The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-02-02
Opium

IL might seem that everything has been said that
can be said of the danger TO the very life of this
people by license of this drug, and all must be
aware of the fearful hold il takes of those who
it. how it Injuries them rs laberers if il dees not
fit its victims entirely for any physical mental
exertion how seductive It is and how soon it gets
an untelenting hold of those who once begin its
use. And yet every two years it looms up, and the
country is threatened with arenewal of Its license
IL there were more native Hawailaus who use IL so
that il could more effectively be used as a bride
for their votes, the country would not probably be
free from an opium license longer than the next
legislature. There are now, il is said, very few
Hawaiians who use opium, and the number of
Chinese who II has greatly decreased since the
law making its use and possession contraband
was passed. But every year sees the number of
Chinese in this country greater than before. and
makes the POSSIBILITIES OF greater gain IN the opium
trade more allurlng. The trade has always been
profitable, and we may be sure the Chinese, who
understand well the persuasive nature of bribes
will each session Of the legislature try every
in their power to secure the repeal of the prohibit
ory law. There certainly IS danger ahead unless
there should be majority of Independents IN the
next legislature. The country was never in more
need OF revenue than no s, and will it neglect to
use this means of raising it. when by licensing this
poison it can secure in licenses and duties, perhaps
one hundred thousand dollars year? When we
remember how the government has forced the sa-
loon on unwilling people we have reason for the
gravest fears in regard to the opium traffic.
When opium was sold before it was restricted to
Chinese, but Hawaiians used 1t, and "it is estim
ated that when the prohibiory law went into effect
from 800 to 1000 natives had acquired the opium
habit and many of these were women. To my
own knowledge white men were using 1t also.
Since the passage of the prohibitory law the num-
Der of Hawaiians who use it, is not thought to be
more than fifty or one hundred. and Mr.. Castle
said in his excellent article on Opium in Hawaii'
published two years ago, that this decrease was
due not so much to reform as the prohibitOry law.
Opium cannot be had as it once could
The most unwilling must admit that since liquor
became free to ALL drunkenness has greatly in
creased among Hawaiians, and if opium shall be
licensed, if only as before, to Chinese the natives
will &c. il.
Why should there e what is practically special
legislation for the Chinese IN licensing a drug
which only they, and the few who have learned its
use though them, care to use. When the Mormons
had an interview with kamehameha relative 10
Mormon Settlement being founded here, that
king told them they could come like other immi-
grants but they could not bring their practice of
polygRmy with them. It would be Just as fair and
right to say the vice of using opium which is here
almost as distinctively Chinese now, as the prac-
tce of polygamy would have been distinctively
Mormon. il would be as right to say that vice the
Chinese must leave behind them when they come
here, and they shall not jeopardize the safety Of
/ other people by temutiug them 10 its use.