The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-10-27
cH1NA'S OPIUM TRADE.
Great Britain's Part in a Traffic
Condemned by the Civilized
World.

There seems to be no end to the
number of uneasy, fussy people who
have got the idea that nations should
not continue wicked and oppressive
practices merely because they are prof.
table and who even 60 so far as to In
sist that nations have some rights that
ought to be respected, even it their
civiliz ,tion, customs and ideas differ
from our own. and the inhabitants are
unlike us In color. The latest out
break of these unreasonable and IRE
sponsible agitators is the action OF the
international Reform Bureau at its re-
cent m citing in Buffalo, proposing
that when the closing of the war in
the far East reopens call Chinese ques-
tions." Great Britain shall be pressed
to release the Chinese government
from flts obligation not to interfere
with the:opium traffic imposed upon
it by the treaty which ended the wal
OF 1902.
The facts In regard to this are well
known to most people, but they will
always bear repeating. All understand
that the curse of the lower classes Of
the Chinese people is the deadly vice
of eating and smoking opium. Up te
the year 1910 traffic In opium was lille
gal by Chinese law, although it wal
largely carried on in an illicit manner
by the usual methods of bribing the
administrative officials The principal
benefciarles Of this unlawful traffic
we're British merchants, who bought
opium in India at very low prices and
sold it in China at very high prices.
As the traffic increased there was an
increasing disposition on the part Of
the higher authorities to put an end to
1t, and sometime in 1887 the British
commissioner was directed to driye
away the British opium ships and
traders and direct them to stay away
1t was not done and the trade contin.
ued. In 1889 the Chinese government
appointed a special commissioner with
instructions to thoroughly break up
the illicit trade at Canton, who seized
and destroyed all the opium he could
find. The trade, however, continued
and the continued endeavor to cup
press it, with the rather natural desire
to get rid of all intercourse with ma
ton which persisted in ignoring and
violating Chinese domestic legislation
ended in an aggressive war by Great
Britain which resulted in compelling
China to pay an Indemnity" of $21,
600, 900, of which SC, 100000 was ex
pressly named as compensation fo1
opium seized and destroyed in the &C,
OF being struggled into China, and tt
cease further interference with thu
opium traffic. That treaty and tha,
traffic continue in force today, and BY
that and various other treaties with
the "powers" China is virtually forbid
den to exclude opium in any form
when offered for importation. Res
ponslble high Chinese officials art
quoted as saying that the Chimes
government would Immediately restor,
the edict OF 1889, 1t permitted to d,
so, and this bureau of sentimental per
cons proposes to exert pressure OF
Great Britain to obtain her consent
AS no other nation will object ",
are likely to have an opportunity t,
see just what Great Britain will d,
when the interests of civilization an,
decency conflict with the pecuniar,
Interests of British merchants.