The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-10-22
EFFECTS OF INToxicANTs AND
OPIUM UPON NATIVE RACES.

Joseph Chamberlain, British Seore-
tary OF State for the Colonies. said
recently that the liquor traffic among
native races is not only discredit-
able to the British name" but it is
also disastrous to British trade" as
Il destroys all trade by destroying the
population. An interesting book on
this subject OF the effect OF intoxica-
ting liquors upon native races has
Just been issued by the Reform Blu
reau in Washington. says the Literary
Digest. in which the testimony OF
scores OF missionaries, travellers, and
newspaper correspondents in Africa.
Asia. and the islands OF the sea is
given. A reading OF all this mass OF
testimony. prepared independently by
so many witnesses, seems to show
that the worst curse OF Africa and
the islands OF the Pacific is American
liquor. and that the worst curse of
India and China is British opium. The
American Government has been very
slow 20 Join in the treaty to prevent
the sale Of liquor to the natives IN
Africa twelve countries, including
Spain and Turkey signed the treaty
before the United States signed III;
and while England has forbidden her
subjects to sell liquor 20 the natives
OF the Pacific islands. the American
traders continue to sell it unchecked.
In India and China, however. the Brit
fish Government is given the lions
share Of the blame for the sale OF
opium. which is said to be demoraliz-
ing millions Of the people
Bishop Hartzerl, OF the Methodist
Church, who has been IN Africa four
years. is quoted as saying that seven
ty-five per cent OF the Generalization
OF the natives in their home life and
character comes from the use Of In
toxicating drink; and Rev. Charles
Satchell Morris. who has travelled ex
tensively in Africa. declares that mo
fewer than 100000 savages go forth
20 die every year as result Of the
trafic" Rev. James Johnson, ma
tive pastor OF the island OF Lagos. is
quoted as saving. similarly: Negroes
have proved themselves able to sur
vive the evils OF the slave trade. cruel
as they were. but they show that they
have no power whatever to withstand
the terrible evils OF the drink. Sure
ly you must see that the death of the
negro race is simply a matter OF
time. And Rev. David A. Day ex-
claims In a few decades more, il
the rum traffic continues, there viii
be nothing left on the west coast OF
Africa for God to save The vile rum
in this tropical climate is depopulat-
ing the country more rapidly than
famine. pestilence. and war" These
are eorroborsted by many |
more OF similar tone: but 1t seems
not unlikely that the conditions they |
describe win be greatly amelIorated |
By the treaty mentioned above, which
was ratified by the United States Sen
ate last December. This treaty pro-
tects the natives in Central Africa;
he natives or the northern part of
he continent are protected by Mo-
prohibition. those OK the
southern part by British prohibition.
These prohlbitory enactments pro-
teet the natives only. several mis-
sionaries state that seventy-hve per
cent OF the deaths OF European trad
ers and other white Inhabitants Of
Lagos and the west coast Of Africa
are due 10 the excessive use Of In
toxicating liquor. and nothing il be-
Ing done 70 decrease this ratio.
John G. Patton. the celebrated mis-
slonary pioneer who has spent nearly
years in the islands Of the
Pacific. says thar the gospel has paci-
led the natives and thus prepared the
way for trade. only to be followed BY
he Introduction Of rum and brandy.
whieh make che natives anything but
Desceable. "A savage. drunk on trad
rs rum. and armed With traders
nusket. he says. is thing Of hor~
'or. My son would have been killed
" bullet from an American gun.
old BY an American trader to ma
i've. n the noble chief before men
toned Tone Of Mr. Pasoa's convertsl
lad not thrown himself between the
ialf-drunk native ana the missionary.
MY to fan dying with the bullet in !
Is own body Il
Great Britain has forbidden her sub
scts to sen liquor to the natives IN L