The question of freedom of the ress is even more important than the personal sufferings of Mr. Bagene Chen, In no country where the press is fettered are the people enlightened nor is the country Iawabiding. It is largely through th agencies of a free press that the Wberty of the people of European countries was won and maintained.
is through the operations free press that the Anglo-Saxon, Peoples have preserved their constitutional forms. of government, their hard earned liberties. In those countries political tyranny has been impossible, the usurpation of the functions of law by individuals has been unknown in modern times, On the other hand, in countries where the press is always fettered, where editors are prevented from expressing their opinions, where a press law exists not to prevent abuses but to control opinion, there has been a succession of tyranny and revolution or there has} been despotism. If China is to follow in the footsteps of those countries, her progress will not of a character to encourage her friends to believe in the stability of her future.
Tt may be argued by some Chinese that the foreigners in China have on occasion forgotten. the precepts
slight temporary political gain thee own eonaitations, have for allowed themselves to disregard the sanctity of the liberty of the press, Tt will be pointed out that in the various concessions, Chinese news-Papers have been suppressed or! their editors molested by the police. In the International Settlement, at any rate, there must be an open trial {in the Mixed Court and even if one! sometitnes "ith—th decision of the judges, there must be no whimsical, personal, choleric
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.