The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-20
FIGHT AGAINST
 EVILS OF OPIUM IN CHINA

.. the expenses were nearly doubly met by the gift to the treasury of s4s3gold from three gentlemen, of South Caro- iina--cotton nranufacturers--andl by Mr. Alcxqnder turning overs $S2 silver given to him personally to visit Pekin
 The courtesy extended by the lega- ton of the United States in making appointments at the Foreign Ofhce. in forwarding letters to the High Manda- rins and in zealously promoting the anki-opium cause cannot be too high .lylreccnimended. In an interview with Tang Shao-yis. vice president of the Foreign Office, his exeellency said, We need at this time -help from efery- one in every way He asked that the officers of the league keep him fully informed of the progress of the move ment. He hoped that there would be begun through all the villages and opium, so as to reach the uniearned populace. He said he had prepared the first draft of the opium prohibi- tons.
 "A statement about opium prepared while the writer was In Picking was courteousiy sent by the legation to the metropolitan yiceroy and in answer Il. E. Yuan shih-kai said On November II that the same was forwarded to the
 
 ber 22 the prohibition was published. The North China Daily News men tioned that personal representations at Picking hastened their issue. .ty
 linen ten anti-opium prohibitions, or as they may be termed, then ten anti-opium commandments, in their comprehensive grasp. particular speci- fications and prescribed penalties. form a wonderful document and remind Cal xrfo o Q An fo rry ftv. f '. commandments found in the Westmiu- ster Burger Catechism. A second edict has been issued by their fnajesties com manding the provincial officials to has, ten in carrying out the provisions of the prohibitions which are now the law of the land.
 "The British government hak placed itself in the foreground of the anti opium movem{nt by the sympathetic action Of H. H Ms Minister, Sir John Jordan. who seeks to deliver this na- ton from the thraIIdom of q mighty curse. The British consulates keep the government informed as to the restric- tions on the sale and consumption Of the poisonous drug. The correspond sHt 1s The Times, Dr. Morrison. ia a leading anti-opium advocate. The Eng fish journals in the Orient have uni ted in upholding and The North China
 
 cd to the anti-opium campaign. It's gifted editorials, widely gathered in- formation. and strong ethical articles have all tended to build up strong moral sentiment among Western resi- dents in the Central Empire. The native press in their editions of tens of thousands. has cried. Away with the trafficf Mandarins, who, for fear of the treaties, have kept quiet. are now prominent as opium reformers. The national rise of the patriotic spirit has for its focus the abolition of opium. The Government has planked it's ef- forts at reformation on4 its- power to break the cruel yoke of the worm eviI.' Tu Hal, as the viceroy, Tuan Fang, .erms opium smoking, and there is no question of the ultimate success of the movement. Here we have q despotic goverwnfnent and demo- cratic people uniting to save the most ancient of nations,
 Closing of Dems.
 @The first step in gradual emancipa- ' ton is the closing of the dens, and from information received from vari- ous parts of the land it is probable that during the summer and early fall alf the places for opium smoking threhgheut the Empire will be closed forever, These places number several hundred thousands, and if the devils that entered Into the swine were nam ied legion. the opium dens may Dc denonflnated million. Closing these dens is patent exponent of the fact that the Government and the people are in earnest; the smoking is reduced Ss per cent. and China's young men are saved from becoming victims of the hat 1t.
 The principal measures adopted in issuing licenses; in requiring the mu- tual security of ten shops for the sale of liquid opium; of appointing un- known watchmen at the doors to close the places which supply purchasers that bring no license, proved that the Chinese MaraariEate is suited to the Chinese people The Chinese anti opium societies with their headquar- fers at soochow and their network of branches throughout all the prov inces arc now at their zenith of influ- ence. The number of opium smoking officiaIs is reduced to minimum. The acreage of the poppy is surveyed and must be annually reduced.
 "There is one distinguished feature of this opium reformation which deliv- CTS 25 ,o00, O00 from the annual con- sumption of 100.00o,00o pounds avoir- dupois, and that is. the Humanitarian provision for the unfortunate habitues of the pipe and the splendid display of