The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-07-11


presents the United States as the champion Of the
anti-opium cause. In this she has a powerful allv
i'll the empire OF the Rising Sum- so to-day we find
the two great powers controlling the Pacific basin
tactly forming Anti-Opium Alliance for the
suppression of the opium traffic on the coast of
Asia The Report presents in a charming way the
parallel lines of action pursued by the two govern
ments.
The Philippine Commission, consisting of a
bishop, colonel, and DOCTOR briefly refer to the
Report of the Royal Commission in 1906. "The
British Report did not close; on the contrary it
only opened investigation regarding a subject in
which history, observation and the progress of
scientific methods and knowledge all have part
, to play"
1t reviews the consumption of the drug in
China, Hongkong, Saigon, Straits Settlements,
and Java-thus giving interesting description
OF things III the China seas-but devotes its prnci-
pal attention to Formosa and the Philippines
where two great nations exercising a restric-
tive power on the and sale of this poison
The Report says "The opium law of Japan for
bids the Importation, the possession, and the use
OF the drug, except medicine" so rigid are
the provisions of the law that it is sometimes
especially in interior towns, almost impossible to
secure opium or its alkalods in cases of medical
necessity" "The Japanese to a man fear opium
as we fear the cobra the rattesnake and they
desplse its victims" Neither the desire for
opium, nor its vicious has ever existed in
Japan But with nation notorious Tor its aban-
donment to the habit only few miles away guild
caution possible to avoid contamination" Not
only they under the surveillance of an efficient
police but one might say, under that of the whole
Japanese nation" "The opium question in Japan
is viewed solely problem"
when action Gin Formosa) was eventually
taken in 1907 the law that put into effect took
the shape of regulative system looking forward
to the gradual suppression of the of opium. 1t
might be termed progressive prohibition" "The
drug is handled and the traffic and sale controlled
solely by the government" "The cultivation of
the poppy in Formosa is forbidden" "The pos
session of the instruments used in opium smok-
ing is forbidden any but physicians, apothecaries,
etc" mo one is allowed to purchase or use opium
unless he is licensed to do so as chronic morpho-
maniac" "By refusing to give new licenses to
the rising generation the increase of habitues is
checked at its source and the company of smokers
confined to those who were addicted to the use
of the drug prior to 1000" Decrease in regis
tered smokers, decrease in imports, decrease in
revenue, all indicate progress"
The Report of the Commission says: eft is
not perhaps generally known that in the only in
stance where America has made official utterances
relative to the of opium in the East, she has
spoken with no uncertain voice. By treaty with
China in 1880 and in 1903 American bottoms
are allowed to carry opium in Chinese waters"
1T is due to a recognition that the use of opium
is an evil for which no financial gain compen-
safe and which America will not allow her citi-
zens to encourage passively."
"In the judgment of the Committee the imme-
dale enforcement or proh1Dtive law TN the
Philippines) would be warranted only as proven
tive measure where the vice is as yet unknown"
ut is important to note that almost everywhere
the Committee found opium-smoking freely per-
mitted; the use of the hypodermc syringe
Stunning alarming proportions" "This phenomenon
(the irrepressible craving for opium) forms
of the most noticeable characteristics of the opium
habtue. At regular hours of the day he is seized,
in manner well-nigh fatal by an undefnab1e
sensation, as imperous the of hunger.
his craving, which constitutes passion, is YER
table mania"