The Bad Old Days and Now Im the bad old days, the story goes, officials of the Manchu government used to augment: their own and the provincial revenues by requesting "gifts" from prominent persons in their domain known to Possess more than the average amount of this world's goods and, when met with a refusal, to sima-late horror at such unfilial conduct, the emperor being being his people's father and mother. Many a wealthy man in those times was forced to kneel in chains before a piece of yellow paper, symbolizing the aggrieved Son of Heaven, until he consented to pay at least @ part of the sum demanded, how much depending upon his powers of endaranee and the official's eagerness for the money. It was hoped that those days were passed, in spite of reports from time to time of hold-however, conkd not always be counted. upon, and the fact has to be faced that an afternoon begun in the interests of sport, might easily end bloodshed, Until the political atmosphere is calmer than it is at present, we think all such matches. should he stopped, however much we way regret having to deprive the Loh Wah team of games, and of discontinuing meetings with mes who appreciation of the true spirit of football, Positively the Last Resource Those who have seen them can heart-rending a berger we to appear, hud-died together in seme corner of the pavement, the woman lying and at ing'to keep warm a si a bos, the man standing to sol copper or two from passers-by, Often they are covered wi ups of responsible merchants which i smack unpleasantly of blackmail ind even Kidnapping. The tionalists have been busy professing the honesty of their government and their insistence upon integrity among their officials. It is therefore surprising to learn from a neighbouring capital of an attempt very similar to those in the bad old days. Several well-to-do resi dents of the city were invited to dinner with an official. After an ex-client meat they were each present-other side. tone sees a family of country people, with none of the appearance of the
to be a few of the many thou professior ar and who tone hay read about, as having been from 1 ins and fields famine and warfare, and at the sight of these the depths of human compassion are plumbed. Recently' we saw just one such family. The had hopelessness stamped on Sith s slip of paper on wh) hing indifferent. Suddenly he stoop~ meal they were each present-vecturers, the crowd swept Pat in Shanghai, and not to pass unnoticed. And when the misguided public in Kuangtary oes show a special interest in the stable currency of Hongkong, it is worth while inquiring a. reason beyond the wire-pulling of bankers and exchange brokers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.