New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-09
OPIUM AND CHINESE FAMINES
DOES oPIUM-RAIsISG PAY l-ENGLAND AND HEF
INDIAN EMPIRE.


INDIAN EMPIRE.
To the Editor OF The Irt6uRe.
SIR: The Chinese have q proverb that for
every one who is idle. some one mus. suffer cold and
hunger" 1t is mistake to talk of work being curse
only excessive and wearing toll TO he the curse,
while work, occupation is blessing and nothing else
When We have time TO spare thoughts from the
war and its errors. met with the misefes OF the
Chinese famine, while as yet the famine IN India is
hardly And there great talk of referring these
terrible visatons TO natural causes or to artificial
waDts-as the want OF railroads "Men do not suffer
from famine where railroads are"
Ii was III looking back still further to account for these
terrible famnes In days like these that the Chinese
prOyeIb came TO mind-because II is true that in these
later DAYS famines have become more and more infre
quent, and the sufferers have been easily reached
and relieved.
We know the fact that IL in any place all the people arc
sober and industrious aud careful, there Is little II any
poverty suering therefore, 10 is easy 10 that the
of poverty lie in the habits OF the people and not
In the nature of things Those who observe carefully
are Just beginning To estimate the loss To country OF
iIs idle and dssaed citizens. Such facts as those pre-
scnod just now by the Hon. Neal Dow, that In spite OF
The general depression and IN spite Of the terrible fire IN
Portland, property is increasing in value, under the
"Maine law, such facts speak more loudly than any alb
siract opinions.
Now the most terrible amines OF late years have been
in India China and If there be true relation between
and eject We think they may be traced to opium
Itis matter Of history that the Enslsh Goycnment-or
that branch Of IT, the East India Company-compelled
the cultivation OF opium I'm India for the sake ~ the
from ~ saC ~ China aud compelled the Chinese
Government 10 allow the sale Of opium when they would
fau have prevented II.
signal proof OF tits was the fact that on one occa-
siCu when large amount was seized bY the Chinese
Goycrnm. Gt-gnd condemned cOutrahaud. the En-
peror ordered its utter destruction tine losing
its vaup, rather than 20 al w his subjects Ia II.
D. 4 10
large provinces IN India ard IN Two of them II u
Government monopoly OF course, tins io the cN-
ciusiOn OF al brc1d-u1s FOR which they were forced 10
depend other UtOYuCtS-nd when tuS hITTc-tS fel
short. they could not eat OPIUM theirs was-famuc.
In China, ny have SAID, they were forced 10 receive
the opium, and, unhapply, the haDt once fixed upon
the people there WAS no want % market Tor the hanciul
drug. And tue accounts Of the utter dcnnrZ atom ~
tartpcOpc, and their hopccsnc-r ami hrlplcucss when
under The lower OF rum, arc simply hruTtruIns
one who loves his fcllUw-mcu." Tn Emperor and
the Government fought maufully against lt-iu VAN
and have history OF the war called The Opium
War" between hCatLcn and o Christian nation.
or late read fhai the Chinese had undertaken 10
their opium (prrhaps they HAD not read the
accounts Of tobacco raising, ~ The long II In thv Con-
nectcul Valley ani wIat win diminishing tae area Of
food cultivation IN oVercrOWded country. snd addng
10 the number OF helpless and hopeless who bur
den aud curse through opium, what wonder II nj least
whiill,gC Of time brings its revenge -. expect to see
this country well rid ui all the money II ever made D.!
the unpaid Labor Of slaves. doubt the color ~ any
money made by Opprc-.o aud .uUg. And when read
relief OF The faninc-sr.ck'n, long To strike balance
ehcct between that ana the opium revenue, winch the
Gov criu NJ must have, AMI ~ compelled the people
against their " III 80 furnish.
There l. old book called The Bible. which gives some
very clear instruction to and enect. NHNO.
Aofr- iOrG March l. ISIS.