Iso stated, on the same good why the Canton Government is anxious to get the Chinese merchants up to Canton on a before them an the strike. They will point out that the Shanghai strike was very quickly: finished ax the merchants there worked with the Chinese authorities, whilst hero, it has dragged on for months and is not finished yet. They' will suggest that the Hongkong merchants combine with Canton to end the strike, and, as a means toward that end, that on their return to Hongkong they persuade all. the shops to close. They guarantee that} this. means the strike will be ended in a week. Now I am not suggesting for a moment that our Hongkong merchants are simple fics who will walk unsuspecting into the epider's web, but I do suggest that it is very important for us in Hong.- kong to know exactly how we stand vieeievis of our neighbours in Canton. If we know what is in their minds, we can be prepared to meet them on an equal footing, and it does certainly seem to the writer that ft is one of the chief duties of newspaper, in these dangerous times, to find out what is happening behind the scenes and to keep the public informed, fairly and impartially. Only' thus can there be an enlightened public opinion, and after all the people at Home ara entitled to expect us on the spot, to he able to keep them well informed as to what is going on out here.
Tam, ete,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.