Feb, 24.
Nominations for the Muni-pal Council elections closed esterday evening with thirteen candidates, not quite so many, perhaps, as one could have wished, but still a great improvement on former years and enough to give interest to the jeiection and quicken the activiies of successful candidates at a time when, more.than at any) other in Shanghai, it is of vital importance that the community, should have a clear grasp of sues before it. Although, as was pointed out the other day, there is no distinction between, jold and new candidates, but all are on the same footing towards the electors, it may be permissible to say that those now offering themselves who were on the Council last year, are eminently such as one would like to see on it. It is to be hoped that candidates will do something after the fashion of those for the French Municipal Council, though perhaps not so voluminously, in the way of jelection addresses, The fact that the Municipal business of Shanghai is run very well nor-' mally, does not mean that it might not be run better, and new blood" and new ideas are Imost synonymous terms. The community looks for a pr hiouncement of policy, possibly!
criticism, certainly' of idea: from the men who offer th selves to represent it on the Vouncil: and there is a wide! ited without permission. field for suggestions, The appearance of two cai didates for the Land Commisfonership is practically without precedent. As is generally known, there are three Land Commissioners, one nominated by the Council, one by the ratepayers and one by the landowning interests, - Hitherto, it has been considered that no specially expert knowledge of and values was needed or even desirable on the Commission, whose members were regarded rather as.a board of arbitrators, men of general business experi ence, probity and common sense. "Whatever expert testimony might be required: could be called before them and they would then deliver their verdict all facts and considerations futter the manner of a tribunal of judges. Now it has been urged that land values in Shange hai have become so highly technical a subject that the mere hearing of expert evidence in any case under consideration is not sufficient and, it is necessary to include among the Commissioners one who is himself jan expert, Between these two points of view it will be for the public to decide.
To revert for one moment to the question of Council policy, on Settlement affairs in_ genera we have not yet been able to ascertain whether it is or is not the. Council's intention to jake a' statement at the next fe payers' meeting on the ques= tion of Chinese representation, This is for the old Council to ceeide, not for the men standing as candidates, but we would urge once again that the Coun shall make a statement and think it would be advisable chat their intentions should not de left unknown till the last moment, At the present time negotiations both for Chinese representation on, the Council and the rendition of the Mixed Court are going on between the Diplomatic Body and the Peking Government and the latter has made it quite plain that it does not wish those negotiations to he conducted locally, For this, no doubt, it has its own reasons and of course, when the constitution of Shanghai ix being recast, that is a matter for the Powers and China alone. At the same time, it would be taking a smite unreasonable position to suggest that the Council's voice should not be heard in a matter so greatly affecting itself and we feel sure that nobody would suggest it. Furthermore, we may be pretty sure that the Diplomatic Body itself would welcome a public pronouncement of policy from the Council, We also have to consider the large number of Chinese in Shanghai who have been assured in more than one way that the foreign community welcomes the idea of their being represented on the Council, and who will certainly be bitterly disappointed if the ratepayers' meeting passes without thi pledge being confirmed in the name of the whole community,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.