The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-11-22
CHINA'S OPIUM FARMER.
HAS SOLE CONTROL OF ALL THE
DOPE AT HONG KONG.

Chinaman who, while his brief
reign lasts IL spoken of by the quarter
OF Il million of his fellow countrymen
on the island with bated breath, says
the Chicago Tlmes-Herald. TO these
Celestials. subjects Of Queen Victoria,
the Emperor of China Is not nearly so
great n man as the "opium farmer
and the Queen herself. compared with
"hls mlghtiness of the drug" is in
their eyes only far-away sovereign,
not half so imposing.
In order to regulate to some extent
the importation of opium into Hong
Kong and to simplify the collection of
duties the British Government several
years ago decided to place the whole
business in the hands of Que man,
Realizing. however, the tremendous
and arbitrary power that could be
welded by single Individual in such
position. it was also decided that
the Office should only be held one year,
and that no person should be allowed
TO keep it for more than single term.
So It was announced that the Govern.
ment was prepared to accept bids for
the privilege.
Since that time the selection of an
opium farmer" as he is called. has
become an annual event. The highest
bid generally ranges from 100000 to
100000 taels, according to the pros.
poets of the poppy crop for the year
ana the condition of the market. The
successful applicant Is duly gazetted
in his position, and he Is given the us.
sistance of fleet of dozen swift
Government customs vessels to pro.
tect his interests. He himself EN-.
ploys several junks to guard his bust
ness against smugglers. but he must
only use these boats for the purpose
of obtaining information. II he secures
knowledge of smuggling operations he
turns 1t over to the authorities, who
run the malefactors down. Nearly
every week In the year there is n
Of the smugglers from the mainland
of China, and the revenue cutters,
Pretty little battles some of them are,
too, and very useful in giving young
British middles and junior naval OIL.
GERS their first taste of sea lighting,
The opium farmer has the sole con
troll of every pound Of the drug brought
into Hong Kong, and he generally
makes from S2lO,000 to 100000 clear
profit in his year of office. The GOV.
ernment gets much more from him
than il could secure If It attempted to
collect the sum without the enormous
amount of trouble and the large force
Of officers that would otherwise be
necessary. The opium farmers sal
arled men watch nll incoming boats,
and as 1t Is Il case of Chinnman
against Chinaman very little OF the
raw material gets past him.
At the end of his term of Office he
| gives great dinner to Government
officials. newspaper men and the lead.
ing Chinese merchants of the colony.
This dinner Is one of the three great
events of the Hong Kong year. The
other two are the polo championship
games and the sham battle between
the troops in the garrison. AS 4 mat.
ter of fact, though natural pride keeps
them from openly acknowledging It,
the white people of Hong Kong look
on this unique dinner us by far the
most Interesting affair in the social
calendar.
When u Chinaman makes up his
mind TO do thing handsomely he
generally goes to the limit The opium
farmer always makes his dinner,
which Is Il sort OF farewell to his brief
reign of Car Of the opium smokers,
something to be remembered by his
white friends. Indeed. he lays aside
n large sum OF money, from $4,000 to
S2o,O00, for the banquet. and always
recl<ons it as a legitimate item of ex.
pense when he figures up his bid to
the Government at the beginning Of
the year.
a week before the close of his term
of office the farmer sends out his in.
Vitations. These are always verbal,
delivered to the lucky recipient by II
shrOif, polite native clerk, who comes
to your door with smile and bow,
clad in long blue gown reaching to
his heels, ana tells you that his mas.
ter desires the honor of your presence
ut the Wong Tai Lo Restaurant ito
modestly sup with him from little
dish or two IN token of your good
will"
Ihc invitation needs no response
The shroff takes il FOR granted that
! you would postpone II trip to Europe
to get to that dinner. and he is right
There are no vacant seats when the
ceremonies begin.
The Wong TAI Lo Restaurant, where
all these affairs are given, IL the Chi.
nese Delmonico's of Hong Kong. 1t
stands In the heart of the native quar-
ter, five-story frame building. elab.
Orately carved, with broad balconies
laden with Towering plants and creep
ers and the usual huge feast lanterns
swaying in the wind.
You are met at the ground floor Ell.
trance of the restaurant by one OF the
farmers representatives clad In gorge
ous silks, who gives your chair or
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 every.
thing except the usual silYerware, with
ivory chopstlcks added. The big ex.
panse of white cloth has Il peculiarly
\.