Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-19

native-grown opium" said Mr.. Tuan, ut
would follow that the importation of the
foreign drug will stop as natural Sc
quence. Such being the case. the people
of my country will have reason to con-
graduate themselves. and this we will
owe to the assistance given by the Brit
ish government and to the labors OF the
American government in initiating the
movement which brought about this con-
ference. On the other hand, the attempts
of this government to suppress opium are
hampered by existing treaties. Should
way be found by which such clauses in
the treaties that restrict the freedom of
my government be got over, SO that we
may succeed in accomplishing our great
and important task. fortunate indeed will
it be for our government and the people
Of this empire.
'In other words. since each civilized
country has its own laws and statutes
against the sale Of poison and all medi-
cines containing poison, we do not thina
vye are asking too much If We request
each civilized power to make Its laws
elective in it's respective concessions and
will do her part in preventing her peo-
pie from participating in this illegal
traffic, but it appears to us that unless
we have the practical cooperation of all
the civilized powers the task Of elimi-
mating the opium evil will be too much
for us to overcome and ultimate success
is very doubtful, if not impossible
The Chinese delegation presented Sc
ries of resolutions which it asked the
commission to adopt:
ments to promise cooperation to pro-
hibit the importation of opium into
China.
.. To take effective action toward clos
ing opium dives and opium shops in all
the foreign concessions and settlements
In China.
3. To prohibit and prevent the sale in
such concessions or settlements of anti
opium medicine which contains opium
or morphia or any of their derivatives.
4. To prohibit the importation and
sale of all narcotic drugs and hypo-
dermic syringes among the foreign con-
cessions, and to punish all persons hav-
ing either In their possession.
Resolutions Adopted.
The action of the commission was
unanimous. with the exception of two
minor resolutions. in which the Italian
and Portuguese delegates declined to
concur, and the following resolutions
were adopted at it's conclusions:
/. That the International opium COM
mission recognizes the answering sin
certify of the government of China in
it's efforts to eradicate the production
and consumption of opium throughout
the empire; the increasing body of pub
lie opinion among its own subjects, by
which these efforts are being supported,
and the real, though unequal, progress
already made In task which is one Of
the greatest magnitude.
=. That in view of the action taken by
the government of China suppressing the
practice of opium smoking, and by other
governments to the same end. the inter-
national opium commission recommends
that each delegation concerned move its
own government to take measures for
the gradual suppression Of the practice
of opium smoking In it's own territories
and possessions. with due regard to the
varying circumstances of each country
concerned.
3. That the International opium COM
mission finds that the use of opium in any
form otherwise than for medical pur-
poses is held by almost every participat-
ing country to be q matter for prohibition
or for careful regulation: and that each
country in the administration of it's sys-
tenn OF regulation purports to be aiming,
as opportunity offers. at progressively In
creasing stringency. 1t is recording these
conclusions the international opium com
mission recognizes the wide variations be-
tween the conditions prevailing i'm the
different countries, but it would urge on
the attention of the governments con-
cerned the desirability of re-examina-
| ton of their systems Of regulation In the
| light OF the experience of other coun-
tries dealing with the same problem.
Duty of the Governments.
4. That the international opium COM