The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-07-20

TIE opium question which has been
opened out IN the House Is indeed one
which must make good men pause, That
the present Minister OF Foreign Affairs
snd whilom editor of the Government
organ should rush in heedlessly and re
peat nonsense which has been retailed 70
him by interested parties during the short
time he hiss been resident IN the country,
Is by no means surprising. But eheap
clsptrSp Of this kind. got up IN the per
funcsory manner of this Minister, no mat
ter how stolidly delivered IN the House,
Is not going 10 give g solution 10 ques-
ton which hiss exercised the minds of the
thinkers Of the country for the past twenty
years
License or non license of opium has
been great erIIx, tor TO put ii more plainly
s terrible pitfall. into which would be po-
htic2l thinkers, and practically political
charlstanS, must fall 1t Is q subject upon
which it IS 50 easy to get off plstitudes.
The line can be taken of increased reve-
nue., and then the addition Is made that by
licensing opium aIl necessity for trying to
keep the drug out OF the country Is done
away with. that the holders Of the license
VIII take care that no smuggling takes
place. The folly of this argument has
been shown UP eonelusiyely in the BZilstiE.
This line argues that private firm Is to
be stronger than the Government and the
suggestion Is made that the license be
handed over TO Mr.. Spreckeis. since 1t Is
known that he Is greater than the present
OF the past Cabinet, for he made them
both
But this. though by no means a poor
argument. Is not the most crushing which
can be brought against the opium bill.
When we license this drug and make
man pay . high price for the privilege OF
selling 1t, we become parties to one of the
most Infamous crimes that have ever been
conmittedin the name of Legislation. and,
God knows these have been frequent
enough. The man or men who take the
license must sell enough opium to give
them g handsome profit. They take the
thing only To make profit. and 1t viii be to
their interest to increase the appetite for
this pernicious drug. II VIII not be only
the Chinaman who has required already
the vicious habit, that viii be sought as
customer. To make profit. new lines Of
trade VIII have 10 be opened out. new
appetite created OF those who put their
money IN Of those who vote for this bill
who vii care for the wrecked homes the
hopeless lives the misery and crime which
viii be entaileds None, = 1t Is strict
business transaction . VIII be the remark of
the holder Of the license = 1t brings reYe-
nue. to the country shout the alien Minis
tiers and the eI-3Iormon Gibson Yes,
revenue, indeed-the wages OF the devil
and nothing else II this bill passes, a
crime viii have been committed An
opium license was granted here once be
fore, and while it held It's Own, native after
native fell under It's baneful sway, and the
opium habit was spreading fast among the
people Since the license has been dis
continued. the habit has died out among
the natives The alien Ministry then.
would calmly and quietly thrust the Ha-
Eaiian IN the way OF temptation to which,
had they lived IN the country but few
years, they must have known he would
succumb. The only excuse We can find
for Messrs Creighton and Dare Is igno-
ranc-for Dir. Gibson there Is no excuse.
he Is malieiously endeaEOring to debaueh
/ and destroy the native race. What with
ignorance and malice combined. it does
not seem as IL the Hawaiian Is likely to
have very happy future The Hawai-
isns- e & people, have stood good deal
( but We do not believe that they can stomach
this opium bill They know that the
wages OF sin Is DEATH and that this bill
viii bring, DEATEl