Hutchinson gazette., 1900-12-20
KoNa XoNps OPIUM FARMER.
t,iS Position Lasts Only n yeHF, pnt Make
Him kIOh.

IfIBh NaNlHt ~ fpJhNll " w wv -
ml44on OF his it~Ow counnymen On
me ,SIand with baEel breach, 10 thtse
celeGtlaar, subieC,s of Quean NlgorA,
The emperor OF China " not nearly 20
greslt Il man as the "Jplum farmer
Lnd lhe queen h,raCf, compares w'h
"hls mlghIlnes@ OF the drug" Is IN
theW ey,s opiy " lar Away sovereign,
NOT hllf 20 imposing
In order TO legualG " SOME extent
the importation OF 0pluw into Hong
Kong aud to smpAfy 0ho collection OF
lutes the British government several
ytans ago decided ~ place the whole
pusIntss in the hanas OF ONE man.
RGl2,ng, however, the tremendous
and arultrary power that couI be
welded by a sing,e individual In snth
u poaGlOn, II was N,eo decided thnl the
once should he Gniy he'd one year,
and thalJ no person should be allowed
40 keep H. for more tlgln ~ single term,
so that N WAS announced that the
government was prepared 10 accept
bids for the privilege.
Srpe that time the selection oi nm
"op!um farmer as he ~ called, mas
BECOME an annual event, The highest
bll generally ranges from SAOO,OOO 10
n mi1lon do,ars, according no the
prospects fcr the poppy crop Tor the
year and the condglion Of the market.
rhe successful applicant h duly ga
zcyted in his position. and he Is gwen
dhe a,.sls,ance of fleet OF n dozen
swift government customs vessels 10
prptoct his interests He himself em-
p,5ys several junks no guard his busl.
nees against smugglers, bur he must
only use thege boats for obtaining IN.
formation, II he sacures knowledge
Of smuggling operations he turns Ii
over 10 the authorities, who run me
malefacl0ra down, Nearly every week
In the year there Is smart sklrmlsh
between thp gampanS Il the smugglers
from the mainland of China and the
revenue cutters, Pretty little battles
some Of than are, too, and very useful
in giving young British mdlles ana
Junior naval officers their irst laSte
of sca igh,ng,
The opium farmer has the sole con.
tro Of every pound of the drug
hrought into Hong Kong, aud he gem
erally makes from q million to $500
1000 clear profit In his year Of ollice'
The government gCls much more from
him thaM II could secure II II @.
temr,ed 70 colcr. the duties itstIf, ana
gets A in n lump sum without The
enormous amount OF trouble ana the
Iarge fcrce laf officers that would 9TH
erwlss be necessary, The opium farm.
cr's satauled men watch all incoming
BOATS and rs IL Is a case of ChMoman
agalnst Chinamnn very little OF the
raw materlall gets past him.
At the end Of his term of once he
gives a great dinner TO government
officials, newspaper men ana the Jeau'
ing Chmese merchants OF the colony
This dinner ia onc of the three great
events of the Hong Kong year. The
Other two are the polo championship
games and the sham baItt'e between
the Nroops in the garrison. AS u mat
ter Of fapt, enough natural pride Keeps
them from openly acknowledging H.,
The white people ofllong Kcmg look on
this unique dinner as by far the most
interesting uGlsir in the social clIen.
dar,
When a Chnlman makgS up his
mind to do u hing handsomely he
genoraily goes to the lim't The OPP
ium farmer always makes his dinner
whlch Ia a sort Of farewell to his
brief reign OF cnaIr Of the opium
smokers, something TO be remembered
by his white friends, Indeed, he laN'
aside "a large sum Of money from S2O,,
900 to S25 900. fer the banquet, and nd,
WAYS reck,ms II as u legitimate item
of eXpeml.c when he figures up his
bid to the government at the begin
ming of the year.
A week before the close of his term
OF Office the farmer sends out his
invttaEions. These are always verbal
fleClverpd to the lucky r,cilieni by a
shroff, n polite lltlJle native clerk VINO
comes TO YOUR door with a smile and
a bow. rnd in "a long blue gown reach
ing to his heels, and tells yon that his
maslter desires the honor Of your pres
encIe at the Wong Tai 10 restaurant
ITO molpatly sup with him from a
lMtle dish or two in token of your
gOcd will"
The invitation needs no response
The shroiI takes 1t for granted that
you will postpone . trip TO Europe
10 get to that dinner, and he is right
There are no vacant seats when inc
ceremonies begin.
The Wong Tai Lo restaurant, where
an these affairs are given, Is the Chr
neSe Delmonicos cf Hong Kong. 1t
sDmndl in the heNrt Of the native quar-.
ter, five story frame building eIabor
ately carved, with broad balconies la
den with towering plants and creeperS
and the usual huge feast lanterns
swayng Ito the wind
You are met at the ground tIoor en-.
trance Of the restaurant by one OF the
farmers representatives. clad in gor-
geous silks. who gives your char OF
riCkshaw coolies directions about the
time for their return and shows you
upstairs to the great dining room on
The third floor. The tables, which
run in three parallel lines down the
length Of the apartment. are bare OF
everything except the usual silver.
ware, with ivory chop sticks added
The big expense of white cloth has q
pecu'.ary hospitabe and restauIanN