The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-27
SOMETHING ABOUT THE
PROFITABLE OPIUM TRADE
How the English Government Has Practical Monopoly the
Growth and Sale of the Drug in It's Crude Form.

Few people have any idea Of tho vast
of opium. The consumption and tho man
ufacture Of this drug. far from being on
the decline, are on the increase to an al
most incredible extent. The greed for
gold is far more predominant in the hui
man makeup than Is the philanthropic
spirit which seeks to elevate mankind,
tho It's purse may suffer In so doing.
England reaps more benefit from the Gull
tivatton of opium than all other nations
put together.
In the district Of Bengal alone there
are nearly 100000 acres devoted exclu-
sively to the cultivation Of the poppy It's
cultivation Is legalized and in every way
encouraged by the British government,
which has an absolute monopoly Of this
industry in India. The two principal dis
tricts are presided over by and under tho
direct control Of English officials residing
at Pa tina and Ghaztpur. The Bahar agency
embraces an opium field Of about 500, 900
acres, and that Of Benares is close sec
ond with 473.500 acres devoted to the Gull
tivation Of this much talkedof drug.
There is a fierce dispute going on Just
now as to the relative merits or dement's
of opium. Many eminent men in the sci
entitic world openly declare that opium Is
a blessing. The government experts in
lLS Guilty WIicIo L. GROWS SO 81 LII his
to say that opium is a blessing instead Of
being a curse to the natives. However,
the vast majority Of mankind will long be
of the undivided opinion that opium Is the
most all-crushing curse that afflicts man.
The enthusiasts, or rather, extremists, Of
the international Anti-Opium society pic
ture the condition Of India under the ban
of opium in the most dreadful manner
possible. According to one of these men
all Of the 100000, 900 Of human beings in
Asia are exposed to the evils of the opium
trade as legalized by the British govern
! ment. In order to derive revenue from
| it, the Indian government issues licenses
| for the sale and consumption of this pois-
onous drug In vile places in all large cities.
| like Calcutta, Bombay, Madras Lucknow
! and Maulmain and in all towns and villages
| Of India and Burma. These licenses are
| not issued for the purpose Of limiting the
sale of something that cannot be prohib-
tied, but they are issued with the require
ment that the holder Of the license must
sell a stipulated quantity or pay forfeit!
| The more sold the more revenue the Eng
| fish crown will receive. AS the opium Is
! bought from the government agents, OF
| course it Is known how much the holder OF
the license sells. A member of parliament
who was most bitterly opposed to this
traffic has been travelling thru India gath.
| ering facts and seeing for himself what
the condition Of the natives is under ar
unrestricted use Of opium.
It Is worth a long journey to visit the
poppy fields when the season begins. In
February, as rule, the plant Is in full
flower and has attained height Of three
| or four feet Each stem has from two tic
five capsules Of the size Of ducks egg
! This Is the time for the all important
operation of gathering the juihce. Before
the capsules are pierced the fallen petals
of the flowers are carefully gathered and
! sorted, according to condition, in three
grades They are heated over slow fire
and formed into thin cakes, to be used 70,
! the covering Of the drug when collected
This done, the piercing Of the pods begins