Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-23
nished to the Ching Wu-chen. In the
province Of Picking these duties will fail

nished to the Ching Wu-chen.' In the
province Of Picking these duties will fan
upon the mayor and the police department
II within ten years any locality can claim
that 1t Is without a single opium smoker
among Its citizens the officials concerned
diligently made known that in the enforce
ment of these regulations Matchmaking and
falce charges from the yamen runners are
not to be countenanced. In fact. all pre-
cautions should be taken by the responsible
officials against such charges In Justice to
the people. The people are specifically in
vited to make known to the officials viola.
tons Of this regulation. II any occur. and
penalties will be inflicted"
Opium Prohibited to officials.
Article reads as follows: "Oficials are
strictly prohibited from the use of opium.
The limit Of ten years is given to the peo-
pie only. The officials are the leaders and
guides Of the people. II they have such
habits. how can they be expected to have
good influence upon the people? Therefore
officials must Be treated with more severity
In order to Set an example to the people.
Hereafter officials Of all grades above sixty
years Of age-inveterate smokers, unable
to break OF the habit-are. as In the case
Of the common people. exempt from the
provisions Of these regulations. Those un-
der sixty, DO they princes. members Of the
nobility. heads Of departments. Tartar gen.
erals, or any other rank, who smoke opium
are granted leave Of six months. on APP
plication. to rid themselves OF the vice.
During their period Of absence other ON
cials will be appointed to act for them.
II they can actually cure themselves with
IN the specified time. on proof of same
they will be permitted to resume their
original offices. II. on account of Ill health
they are afraid to undergo the hardship
of breaking from the habit. II they are
nobles or inheritors of titles Of nobility
other members of the families will~be- Sc
lScted~ to inherit said titles; and such ofh-
Gals will be retired from the service: II
any one fails to make q true report Of his
case, once having been detected or i'm
peached, he will be Immediately discharged
in disgrace. All superior officials are re-
will not escape punishment on the failure
of each Of their subOrdinates individually
to make true report of his case. Be 1t
further proclaimed that all teachers OF
navy. If they be opium smokers, are hereby
granted six months to break of the use
of opium"
The World Will Watch.
The operation of these reforms will be
watched with the greatest interest through
out the world. They represent tremen-
dous and unprecedented undertaking. You
can judge Of the extent of the opium vice
when you know that nearly $4,000, 600
worth of the drug is legitimately imported
into China every year and probably as
much more Is produced in the empire. 1t Is
used by all classes of people. and when the
habit is once fastened upon victim 1t Is
almost impossible to break 1t or. There
are hundreds OF thousands Of dealers and
keepers OF opium dens whose business
will be entirely destroyed: and importers
and manufacturers, both native and for
eign, will lose large incomes which they
derive from the traffic. These include the
influential men in every community, and
ly submit to the suppression Of the vice
from which they make their living, even
II their patrons have the moral courage
and determination to shake 1t off,
AS everybody knows, opium destroys the
will-power more completely than any other
any pain or humiliation, will take any
risk and expose themselves to any danger
in order to crafty their cravings. The
liquor habit is trivial in its evil effect COM
pared with the use Of opium. So that it
cannot be expected that the edict, even of
of China, will accomplish the reform. Nor
Is 1t possible to eradicate the evil In ten
years, or even ten times ten years. 1t is
going to be long struggle. If the govern
ment Of the United States were to under
take the entire suppression of the liquor
habit, to prohibit the use of whisky, wine
and beer by the people of this country, 1t
would not be one-half as difficult as the
reform which the Chinese government has
inaugurated. And, unless 1t receives the
cordial support of Great Britain. France
and the Netherlands. from whose colonies
the foreign supply Of opium comes, its eff
forts will be futile.