Evening star., 1911-06-03

kong Is a monument to the avarfce of
that nation In connection with the opium
trade. In the early part of the last cen
tury the Chinese government undertook to
suppress tfe opium habit. and forbade
the importation OF the drug into the en-
pire. India was the chief s1urce of sup
ply, which was brought In British ships.
and when q vessel loaded with opium
undertook to land its cargo near Canton
the Chinese authorities interfered and
threw the opium overheard. This was
the beginning OF what is known in his
tory as "the opium war" which closed
by the cession of the Island of Hongkong
to the British as indemnity for the loss
OF that cargo of opium and the expense
of inflicting the penalty. Having thus
secured permanent and profitable mar
ket for the drug in China. the British
government proceeded to encourage its
manufacture in India under regulations
which are liberal both to the merchants
and the poppy farmers
The Indian government fixes the price
and the volume of the product, and every
chest OF opium exported carries a certifi-
cate from his majesty the King of Eng
land and Emperor of India that the poi
SON Is genuine and pure. The tax collect
ed on the exports has amounted annually
to between $1aOO0.O0O and $30.OO0.O00
American gold. which has been paid into
the treasury of India. 1t has been the
principal source of revenue of the colonial
government, and for that reason the peri
odical agitations for the suppression Of
the traffic have failed of success.
Cost Of the Reform.
Now the Indian treasury is losing at
least $1,000 900 a year. and before long
it will be short s15.OOo.O00 by the sup
preston Of the Chinese traffic, which
must be restored from some other source
Inasmuch as the colonial treasury Is de-
prived Of this amount by the action OF
the imperial government. 1t claims an
annual contribution OF an equal amount
from the imperial exchequer. That VIII
probably be the result, because the peo-
pie of India are now taxed to the limit
of their ability to pay and are beginning
to rebel
It will be a heavy burden upon the Brit
ish taxpayers, no doubt. but, as Loru
Morley has repeatedly declared in parma
ate suppression of the traffic will be in
dorsed not only by English opinion but
by enlightened opinion in India. and the
taxpayers ought to be thankful thal
there is no way Of collecting the revenues
the government has already derived dur
ing the last seventy-five years from the
curse it has imposed upon the ChineSe
people.
The established Church Of England and
other denominations send missionaries 10
try, with other things. the evils OF the
opium habit, and, at the same time the
British government for the benefit OF the
revenue. has insisted that China snaii
permit its people to buy the drug from It's
Indian subjects. :,
AS was recently remarked in an edi-
torial in the Times: The development OF
the opium trade under British auspices Is
q chapter in our history which most peo-
pie wish to see closed forever. II CHINA
should really succeed In extinguiSnine
the production of opium within her bor-
ders it becomes manifestly impossible to
continue the India trade another day. The
whole world has contemplated with ad-
miration and with a little envy the strik-
ing success Of the Chinese crusade. When
however. we have given due expression
to our satisfaction at the approaching
control in India. 1t still remains to con-
slider the precise effect upon Indian
finances The moral fervor is chief1y
ours, but India has to pay. What We
have done. in effect. is to wipe out an
important source of Indian revenue. which
produced an average annual sum OF about
G5.OO0.OO0 And are we to bear no share
OF the burden which will fall upon British
India? The general tendency has been to
look at the opium question from limited
point of view, without regard to all the
resr onsibilities 1t implies. Even today
while we denounce the iniquities of the
Indian opi0m traffic, We pay far too little
heed to the large exports of morphine
from England to the east, or to the IL
licit cocaine traffic from the continent to
Indian and Chinese ports. which is work
ing such deadly havoc
The Indian government exports at least
2O,OOO chests of opium annually to other
countries than China. and it is consum-
ed chiefly In the East Indies. and by
British subjects. 1t would appear,