Mr. George 8. Johns replied in his usual pleasant way and asked each one of the American editors to arise and bow his thanks to hosts of the evening. He wi followed by Mr. Gideon A. Lyon of the "Washington Star" who made a very impressive speech on ber half of the freedom of the Press. Ho began by dwelling upon the imports ance of the Press in America. It ceted upon public opinion and was in turn acted upon by it. Opinion moulded the Press and the Press moulded opinion. 'There was complete freedom of the Press in 'America up to the limit of the truth. If that limit was passed, there stood the law of libel and' other Iaws to be brought "into effect through the operation of an me dependent judiciary and newspapers could properly be punished. But. for the moment, Mr. Lyon said, he and his companions saw with concern that these principles did operate in China, They found@> mails: now, in America, the use of the mails was only withheld from Indecent publications. They further that attempts were, being made to deport the correspondent of fan important American paper. In America, Mr, Lyon pointed out, attacks on the government, so far from being suppressed, were even welcomed as tending towards thor general education of public opinion find to inculcate a sense of respon. sibility in all officials and it seemed to him that China would not make the progress she desired to make: until similar liberties were accorded to her newspapers. Tt was, he thought, a grave mistake on' the part of the Goverament, especially fat the outset of its career, to attempt to suppress the free express sion of public opinions and he felt that one essential need for China was freedom of the Press and. at the back of it a free, strong and independent judiciary.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.