Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-04-11
AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP OPIUM
nrrr az THE UNITED STATES.

tiyes to prohibit and punish the importa-
t;on into this country of ''opium pre-
nared for smoking, and OF all opium ex-
cant aqueous extracts thereof tor medic
;nal uses." The importation, sale, or
offer for sale of any opium thus forbidden
IN he imported is declared to be a misde-
meanor. punishable by a fine not exceed
inc A.. 900. or Imprisonment not exceed
inc five years, or both. The proposed
Act furthermore provides that the pos.
session of opium, the Importation OF
which is thereby prohibited, shall be
prima facie evidence of guilt.
In a preamble to this somewhat re-
markable bill, Mr.. Budd states four rea-
sons why it should be enacted.
The first is that "the habit and curse
of opium smoking has been introduced
among the people Of the United States,
and is spreading with ~frightful rapldlty,
under the fostering care of the Chinese. :.
The second is that the importation Of
onium has increased from 85,075 pounds
in 1881 to 29S, l52 pounds in 1883. The
third is that ''the habit OF opium smok-
ing once acquired cannot be overcome,
and its victims will not live in any place
where the drug cannot be procured;" and
a final and conclusive argument is found
bv Mr.. Budd in the averment that nearly
80 per cent of our Chinese population
are slaves Of the opium pipe, and would
be driven out of the country if the drug
was no longer imported.
We might discuss the expediency OF
such legislation as this on the pars OF the
Federal Government, but it is not neces-
sary to do so in view of the strong prob
ability that Mr.. Budd's bill, if it becomes
a law, will not have the effect which ne
expects and desires.
There is every reason to believe that,
with the absolute protection against for
eiQn competition which such a prohibi-
ton would afford, large quantities OF
opium would be grown in the United
States. Thus in an article on that drug
in the American ~Cyclop@dia we find the
following statement ..
"Although all our supplies OF opium
are imported from Turkey, it has beer
successfully produced in France, England
and the United States; and some enter
tain the opinion that the opium poppy
can be profitably cultivated in this coun.
try, both for the sake of the opium and
for the seed, from which a fine bland oil
can be made after the opium crop has
been collected"
The Federal Government could hardly
interfere with the production and sale OF
opium as a home production in the sew
eral States. Farmers and gardeners who
want to try their hands at opium grow
ing had better petition Congress to pass
Mr.. Budd's bill.
This article will appear to all persons
that are familiar. with the insidious and
baneful effects of the opium evil as i'll
timed and unsound. In the first place
it is not absolutely clear that the Gen.
eral Government cannot interfere to him
der the cultivation Of, and the internal
traffic in, opium. The affairs OF the
individual States have been successfully
meddled with by Congress and by the
President on notable occasions hitherto,
with much less inducement, with a fai
less showing of public necessity. Wher
the question of this constitutional char
acter has been one of politics the
Federal Government has asserted it,
Supremacy and the States have beer
demonstrated to be, in practice, moi
Sovereign.
But the conclusion of the argument il
not involved in this consideration. Sup
pose it be granted that the Federal Gov
eminent is helpless in the premises
except so far as m with foreigi
nations is concerned, and that it can d.
nothing to restrict the production ant
use of opium as a stimulant drug in thu
United States. What then? Simply
that the restriction of the traffic in the
body-and-mind destroying narcotic vii
become a question of State policy
There is hardly a doubt but each State
has the constitutional power, and that il
would exercise it, if the d~eplorable ext
gency should occur, to abate so grievou
a nuisance as the use of opium is.
No harm can be done, in the mean
while, and much good may be accom-
plished. if Congress will pass the mos
stringent law. that it can pass, to NEE
the emergency. There is a possibilit.
that such a law may not be invalid. A
N rate a test Of its validity as a ma
tional enactment will tend to bring tn
matter before the people and make then
cognizant of the horrors and demoraliza
sioa that would result from a universe
spread of the opium habit, which il
always to be apprehended.
If it should ever come up Tor discussion
in the States, the legality of an anti
opium law, we believe. would be a lone
time in reaching discussion in the courts
but if it should be SO argued we have
barely a doubt that such a law would be
held to be valid and binding on the
ground of public policy as preservative
of the health and morals of the people.
Senator Logan's relatives by blood and
MARRIAGE receiye Government salaries To