The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-06-27
The OPIUM HABIT.

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The listless air, bedimmed eye, sallov
complexion and generally nerveless de
I ear apparent among certain element
Of the society Of Butte, mainly in the sub
stratum, indicates that the opium habii
has taken a strong hold in this community
!, The great national curse, permitting til,
immigration of Chinese, has visited upol
the country an awful retribution. Opium
is eaten and smoked in this city to an ex
| tent that the uninitiated would not believe
The victims are both men n women
perhaps more OF the latter than of thu
former. The effects Of intemperance ARK
not to be compared with the evils chat flow
from the use of opium. The dire consequences
OF drunkenness have been painted to tn,
world in glowing colors for years, in thu
newspaper and from the forum; the effect
OF opium upon man, physically and moral
~, is ten fold more serious n more awful
Make your way into Chinatown or into the
quarters OF the Chinese anywhere and the
disagreeable odor Of the insidious drug
greets your nostrils. To them opium is as
essential as bread. 1t liz hence hat the
evil has spread among the white people. 1t
is true that opium was used, in it's vari-
ons forms and the different modes, before
there was SO large a Chinese immigration,
but not to any extent. 1t is to the Chinese
dives that we owe the awful curse. The
Chinese "joints" are visited by white people
of both sexes. Not only are the ruffian and
sporting classes represented in these haunts,
but they are ~patronized by people OF the
best society, men as well as women. A few
days ago a raid was made upon a Joint
in St. Louis and the police took forty pris-
oners, OF whom seven were ladies OF wealth
and high social positions. Can anything
be more horrible? The danger to be feared
is the leading of the young into this habit.
Every Chinese residence is a plague spot
from which people should protect their
children as they value their lives, their pur-
ity and their future. Keep the children,
and especially susceptible young girls, from
these haunts. There are about hall a
dozen places in Butte given over to the
smoking of opium, the most objectionable
form in which it can be taken. These are
by both sexes and by all ma
tions and by all classes. Ii these places
could be uncovered and the community be
given an opportunity to take a glimpse into
them there would prevail the ~profoundest
astonishment and the most violent indig-
The eyes OF many parents, hus-
bands and wives would be opened to a
of the extent of the great evil.
The cause of the pale face and emaciated
which ave produceds SO much wonder
and 80 much worry, would be fully
explained. The time has come when. the
evil should be met by the authorities. The
police should be instructed to raid the
known '~joints" and to keep a watchful
for new ones. The evil has, too, a
wider thar a mere local application. 1t
has already spread itself all over the
try. The most stringent avs are demanded
to prevent it's extension and to bring about
it's suppression. These laws should be as
nearly uniform in the various States and
as possible, to the end that they
be the more effectively enforced. But
the one great step in the direction ofreform
will be the absolute estoppel OF Chinese i'm
The Chinese are a curse to the
white labor of America and a constant
menace to the morals of the country. They
be made to 60.