Mz. Soong paid a fine compliment
vice at. the head of which was an te the tea" of the" Customs Ser-Inspector-Genoval who was really a servant of China and thos eliminate @d past anachroniams.
Phaslbed that China was greatly in heed of an impersonal loyalty to the Government rather than to. indi duals." For' that. veason no. man should be indispensable. He would have served China ill if his resigna-than had caused a breakdown inthe finances, That had not. happened and he had insisted that, except for His personal secretaries, all the start of the Pinance Ministry. should. retmairr in the service to work loyally under his successor for the Gover ment. "Mr. Soong. spoke with a
Which made his appeal for a new Ale' fooling and deep" sincerity spirit im the Chinese service peeull arly effective. The. ceremony was eye!
important history and perhaps in the career] of a Chinese statesman who is still young and has much before him yet—much to do for his country.
'When the company had assembled, Sir Frederick Maze opened the' proceedings by saying Excellencies, Gentlemen, On the occasion of 'Dr. Soong's' relinquish. ment of the post of Minister of Finance it is the desire of the Customs Staff, Chinese and foreign, to present to him a souvenir of their admiration and regard, Dr. Soong. during the past half dozen years has presided over the financial its of China with great dis-jon to himself and much benefit to the countty—the overwhelming odds and unusual difficulties which confronted him are well known, and the successful manner in which mastered the situation, has placed him in the front rank of the Finance Ministers of the 1d has assured for him a on the page of history such as very fow attain, The contro) of the Maritime Customs Administration was one of his many responsibilities and it is in relation to this that we are met here to-day. The connec tion between the Customs and the ¢redit of China at home and abroad fs generally recognised, and Dr. Soong has throughout realised the importance of safeguarding the system and) maintaining the ancient traditions, of the Ser-its efficiency rests. Tt is now generally conceded that this far-seeing and policy has strengthened China's credit and preserved for the Service the respect and confidence of the Chinese and foreign trading communities,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.