The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1871-06-03
Opium.
saleable.

The unprecedented high price at which the
single opium license sold last week las been a
subject of general remark. That any person or
combination of persons can afford to pay the large
sum of Sl3, $50 for the privilege of dealing in the
drug for one year, argues undoubtedly that the
business is a very profitable one. But the mere
price paid for the license is only a little more
than half the amount the licensee has to expend.
By the table of imports for 1870, which appeared
in our : Annual Review - of last March, the
value Of opium imported, or that paid duty at the
Custom House, was something over S7.0 AL
lowing that the licensed dealer got and paid for
the whole of that. there must be added, the duty,
say s. 1000; the pay of a special detective to
prevent illicit dealing, which we are informed
the licensee provides for his own protection,
amounting to $4,000 and store rent and pay of
store-keeper, together with taxes, say 81 200
altogether amounting to the considerable sum Of
S25 600! So that the licensed opium seller
must dispose of SSl worth every day in the year,
exclusive of Sundays, before he can realize one
cent of profit from the business. This sounds
wonderfully large. but there are the figures to
show for the correctness of the statement.
1t is estimated that the entire number of Chi
nese in the Kingdom, to whom only the licensed
dealer is supposed to sell, may be safely put
down at Il, 900. so that this opium business is a
direct tax upon this class of our population OF
about $50 a head. But unfortunately we must
add here, that the use of the pernicious drug, as
the public records will show, is by no means con-
fined to the Chinese. The Hawaiians are taking
kindly to it, and many in Honolulu have become
slaves to the habit.
The question very naturally recurs, how is the
81 900 worth of opium imported made to realize.
first the $4,000 required for the business, and
then the profit expected for SO large an OUTLAY?
1t may be said in reply, that the Chinese, among
their many other accomplishments, are adepts in
smuggling, while the drug itself takes up very
little room. But. leaving the idea of smuggling
out of the question, the fact may be stated that,
in the hands of skillful manipuIators, a pound of
opium may be made into six.
This subject of the traffic in and consumption
of opium in these islands, is an interesting one,
take whichever view of it we may. Any attempt
to put an end to it by law, would undoubtedly
1all, Tor obvious reasons. And We do not by anv
means concede the view to be correct which is
put forth by our venerable contemporary the
Friend, that the Government, in realizing a large
amount OF revenue by attempting to regulate the
SALE is thereby liable for the support of paupers
who become such through the use of opium.
any more than it could be called on specially to
provide for the support of those who impoverish
by the use of alcoholic stimulants,
from the traffic in which a certain amount-anda
pretty large amount-goes into the Treasury.
Nor are we aware that pauperism of any sort
exists In these islands to any noticeable extent.
Certainly it is rare that we see or hear of a street
or a declared mendicant.
The evil of opium smoking, though 1t is large