?
May 2, 1908.]
about the name of the manufacturer of the stuff he buys. Apparently Florida Water is some sort of scent, and we take it the person who wants a particular scent wants one that has pleasured his or her olfactory nerves before. To ensure getting the same effect they want to secure the similar cause, and 80 they may remember that the name of the liquid first used was Florida Water. We take it all Florida Waters (and there appear to be many on the market) stick in something like unison, with, perbape, varying degrees of power. Those who like the scent very much will want it strong, as if it were tea or tobacco, and some of those might perhaps make a point of remembering the label on the bottle so as to be sure of getting what they had before. But as a drop of Florida Water " by any other name would smell as sweet," though it may be not always as strong, we fancy few go deliberately to demand that manufactured by a particular firm. The value of a firm name is rarely in the quality of its goods, but in the quantity of its advertisements. There are some names which we are not allowed to forget, and we involuntarily associate them with the articles we may be thinking of buying; but it is rare indeed that, on consideration, we cannot be induced to take some other firm's product, especially if (as in this case of Floriia waler) i be just as good for our purpose and far cheaper, On the question of fact in this case, as to whether a person could be defrauded into buying a picture of two girls instead of a picture of a fountain, we do not enter. We have ascertained that the name and the 'bottle are "standards used by dozens of firms, and with regard to the label we are quite satisfied to accept the opinion of the half dozen jurymen who said that there had been no fraud. Obviously, the case involved wider issues than the business of one firm. It appears that, had the complain- ant succeeded, the right of several other firms to continue manufacturing Florida Water would have been challenged. This, as they all seem to be content with smaller prices, would have been hard upon that section of the public which likes to reek of Florida Water, aud for their sakes we find ourselves rejoicing with that larger jury which, for various reasons, had been anticipating the verdict of the jury actually empanelled.
+J
A TIRESOME AGIT,TION.
(Daily Press, April 30th.) The Newchwang Chamber of Commerce cannot, in all probability, consist of many merchants, and of its comparatively small
number of constituents it would be un-
reasonable to deny that some may have fallen under the influence of what our
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
decision is against the British Syndicate and against Chinese claims in this instance, and Hongkong has very good reason for falling into line with the Imperial Government, in the fact that the Japanese provision for bidding a competing line is practically duplicated in that coavention with China by which Britain safeguards the interests of the Kowloon-Canton Railway. If China's right to constrict the Fakumen line parallel or nearly parallel with the South Manchur a Railway had been admitted, it would have been impossible to deny her right to cou. struct a competitive line at this end of the Empire, which we certainly have been protesting against at the first suggestion of its likelihood. The Japan Daily Mail deals analytically an 1 lucidly with the arquments of the Newchwang Chamber of Commerce. which were publishe1 in our columas. best point seems to be as follows:
Tientsin correspondent has called the un- reasonable anti-Japanese sentiment that has been and is being assiduously cultivated in the north. In these circumstances, it may be that we are not obliged to accept its lead with regard to the Fakumen Railway question. There is our natural inclination to support the interests of a British Syn- dicate, of course, and incidentally it may be as well to admit that any British support of the Newchwang Chamber's attitude would be, on the face of it, pro-British rather than pro-Chinese. No one believes that Japan fought the Russiaus with the purely al- truistic motive of restoring Manchuria to the Chinese, and we are not going to lend any countenance to the suggestion that the anti-Japanese motions of the Newch wang merchants and others are inspired solely by a desire to see the Chinese sovereignty restored intact. The British Government's
Its
It seeks to prove too much. Thus, after denying that branch lines running westward from the South Manchuria Railway system "would be a sufficient substitute for the proposed Fakumen road. the Resolution of the Chamber adds that such lines would necessarily do incalculable injury to the prospects and trade of the port of Newchwang, which is the natural outlet and distributing base for the country in question by diverting from it to Tairen its legitimate trade." If this preposition be care- fully consi e ed. it amounts to admission that the Fakumen road would be seriously detrimental to the prosperity of the South Manchuria Railway. For if by substitat- ing for the Fakamen road feeders of the South "incalculable injury" Manchuria Railway would be done to the prospects and trade of Newchwang, which for the purposes of the Chamber's argument is considereit solely with reference to the Chiese railway system, then dres it not plainly follow that the construction of the Fakumen line would do incalculabla
8 distinct
injury to the prospects and trade of Tairen, in other words to the prospects and trade of the South Manchuria Railway?
