New-York tribune., 1909-01-03
England Reluctant to
Suppress the Traffic
for Financial
Reasons.

Copyright 1909, by the Brentwood Company
In the course Of this month there will assem-
BILE at Shanghai an international conference
called to deal with the opium problem. When
speaks Of opium the very mention of the
drug suggests abuse thereof. just in the same
way when talks OF drink But while
here in America and in Europe we are disposed
to manifest some indulgence with regard 10
liquor. to view its use in moderation with toll
GRAFTON and to punish intoxication with COM
parative leniency. the notion that any is ad-
dicted to opium is sufficient here. as well as in
Europe, to place him under the ban OF public
opinion and even beyond the pale Of the law.
Were this view universal the labors OF the
international congress on opium would be con-
siderably facilitated. for the congress would
have nothing do but merely TO devise some
international legislation prohibiting the produc-
ton Of opium and sale Of the drug, except for
strictly medicinal purposes. This, however, is
out of the question. Just in the same way that
alcohol has its advocates who condemn the
score of health the strict enforcement of total
abstinence and advocate the consumption of
wine, beer and even OF spirits in moderation,
so, too, has opium it's defenders, who insist
that what drink is to the American and Euro
pean the poppy product in its various forms is
to the races OF the Orient and 1t is argued that
1t would be Just unreasonable attempt 10
stop by legislation the use OF opium in the
Orient as it would be TO seek to arrest the
drinking of stimulants here in the New World
and in Europe by means of statutes.
OF course. have in this country as in
Great Britain and in various parts OF the Con-
tinent, prohibitory legislation which penalties
the sale OF liquor; but no state province or
town has ever attempted 10 make the actual
drinking of alcohol misdemeanor. so long as
it is not productive of intoxication. Yet there
is no doubt that public sentiment on both sides
of the Atlantic is in favor of forbdding not
merely the sale but even the consumption OF
opium. The members Of the congress are there
fore confronted by the necessity of being
obliged 10 defer the one hand to popular
feeling in their respective countries the sub
ject Of opium and the other hand to accord
consideration to the arguments of those who.
acquainted with the Orient, insist that the drug,
taken in moderation, is as conducive TO the
health and welfare of the Asiatic alcohol
in moderation is to the American European.
Another difficulty of very serious character
in connection with the question is the fact that
the government Of British India derives q con-
siderable portion of its revenue-that is to say,
some S25.OOOOO0 or $50 900, ,O00-fron the pro-
duction and sale Of opium as a state monopoly.
Having thus formed for nearly seventy years
a most important feature OF the revenues Of
the Crown, the British government naturally
feels a certain hesitation about complying with
the demand that 1t should put a stop TO the cul-
tivation Of the poppy. well as to the manu-
facture of the drug and to its sale for
sumption. either in India or in China or any
other part of the world
Public agitation in the United Kingdom has
compelled the government to go SO far as to
promise that If IL receives satisfactory assur-
ances TO the effect that the Chinese authorities
will honestly restrict the cultivation of the
POPPY and the manufacture OF tka drug in their
own dominions. the Indian government will fol-
low suit and will reduce the manufacture and
sale OF opium in King Edwards great Oriental