, 1882-04-29
No More Opium

7, :. believed nv those who know, that the
numerous robberIss that are constantly oe-
ing committed IN this city are the "ofA "
on,,,,, ssnds-,nsn who are slaves to the op-
ium curse. and who VIII procure the poison
a. any price. 1t VIII be gratifying 10 e's'.
community TO learn that the Secretary Oh
the Treasury has issued an order tnas no
more Opium shall be landed on our SHORES
This i. one of the benefits OF the commerce.
treaty. with China, ratified ever year ago.
which provides that the Chinese shall no- oe
pecmi,ted 10 import OPIUM into the United
states. The people have beer so closely
wa,ehinr the efforts to stop Chinese immi-
grafton that they have paid no attention 70
the importation of opium. No efforts have
been made by our government TO stop 'he
opium trafc until recently, wnen an order
was Issued directing the collectors OF Gus
toms to enforce the provisions OF this art'c'e
Of ,b. treaty.. The order went into force on
April l6,h, and the S. F. CiroRicle says that
SINCE the 18th not an ounce ofCaluese opium
has been permitted to pass through the Gus
tom house at that port
Tie order has produced great excitement
and CONSERVATION among the Cninese.
There are a number OF firms who were IN
some manner advised IN advance OF the Sec
retary's orders, fer they have not permitted
any Of the opium imported BY them to re-
main il. bond any longer than was absolutely
necessary, and when the Treasury order
went INTO effect on Monday the United
States bonded warehouses held only an ag-
crepate of about 200 boxes OF forty-one
pounds each, the total value Of which Ii
about Sl50, OGO. duty paid, the imposts be-
ing Sc per pound, or S246 box. As was TO
be expected, the Chinese merchants who
were Informed beforehand kept the secret IN
order 20 benefit by it afterward.
EFFECT oS THE 5. F. MARKET.
The price of opium has advanced already
81 30 a box, although China town harbo7s at
least whole years supply OF the drug. But
if the prohibition Of the treaty IS faithfully
carried cut, very little opium will tnd It's
way into the United States, for all the ves-
sels trading at present between the United
States and China are either owned ard con
troIed by Americans or by Chinese. Meth
er OF these nationalIties can trada IN opium,
the Americans being forbidden 10 buy III
China and the Chinese % import INTO the
United States. Opium can, therefore, only
be brought from third country, on foreign
ships. no American or Cninaman being al
lowed to have anything 10 do with It's pur-
chase IA CANA or It's importation INTO the
United states. Excepting the prohibition OF
Chinese immigration. no measure could have
been taken which would be more acceptable
t, the people Of the Pacific coast. The 0p-
ium traffic IS c,rried on by Chinese only,
and tEou II Il has yielded large rereAue
from the customs, the evils which 1t has en-
seLderei and fostered can never be compen-
sateI for by money. There are compara-
lively few people who have an adequate
conception Of the extent OF the opium -smok-
ing vice. None but those who are either its
victims, or who have had opportunities OF
observing them closely, have any idea OF the
terrible results Of the habit.