The Washington herald., 1908-09-02
Great Britain-Moralist

/ Britaic-that the English nation poses as
( ths stern -noraIlst among tire nations
and yet never fails IN her dealings with
what are called the lesser people 10
put profit ahead OF morals There IS
some business n the charge. often
/ brought against England. that hard On
! the heels oS the missionaries she sends
70 foreign cl.zes there goes q cargo OF
run
/ Great Britain never had suca q chance
10 prove her bona ddes as a no-aIlsr as
she has in the Chinese opium business
II any nation more than another has fos-
tered and encouraged the use OF this pe--
1-c.oCs drug among the native Chinese
Il has been England Her reasons have
been quite plain india, which has al
ways been one Of Eaglaad's gravest
problems. failing IN ordinary agriculture,
has found its p-olt IN oP.uz--g-ow--g. ard
midas foreign opium trade has done
much TO keep her trade balance from
Showing. too great a defcit By her com
-nerciaI agents. England has done what
size could % extend the foreign opium
market. and China has been her most
profitable Is Il has been her largest
field
F0C some ti--s now-ever since few
leaders o: Chinese thought resolved thar
China needed some approximation 10
Western clviIzator-CEI-a has. been .t-v-
ing 70 cure her people Of the opium
habit The most stringent laws have
been passed n regard % TIE use of the
drug, and 10 government otEc.al n
China who IS al hab.tuaI user os op.a-1
IS allowed 70 retain his position SIN IS
the drug imported from India, and Eng
land seems mighty slow II aiding China
Fl hs- moral reform. The question OF
profit stands II the way.
There is 70 be an international c-nc-ess
On TIE opium question n Shanghai or
January !, 1s19 Delegates have been
appointed from all the countries inter
ests5. The United States. because of the.
growth OF the opium habit in the Philip
pines, IS interested IN the matter and
three representatives from this country
VIII be present at the congress. China
has appointed three OF her abIest ne.
as commissioners 10 the corgress-nen
who speak English well One Of them IS
consul general al Singapore; another IS .
physician who was educated IN Euro1e.
and the third is dI-ector-i--caief Of
Chinese railroad construction
China has made a genuine effort 70
eradicate the evil that opium smoking
and chewing has wrought upon her .peo-
pie n May Of last year al OF The opium
Joints IN Pekin were closed by imperial +
and in al the principal cities
Ike action was taken save in those
treaty ports which have an international
concession. inside o. which the Chinese I
government mandates have no force. /
Even II these, where the growth OF o2!ur7 /
has been very raDid. 4
owing 70 the action ot the Chinese /
authorities, the foreign nations have felt
The fo-ce of public opinion. and il has
been decided TO close threa-fourths Of the
places al once and the remainder within
two years.
The main burden now lies on the
shoulders OF Great Britain L is abso-
-utely within her power 70 aid China in
throwing OF the ban that has kept the
entire nation abject 50 long. There are
grave difficulties in the way. The British I
governor of the federated Malay states
thinks that the suppression OF the opium
trade viii cut the revenues IN two with
but diminishing the use of the drug.
Other British officials view with appre-
aension the loss Of revenue from opium
raEc-
But with al the difficulties in the way.
here is 10 doubt but that Great Britain
,ould stop the traEc II she would. Al
moral obligation rests upon her 10 stop
2 and no question Of profit OF loss should
be allowed 10 stand in the way Of her
obvious moral obligation. II she does
lot want 10 lend force 70 the Snug
iypOc-isy'' charge so often IeveIed AZ
Ter. she will 80 10 work IN earnest al
Ter JOB of-professed moralist-