ith the object of promoting the sale of silks and satins, the silk merchants of Huchow have been holding a fair in the new public park inthe centre of the city. Ata large expense, the grounds have been lavishly' decorated, and, particularly in the evening, present a appearance. "Many booths and small pagodas have been erected, and flags, streamers, posters, and electric signs are to be seen everywhere. Several effigies occupy prominent positions, some dressed in sible gowns to show the iden' of the silk dealers as to how a Chinese gentleman should look, and one with a swine's head, clothed foreign style garments made of the anathematized foreign serge.
There are innumerable slogans, all to the same general effect. One reads:—"If you do not use native you are destroying the Another declares: instruments ion." The argument, stated over and over again on posters and in the speeches which have been given is somewhat a follows:—"The production and manufacture of silk is the basic industry of this region. All other forms of business endeavour are of minor importance. Everything. depends upon the silk business. If this flourishes, then all the people of the city and district prosper. Four or five years ago, this business was exceedingly prosperous. There was an-annual income from it of about:620,000,000. Of this sum $8,000,000 went to the worker Since then, the silk business fallen off woefully, and, to-day the workers receive less than half as much as formerly. Consequently, there is depression throughout this entire region.
"It is said that China purchases yearly $120,000,000 worth of foreign Reods. This immense sum ig taken cut of the country and is lost to China.
It should be spent at home and thus enrich our people. The remedy for local depression and for China's sales tion is for everyone to resolve to boycott foreign velvets and serges and to buy only Chinese goods,'
Since the opening of the fair, the grounds have been visited' by thousands of people from the city ind the country. There is considerable educational value in the display of goods, and undoubtedly very great advertising appeal,"
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.