Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-03

| further systematic inquiries. These are
now being conducted in every province
of China.
Careless Mandarins.
| The operation of the repressiye cdi':ts
! has been extremely partial, and in most
| provinces poppy cultivation has NOT yet
been appreciably restricted, but def
mite advance seems to have been made
and proof is given that in numerous
districts the consumption Of opium has
been curtailed. very large number of
opium denS have been closed, ana many
of the rest have been brought under
official supervision. In all government
colleges and schools, in the police and
in the army a rigorous prohibition has
been enforced. A number of the mum
darins. however, continue to disregard
the imperial Injunction So far as 1t ap-
plies personally to themselves. The
most gratifying feature Of the move
ment Is the strong force Of public opin-
eral foreign consuls testify that in their
particular districts popular feeling fla
vors the prohibition and say that re-
spectacle Chinese are now coming to
regard opium smoking in public as bad
FORM.
Nation Awakening.
Practical men. familiar with condi-
tions in China, recognize in the popular
anti-opium movement one of the most
hopeful signs of an awakening national
conscience, but they recognize also that
here as elsewhere people cannot be
made moral by act of parliament, and
that in any case the Chinese govern
ment is very far from being a rege;'er-
ating moral force. On the other hand,
there are not wanting competent critics
who aver that the Chinese government.
recognizing as usual the strength Of
public opinion in this matter. intends to
turn the anti-opium crusade and the
sympathy of foreign governments to It's
eminent monopoly in native opium CO.
| incident with abolition of the imported
drug and the attitude of some Of Chi
mas highest ofhcials-Prince Ching and
| this opinion.
BY the imperial edict the Chinese gov
eminent announced its intention Of COM
pletely suppressing the production and
| use Of opium throughout the expire
within ten years. Land under poppy
Chang Chi Tung. for Misunderstanding
cultivation is accordingly to be reduced
by one-tenth annually. and rewards
will be given in the districts whcre the
abolition Is completed before the 'ex-
piration Of that period a.., All opium 'par,
selves. stating the amount Of their CDR
sumption. and no opium may De sole to
persons unregistered. Smokers under
sixty years OF age must decrease their
allowance by one-f1fth ANNUALLY; Inc
decree ordered the compulsory closing
of all opium deps within six months
and prohibited the sale Of smoking
requisites after one year. Wine Shops
and other places of public entertain
ment may not permit opium smoking
on the premises. Shops where opium
or anything connected with the ira de Is
sold must be officially registero1 end
must show an annual decrease IN their
| business under penalty of conAscation.
set an example to the people. dis
| tributing anti-opium medicines and en-
couraging this reform: they themselves
| If opium smokers, must either diseon-
tinue the practice within six months Or
retire from office. These regulation s
| were issued by proclamations Though
| out the empire, and were welcomed. by
the press. native and foreign.
Everybody Is Over Sixty.
1t is undeniable that the regulations are
generally ineffective at present. except
| in certain large cities such as Canton and
Tientsin. In Picking opium is freely sold
today to non-registered applicants and
opium smoking requisites are still openly
on SALE Registration of smokers has been
carried out in a desulto.y manner IN
certain districts, but the regulation ap-
pears to be used in many cases as ar
opportunity for the Yamen runners rather
| than as a deterrent. reliable witness
reports from Kwang-tung. for example
that at Lofan, where the magistrate in
sists upon the registration of all pur-
chases of the drug. licenses have beer
freely issued practically certifying that
! the entire smoking population Is oveI
sixty years of age. and therefore entitled
under the edict. to clemency. In most OF
the provincial capitals the public opium
divans have been closed. but. just as In
America, the closing Of public house
is often followed by the opening OF q
convivial workmans club, so here we fine
consumption transferred to social meeting
| places, where the edict enters not. From
| many rural districts 1t is reported that
the dens have not been closed. but have
| been converted into government offices
| for the distribution of opium for the bene
| fit of the local officials
The government has not had the cour-
age Of its convictions in regard to the en-.
fOrcement of the regulation against opium
| smoking officials. 1t Is notorious that .
very large percentage Of the metropolitan
observation-disclosures at 80 per cent--is
addicted to the habit. and few. if any
take the decree seriously. In October las
two imperial princes and the two CHIEF
| officials Of the censOrate were ordered tt
| resign their posts land give their entire
j attention to the eradication of their crav.
| ing for the drug" and in the same edic
| 1t was commanded. las an extraordinary
act of mercy that an additional time
limit Of three months be allowed to civil
and military officials in the provinces
| who, 1t was feared. might not all have
| obeyed the original edict.' Nevertheless
| improvement Is to be recorded In the fac
that in nearly all recent appointments Il
| vacant offices non-smokers have been pre-
| ferred.
i Affects the Revenue.
To sum up. there is evidence that publ.
opinion seriously desires the suppression
of the opium trade in China. There l,
evidence of recognition Of the force O.
| this opinion on the part Of the centra
| government and of sympathetic co-opera
ton on the part Of a certain number o
officials. But there is no evidence a
present that the central government seri
! ously intends to enforce the anti-opiun
regulations in the spirit in which the!
were framed. and no evidence Of any or
ganization or reconstructive measures t.
that end. The edfct is typical Of tn
Opportunist policy OF the throne. and it
fuifllment must depend on the main
tenance of. that force of public opinion
which produced 1t.
In the event Of complete abolition Of tn