Gen. Ho Feng-ling's Defence of His Action: Other Provinces Ready to Fellow Suit Gen. Ho Feng-ling's proclamation regarding the postal rates has caused not a little stir in Chinese, circles, but how far it has been observed is not possible to ascertain. It should be noted, however, that observance of Gen. Ho's order will mean that the receiver at any destination where the new rates are recognized will be taxed double the amount of postage which is lacking.
A. delegation of local Chinese residents, according to the vernacular press, led by the Vice-Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Fang Shao-pah, called en the Military Governor on the 2ist instant and thanked him for his public spirited action in issuing the proclamation and telegrams.
In reply, Gen. Ho said that everybody is opposed to the new rates, hence it was absolutely necessary for him to issue the proclamation. The Government should order the cancellation of the new rates so that the people would not have to suffer through no. fault of their own. In any case, he asserted, Peking should never have issued an order for the increased rates until the country was really united. The officials there, he thought, should have been prepared for action similar to the step he had taken. If he had not, others would have done so, hence any attempt on the part of the postal officials to say that he (Gen. Ho) was disrupting the national postal service was incorrect. It would have been disrupted in any case.
More than 10 provinces, he asserted, are prepared to oppose the new rates and they are expected to take similar action. Having received numerous petitions from individuals, corporations and pub-Tie bodies, it was absolutely necessary that he should bow to the wishes of the people and order them not to recognize the new rates.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.