Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1881-07-14

th@f hhN Aio bVAf &VhiNA AtHlttnA0 WIN
il no more than his lungs could per-
form their iuuctions without air. He
is walking barometer; sensitive to the
slightest change in temperature and
racked by neuralgia pains when exposed
TO cold. Fatally insidious. too, is this
opium habit 1t saps the moral strength
aud enfeebles the will; then. shorn of
these two allies, it takes man of ex-
eeptional strength OF character to free
himself from its thralldom.
the poorer classes of Chinese in Cal
ifornia land these comprise nine-tenths
Of the whole number--usa opium as a
solace 10 their hard life. Its one OF
the few pleasures they allow them
selves in a siavish struggle 10 lay up
money. No store. wash. house, manu-
factory or restaurant is without its
opium I" layout The habit OF opium
smoking is universal, as common as the
use OF tobacco among American men.
A very intelligent Chinese merchant
who speaks excellent English, in a re-
cent conversation with me on the evils
OF opium smoking, said: cit is the
curse OF our people, and is far worse in
its effects than your whisky-drinSing.
A man who drinks liquor gets some
strength from the stimulant, though
this ma last only few IN nuies. He
may even live to old age aud never 90
I TO bed sober. But the effects of opium
are lar different. 1t takes away
/ strength, il never gives any 1t weak
/ ems man. thins his blood and steals all
I his energy. 1t makes him fee, the cold,
makes him what YOU call invalid no
! good Tor any real work. He may work
/ ~ trade, but he cannot carry on any
/ business which requires thought or cal
culation. For myself, | smoke a few
| pipes frequently with friends. l. IS so.
/ cial and pleasant but aiways take the
greatest care not TO smoke twice in sue
! Cession at the same hour. When l feel
the longing 10 smoke, which always at
tacks you Just twenty four hours after
I your last indulgence, never give way
TO it"
The bane Of opium-smoking in Cali
foruia is seen in the younger genera.
ton. California children are very pre-
cocious; they seem to have AN cxagger-
ated desire 10 indulge IN everything
which is forbid len Every Chinese
wash-house throughout the State is the
center OF evil. Young boys learn there
TO smoke op um and cont act the iIahii
which ruins them body and soul. The
Chinese receive boys with great favor
and are always ready TO initiate them
into any vice. In the cities the evil is
worse, as the opportunities Tor its graf
iiication are met on every side. There
are many squalid opium rdens" in the
Chinese quarters. and these have thea
regular white customers. The police
make frequent raids upon them, but tn,
pay yment of twenty dollars line releases
the proprietor. Now it is customary
for the smoker TO deposit this amoun
before beginning his indulgence. il
order TO insure the re ease OF the patroI
in case OF arrest. The wee is mos
prevalent among the hoodlums of thu
city and the women OF the town, bu
police officers and detectives, who's,
word may be relied upon, declare tina
the practice is spreading with grea
rapidty. and that the law will sOoi
have TO be invoked to check it by heav.
fines or other penalties. The neV
treaty will have no sensible elect upol
the importation of opium into this coun
trY, rs the duties are low in British
Columbia and Mexico, and the work o
smuggling it over the border will no
be difficult. As Chinese merchan
said few days ago IN speaking OF TN
/, drug: ''The Chinese will get il if it'
on top of.tke earth You might as we
try 10 stop your Nation from smokin!
cigars or drinking liquor. ~ Cor. N. ]
, Tribune.