be easily arranged. We certainly think that the Consular veto on appointees would be offensive to Chinese amour propre and that what it is meant to achieve could well be managed by other less oblectionable means. For the negotiation of this and other matters there is time enough. And we would further specially emphasize that there is now an unequalled opportunity for doing away with old misunderstandings, The way is open for showing the Chinese that their soreness, their discontent, their cry that they are not listened to or fairly treated, have no real foundation. What we suggest to them is that they should now appoint a small, thoroughly representative committee, which would prepare a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.