Inaugural Speech to the Delegates:
Importance of the Commission's Work The inaugural meeting of the Customs Tariff Revision Commission was held last Friday at the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce under the chairmanship of Admiral Tsai Ting-kan. About 50 delegates were assembled, and the proceedings were of an informal character.
Admiral Tsai, who was received with cheers, said I have much honour and pleasure in welcoming you here to-day. Old friends and familiar faces bring me encouragement and new members give me hope in the future work of the Tariff Revision Com-
In the midst of destruction in the Great War the Tariff Revision Commission sat in 1918 in this very room to do a bit of re-constructive work. Again in the midst of social and political upheaval, amidst commercial and economic disturbances we are sitting here to-day with the specific object of re-adjusting prices and fixing a new tariff.
Neep or Ca-operation.
If the world ever needed international ce-operation it is to-day. After the terrible years of destruction the old order of things has passed away—a reconstruction is necessary and demanded, otherwise confusion will continue to reign. The world needs sympathy "ud good-will and mutual helpfulness. One supreme tact has loomed up before the world. It is this: that no one nation can suffer without the other nations suffering with it.
This Commission can never belittle its labours. It will not only be fixing a five per cent. ad valorem duty for imports, but consciously or unconsciously it will be solving one of the world's problems. Its duty is a part of international coi "Ca-operation of all the path to the world's as some one said. If we realize' this higher part of our duty we will have a clearer notion of what we should do and shall do.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.