The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-03-15
The OPIUM TRAFFIC
UNITED STATES TAKES LEAD IN
WAR UPON WORLDS CURSE"
International Conference Which Shall
Devise Measure for Suppression
Of Use Of the Drug.

Washington, March 1.-THE United
States government has taken the in
itiative In inaugurating a new war
upon the opium vice. Following q
careful sounding of Great Britain,
China and Japan, the three countries
directly interested, Assistant Secre-
tary Of State Bacon, with the approval
of President Roosevelt, has extended
an invitation to all the powers having
possessions in the far east to partici-
pate in an international conference
which shall devise measures for the
suppression of the use of opium If this
be possible, or at least it's restriction.
Negotiations on this subject have
been in progress since last September.
At that time the president received
from Bishop Charles II. Bret, since
1902 bishop of the Episcopal church
for the Philippine islands, a letter
calling his attention to the spread Of
opium smoking in the archipelago, and
urging that international measures be
taken by which the vice could be
eradicated, not only In the American
possessions but throughout the east.
President Roosevelt referred his let
ter to Assistant Secretary Bacon, Mr..
Root at the time being in South
America, and the latter at once sent
instructions to the American ambas-
sador at London directing him to as4
certain from the British government
If it would take part in such u confer
ence.
Britain Favors Plan.
The assent of Great Britain was D
prime requisite because India is the
home of the opium poppy, and the to-
tai value of the trade is $31, 000, 900
annually. Moreover, as Is generally
known, the British government forced
war on China in 1899 for the purpose
of compelling the admission of opium.
and this war proved the entering
wedge into Chinese commercial and
political isolation.
To the qualification of the president
and Mr.. Bacon the reply of the Brit
ish government was favorable, 1t being
stated that a representative would be
sent to an a%nti-opium conference, II
other nations interested in the trade
would participate. Perhaps the action
of the British authorities was influ-
enced by the. fact that the Indian trade
in this drug was being menaced by the
growth of the poppy in China itself.
Sir Robert Hart, for years head of the
Chinese customs service, estimated
several years ago that the total pro-
duction Of opium in China amounted
to 20, 600, 900 pounds per annum, while
the imports averaged about $3.50, 900
pounds. During the last 20 years there
has been a rapid increase in the area
of poppy cultivation in China and now
opium is produced in greater or less
quantity in every province.
Chinese authorities in 1908 sought
the approval of the British government
to an increase in the tax on imported
opium, but the British government de-
clined unless an equal increase was
made in the tax on the native produc-
ton.
Japan Would Stop Traffic.
Having secured the approval of Great
Britain, Mr.. Bacon turned to Japan
and ascertained that that government
also would take part in a conference.
The disposition of the Japanese gov
eminent was most friendly, not only
because of it's desire to end the use
of opium at home, but also to suppress
1t in it's colony at Formosa and In
Corea, which is under its protection
and in southern Manchpria, wher so
many Japanese are establishing them
selves.
Then representations were made to
China. That government for years has
been anxious to stop opium smoking.
It Is estimated that four out of every
ten Chinese use the drug. Many at.
tempts have been made in the past to
suppress the habit by stringent laws,
but these were never enforced except
here and there by energetic n pa
triotic viceroys, who were not them
selves addicted to the vice and felt
that It was sapping the strength OF the
nation. Perhaps one reason why the
laws were not enforced effectively was
, the severity of the penalty imposed
: for its violation-strangulation