After a winter of exceeding discontent early summer finds Huchow with very little on the credit side Of the ledger and with less prospec
generally, the weather and cireumsputting anything there: Things tances and the will of man, do not seem attuned to the notes of prosperity'and success. Not only has there been a very poor silk season, But a lack of confidence in almost everything, the Governmen, polities the Tangpu, and evea eld' custom, seems to possess everyone, Reliable business men declare that as long as. the Government taxes" and ramps business as it has been doing hho expansion or real progress can be hoped for." Huchow has the resources and the desire to move onward and upsard—to build motor Toads, to provide water works, to fslart factories, to connect the city. by rail with Shanghai, to improve the canals and the boat. landing #0 0%; Dut no man with capital put money into any such projects at present, Indeed, it is con-idantly asserted that all men with capital now invested in similar Undertakings would withdraw it at once, if it were possible, and put it away in a safe place, The country people are probably the worst off of anyone. Crops last year were nearly a failure as is the crop this year. The vice plants fre now being set out with devout hopes that. they. will not fail, "If they do, there is sure to be black time ahead. In some places already crowds of women have been hesi {ing the vice shops demanding piles of rice.
Tu such circumstances wonder that the country is overrun with Bandits both professional and Amateur. Only constant activity on "the of the water-police and the defence bands preserves even a sem= blanco of security for the people. It may be said that the police do very good work, but their numbers are insufficient to cope with the situation, Tu a raid last week they made good haul, From a robber captur-edu' Nanzing it had been learned that a robber gang made its headquarters in the north suburb of how, almost, as it was after wards found, within. the shadow of the city wall. Acting on this Information the police surrounded a house, very near' the Electric Light Plant, in which at the time the robber chief and some of his men happened to be gambling. Diseovering the approach of the police, the robbers drew thely pistols and began firing. Many shots: were exchanged, Awa policemen being wounded, a yabber shot dead, and two pasiers-by being hit by bullets 'At this point the chief by some means escaped from the house and yan into a silk filature, where shelfering' behind the women he fired ut the pursuing police, wounding several. As the police could not fire fon account of the women, they withdrew. The robber immediately ran through the buildings and out the back door to be struck down police who has been stationed there, ith this affair finished the police crossed the canal to the home of the robber chief, where without—much difficulty they secured the chief's Wife and several mon, The total fis Said fo have been seventeen, casualties were reported as two robbers and one policeman dead, and several robbers and policemen wounded. The wounded were removed to the Methodist hospital for treatment.
Although nearly every outlook hereabouts is discouraging.the people as a whole show a cheerful and courageous spirit. A little good Weather, a little relief from taxes, a little judicious aid from the banks, and they would pull through triumph: hantly, for this is a fertile and resourceful as well as a delightful region which with a settled govern-ament and deliverance from banditry, would soon become a paradise of prosperity.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.