Semi-weekly herald., 1907-12-09

l HfRA'ahH VI Ah' NiiNlHNitth hattbhSr tht
opium dens OF China will probably
soon be thing OF the past. Within
the last few months determined and
partially successful effort has beea
made by the authorities To wipe out
china's greatest curse In the native
| quarter Of Shanghai the opium trade
has been entirely ohliterated. and
similar crusade is now being waged
in Canton aud other great cities
throughout the empire. The opium
trade, introduced In the empire OF
the dragon as the result of the cupid
| ity of Occidental traders. is slowly be-
ing wiped out. Nearly all public smols-
ing places in the great centers OF
population are being closed. 1t is not
expected that the smoking of opium
VIII be stopped Immediately. Confirm
ed and habitual smokers VIII be IL
ccnses and win be allowed to con.
tinue the use Of the drug under GER
tain restrictions The coming genera
| ton is to be saved from the degreda-
tion that the foreign DEVILS" have
wrought
1t is significant fact that the awak-
ening Of China should lead, as one of
its first manifestations, 10 the great
ethical movement such as the anti.
opium crusade has already become.
For China is rapidly awakening from
its long slnmber II is training its
soldiers In the arts OF modern warfare
and in the course OF few years will
probably be able to take It's place
from military standpoint among the
great nations of the world. This does
not necessarily involve what is call.
cd the yellow peril" The Chinese
are not and probably never will be a
militant warlike people. As one prom
lnent statesman expressed It, China
has had its period of barbarism, when
II indulged In war. many thousands
OF years ago and has now passed that
stage. Some OF these days, however.
when the Chinese army has become
strong enough to cope with other na.
tions, China rs likely to have ''Bos-
ton tea party" OF ltH own. and all the
opium will be dumped into the sea.
When the opium regulations were
Issued from the throne 1t Peiing
year ago the white devils" at Holg
Kong and other centers OF European
activity smiled cynioally at what they
termed the bluff" of the old dowager
empress. No one believed that the
drastic measures would or could be
made effective. Even the most reluct-
ant OF the foreigners, who have stead
fastly refused to believe that China
Is reglly endeavoring to uplift her
self, are now aware that the opium
traffic is doomed The movement is
steady and spreading rapidly and The
number of anti-opium societies is in
creasing rapidly These organizations
are composed mainly of young men
ana students, and they cooperate with
the officials in every way possible. In
the face of such an awakened public
sentiment, no European nation would
dare publicly defend the opium traffic
in China. The day in which England
forced opium upon China with guns
and warships Is past.
Although the imperial decree allow
cd nine years of grace before totally
prohibiting the sale or use of opium.
practical prohibition already exists in
many cities. including Peking. Paoting
and Tientsin. The regulations through.
out the empire are enforced by the
local magistrates. who ars under or.
ders from the yiceroys. Morphia in
lection houses are prohibited. as well
as opium smoking dens. Failure OF
magistrates to enforce the law en-
wolves severe penalties. and the Chi
nese prohibitory laws thus actually
prohibit.
IL is alleged that the British govern
ment has consented to the order pro-
hbltIng the opium trade and has
signed an agreement with the PekIng
government TO reduce the Importation
gradually until the entire trade ceases
at the end OF nine years. provision
is added, however. that II China fails
to entirely abolish the opium habit
within this period, the Pekilg gov
ernment shall be fined an amount
equal to three times the opium revenue
it collected annually for ten years be-
fore the reduction OF opium lmporta-
ton.
According to the rules issued by the
government. all opium smokers under
so years of age must quit the habit
within the next three years. All opium
smokers must furnish their names and
addresses. the quantity they smoke
daily and other important particulars.
Licenses are issued TO such registered
smokers TO enable them to buy daily
supplies from the licensed opium
shops. Any dealer who sells to other
than registered smoker forfeits mis-
license and becomes subject to a se-
we're penalty. Hospitals for the cure
o. the habit have been established in