The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-13
islands and for other purposes" ap-
proved March 3, 1905
Opium Bill Pending.

There is now pending before the Phil
] ippine committee for public discussion
bill providing for the suppression of
opium smoking, which penalties the
sale of opium to Filipinos or its use by
/ them; second, il prohibits the sale of
| opium to any Chinaman unless he be
registered as an habitual user Of the
drug. License taxes are imposed on
wholesale and retailer dealers, who are
/ subject to close regulation and scrU-
| tiny The text of the bill has not been
received, but only a cable summary.
| This bill, if it becomes a law, will by
reason of the congressional restriction
above set out, cease to have effect until
April, 1908, and at that time an i'm
pOrtation of opium into the islands viii
cease except for medicinal purposes
and the importation for that purpose
will be made by the government only
! The interval of two years before the
absolute prohibition applies is made in
accordance with the successful policy
| followed in FOrmOsa by the japanese
who did not put into operation the pro-
hibition until after three years of
preparation, during which licenses were
imposed, and q registered list of habit
ual users was required. The proposal
license bill follows exactly the recon-
mendatiOn Of the investigating commit
tee, but If It passes it viii affect the
same purpose in a somewhat different
way.
Bill Was Passed.
supplement to the secretary's let
ter is contained in a cablegraIn received
from the governor general of the Phil
ippine islands at Manila indicating
that the public discussion on the pro-
posed opium bill has been finished and
that the bill was passed. There was
little opposition except from clergy
oily, but in view of the short time before
the total prohibition was not stTenu-
Gus in its advocacy. 1t was felt by the
commission. it is announced in the re-
port, that the establishment of govern
ment monopoly, with the necessary
forces of employees was impracticable,
in view of the act in thta the impor-
tation and use of the opium was to be
prohibited after about two years, under
the act Of congress approved March 3,
1905.
The bill in its general terms provides
for the abolition of the opium traffic.
in accordance with the provisions of
this act of congress, which prohibits
the importation of opium, in whatever
form. after March I. 1908. except by the
government, and for medicinal pur-
poses only. and makes it unlawful at
any time to sell opium to any native
of the Philippine islands except for
medicinal purposes. The commissions
proposed high license bill makes it IN
lawful to sell opium to any native Of
the Philippines except for medicinal
purposes, and the provisions as to Ii
ceuse shall apply only TO the Chinese.
and only those of the Chinese who are
now habitual users of the drug; it
penalties any use of opium unless pre-
scribed by a physician by any except
registered habitual users among the
! Chinese. who are required to pay a Ii
cenSe of five pesos, and who must use
the drug in their own residences; au-
thorizes use by hospitals and physi-
clans and sale by pharmacist on physi-
clans prescription; penalties posses
sion except by authorized persons; pro-
vides machinery regulating wholesale
and retail dealers; regulates sales
withdra walls and records. substantially
as with liquors in internal revenue law,
requires license and bond for wholesale
dealers and imposes a high license on
wholesale and retail dealers.
The bill provides that revenues re-
ceived from this source are to be used
in disseminating information concern
ing the evils of opium using, payment
of hospital expenses of habitual users
desiring cure. payment of the expense
of Filipino students in the United
States, salaries of Filipino teachers in
the islands. and the construction of
school buildings.