But for our part we see no reason now to debate the point whether the British Syndicate's undertaking would be detri- mental to the Japanese line. The British Government has decided that on that point the Japanese decision must be accepted as final, and as Japan's decision is against the Hsiumintun-Fakumen line, there is no more to be said, except by those who are not afraid to stir up antipathies and bad feelings regardless of consequences.
JAPANE E ELECTIONS.
(Daily Press, May 1st.) About the middle of this month theGeneral
Election takes place in Japan. We published not long ago a well-icformed account of the various political parties that have arisen in Japan, and now it remains only to make few general observations on the changes that have come over Japan's domestic politics. There is not very much to say about it, so we select the topic as convenient for an issue in which our columns, as will
277
One
opposition to the increased taxation. The better class Japanese are also pointing out with satisfaction that a class of candidates hitherto no credit to Japanese politics is or appears to be disappearing. These are the demagogues, the so-called professional politicians,' who are coming forward in much smaller numbers this time. authority gladly accepts this as an in- dication that the bulk of the electorate is becoming too intelligent and self-respecting to tolerate this class any longer. papers are already devoting much space to election matters, and in another two or three weeks we trust we may be able to record results in accordance with the laud- able hopes now being expressed.
The
HONGKONG LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL.
A meeting of the Hongkong Legislative Council
was held yesterday in the Council Chamber.
PRESENT:-
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, SIR K.C.M.G., C.B., D.9.0. FREDERICK JOHN DRALTEY LUGARD,
Troope, Colonel C. H. DARLING.
His Excellency the Officer Commanding the
Hon. Mr. F. H. MAY, U.M.G. (Colonia) Secretary).
Hon. Mr. W. REES DAVIES, (Attgrasy! General).
Hon. Mr. A. M. THOMSON (Colonial Tres- snrar).
Hon. Mr. W. CHATHAM, C.M.G. (Director of Public Works).
Hon. Mr.
E. A IRVING (Registrar- General).
Hon. Commander BASIL R. H. TAYLOR, R.N. Harbour Master)..
Hon. Dr. Ho KAI, M.B., C.M., C.M.G. Hon. Mr. H. E. POLLOCK, K.C.
Hon. Mr. WEI YUK, Hon. Mr. H. KESWICK, Hon. Mr. E. OSBORNE,
Hon. Mr. MURRAY STEWART. Mr. C. CLEMENTĮ (Clerk of Councils).
MINUTES.
The minutes of the previous meeting were read, and confirmed.
PAPERS.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by direction of His Exo-ll-ncy the Governor, laid on the table the following papers-Report of the Registrar- General.
F.NANCIAL MINUTES.
The COLONIAL SECRETARY, by direction of His Excellency the overnor, laid on the table Financial minutes Nos. 16, 17 and 18, and moved that they be referred to the Finance Committee. The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and the motion was agreed to.
FINANCIAL.
The COLONIA'. SECRETARY, by direction of 1. E. the Governor, laid on the table the report of the Finance Committee (No. 6), and moved is adoption.
The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded, and
the motion was agreed to.
PUBLIC HEALTH AND BUILDINGS ORDINANCE AMENDMENT BILL. The HON. MR. CHATHAM-I rise to move that the bill entitled an Ordinance to amend
the Public Health and Building Ordinance 1903 and the Public Health and Buildings Amend. ment Ordinance 19:3 be now read a second time.
be noted, are unusually congested. We learn that the forthcoming General Election is to be a business one, the candidates including more commercial men than ever before. As trade is becoming notoriously Since thig bill was introduced, sir, and read the most conspicuous feature of Japan's criticised by the local architects on behalf of A first time it has been very extensively national economy, this was to be expected, the European and Chinese property owners in but foreigners will none-the-less watch for
this Colony. They have submitted statements the result with great interest. The possi of certain amendments which they considered bilities from their point of view of a should be made and meetings have been held Parliament largely composed of business with Your Excel'ency and the amend- representatives are
were fully obviously immense.ments
and & discussed The commercial class in Japan has lately great many them have been adopted. begun to feel its power, as witness the They have shown perhaps a little undue influence of the Cham ers of Commerce, because in one case they have suggested that.
criticising the proposals which are taken very seriously and strongly the word modify should be altered to reduce. supported. One "plank" of the new Now Sir, the word modify or its equivalens candidates is retrenchment coupled with modification is used repeatedly and I havt
nervou-ness
of
in
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