New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-26
THE CHINESE PIPE.

Sir Wilfrid Lawson Is an extremely trouble
some man. Since Joseph Hume's time, there
has been no such pertinacious member OF the
House of Commons. The cold water which
Sir Wilfrid has upon the brain, is far from
putting that gentleman into comatose cOndl-
ton. In season and out Of season, and what
ever question may be before the House, he
still wages warfare upon beer and brandy,
gin and the whole alcoholic genus. Nor Is his
philanthropy confined to the bibulOus sins OF
the Empire, while his teetotalism is not only
cosmopolitan but comprehensive. Suicide is
suicide TO him, whether it be committed by
smoking opium or by guzzlng swipes. One
might have thought that his chance would be
limited of airing his special topic while the
Indian Budget was before the House; but II
the Under Secretary for India thought so, he
soon found out his mistake. Mr.. Grant, Duff was
imprudent enough to attribute the ftourishing
state Of Indian finances to " Economy, Opium,
"and Providence" Upon this, Sir Wilfrid,
starting from the astonishing premise that
there are other nations in the world besides
England and India" went on to say: "The
"Chinese Empire contains some 390,OOO0OO in
"habitants. We do not represent them in this
" HOUSE. VIC uO bOhCih 'hNhA' w WI
cline ourselves to poisoning them"-that is,
good opium crop in India is sure to be fol-
lowed by heavy harvest of Death III CHINA.
And then the gentleman began to state facts
which could not be contradicted and cOnclu-
sions which were irrefragable. After two
"most wicked wars he said, we have sue
"ceeded in establishing most debauching
trade in the midst of the largest nation III
the world;n and the Under Secretary for
India rises in the House and piously thanks
Providence that the debauchery is extending
The topic is always an uncomfortable one
in Parliament, and Sir Wilfrid on this occasion
made it rather more uncomfortable than usual.
First. the Government had done all in its
power to render the Chinese laws against the
importation of opium of no effect, and to en-
courage the smuggling by which alone 1T could
be introduced into the Chinese Empire. Then,
by means of bloody and brutal wars, it had
compelled the Chinese authorities to legalize
the trade by treaty. Its effect upon the social
condition of China was long ago demonstrated,
and to-day it remains unchanged and uname-
liorated. All the evidence points in one di-
rection-the use of opium is "hamstringing
"the nation" STILL as Consul Lay said it was
in 1S47 After the first Chinese war, Mr.. Glad
stone described it as unjust in its origin and
Calculated in its progress to cover the coun-
"try with permanent disgrace" Baron Bun
sen declared that this opium business made
British missionary societies and Bible societies
appear like "humbug and hypocrisy" Still,
the dreadfully demoralizing trade is main
tanned. 1t is in vain that Sir Benjamin
Brode and twenty-five other of the chief
physicians of England have declared that
those who promote the use of opium, as an
article of luxury, are infiicting a most serious
injury upon the human race. But of what
avail are these moral protests and these scien-
tifc denunciations while opium remains " the.
"very cornerstone of Indian finance" In
this, as in every other moral conflict whether
the subject considered be alcohol or opium,
the British public can never get over its in
eradicable propensity to make the matter one
of pounds and shillings. We are not under
estimating the value of material interests. We
understand that, other things being equal, it
il better for nation to be rich than poor.
We COMPREHEND the advantages oil q large