New-York tribune., 1909-01-03

That there are two sides TO the question, and
that whereas opium Is poisonous to some races
IL Is not only tnnoCuous IN the case OF others but
may be even conducive to health. IS shown by
the opium legislation which II was sought 70
introduce into the Philippines during the early
days OF the American occupation. Under Span
ish rule. FilipinOs were forbidden by law 10
smoke or TO opium. the dealers being allowed
TO sell the drug only to Cinnamon. The project
ed American legislation followed the same lines.
absolutely forbldding the sale OF the drug 10
any Moro or American. but allowing It TO be
purchased by Cinnamon over twenty-one years
old The authors OF the bill, after diIiEent in
quiry into the subject, aided by several official
and non-offcial investigators came to the con-
clusion that the drug in moderation was fndis-
pensable to the Chinese in the Philippines. and
their opinion did not undergo any modification
when 1t was discovered that a petition against
the legislation, alleged to have been signed by
seven thousand Chinese. included the names OF
dead emperor. stuffed monkey. and Of many
persons at the time reposing in their graves.
That the measure in question did not become
law was due to popular sentiment here In the
United States (that same popular sentiment
which forced Congress TO repeal the statute es-
taoIshing canteens in army barracks), and Il
ultimately proved strong enough to secure the
20,
the prohibition of It's sale or use except for
purely medicinal purposes Moreover Il Is +bts
selfsame public sentiment in America vvbIcb
has led the United States government +o In
augurate the movement which has resulted T.,
the calling OF the congress which meets this
month at Shanghai The negotiations have been
In progress for more than eighteen months mast
ana the programme OF the congress intirnates
that lts OBJECT Is an international discussion Of
the question OF the limitation or total prohibi+ion
OF the production and Importation OF opium.
except for medicinal purposes
Now. with regard to the arguments In favor
of the use in moderation OF opium by the Chi
nese. which will be presented to the congress
they go TO show that the extraordinary irnn,u
nifty or the Chinaman TO ague and low types OF
fever, no matter how swampIike and IlndraIned
the locality OF his residence, is attributable to
the effect OF opium and II is recalled that the
inhabitants OF the lowlands OF Lincolnshire and
of the fenlands OF other English counties uss
laudanum with the same object In view Phvsi-
ologists teach us that the length OF the tntes-
tines IN an animal is correlated with its diet
vegetable feeders having long and animal feed
ers having short tntestines. The length OF the
intestines in man shows that a due admixturs
Of animal and vegetable food is the diet hest
suited to him.
In China the masses Of the population live al
most entirely on vegetables. Opium smoking
slows the process OF digestion and is conse-
quently beneficial. Every resident In China Is
struck with the comparative immunity of the
population from diseases OF the bronchial tubes
and lungs. That this immunity Is not due to
climatic influences is clearly proved by the fact
that Europeans and Americans are not more
free from the scourge in China than in their
own countries. Moreover. the enormous per-
centage of deaths from consumption among
native Christians is ascribed by many to the
fact that the missionaries prohibit opium smok-
ing among their converts and bar the users OF
the drug from membership OF the Church One
of England's ablest consuls in China Gardner
by name in fact insists that in the case Of the
Chinese. at any rate opium smoking in modera-
tion is not only preventive OF but a cure for
consumption.
Surgeon General William Moore who spent
the greater part OF his long military service in
India, declares that ell his own experience aud