Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-07-25

we have heard much concerning the
awakening in China; Of the training of
a vast army, and ofsthe beginnings OF
great navy. These things are most sig
and in a few, years the world
will find itself confronted by a new and
powerful China which will have to be
taken into account in the adjustment of
all international questions of the first
magnitude. China is awaking faster than
the Western nations are awaking to the
fact that China is awa}Iing.
But If possible China's speedy victory
in its warfare against the opium traf-
hck is more significant than any or all
these things. 1t has been scarcely more
than three years since that war began
with the edict of the Viceroy OF Yunnan
prohibiting the cultivation of the poppy
IN that rich province of 100000 inhab-
ftants who had been accustomed to pro-
duce annually about 100000 pounds of
opium. In that brief space the produc-
ton of opium in the Chinese Empire
has been reduced some so or 20 per cent.
and in the province of Yunnan and
Szechuan, the most productive Of the
five opium producing provinces. the re-
duction has been as great as 50 per cent.
These figures are not drawn from any
guess work, but are taken from the off,
cial report of Sir Alexander Hosie, the
Commissioner Of the British Govern
ment, who has spent considerable time
during the years 1910 and 1911 going care
fully over the provinces in which the
poppy has been cultivated hitherto and
infinitely investigating the matter. IE
whole provinces which formerly lived on
the opium trade, he says, 1.-THE poppy
has ceased to be grown.
The report of Sir Alexander Hosie is
summarized by the LONDON DAILY
NEWS, and the following paragraph
from that summary viii give some idea
of the extent and depth OF the reforma-
ton which has been wrought:
ut was already known that China had
reduced her home production so TO 10 per
cent. during the three years since the
Issue Of the anti-opium edict Sir A.
Hostess report confirms the belief that the
poppy win have entirely disappeared from
Chinese soil within two years. In that
event the export from india win by vir-
1 tue Of the new treaty cease automatically
within the same period. To appreciate the
extent OF the miracle one must resort to
analogy. 1t Is as II the tobacco habit
had come to an end in Europe a few years
after decision TO that effect By the
Hague conference. The population Of the
Chinese Empire Is nearly that Of Europe;
the central government has but little pow
er Of enforcing its will. Moreover. the
opium crop was worth 2S,0oO.O00 pounds
annually. Only vast moral revolution
affecting over 800, 00O, 600 OF people could
have effected this wonderful result
This great and benign reformation in
China deserves the serious consideration
Of the Western nations. That can not
be a weak people which is able to prac-
tice such self-control, and IL they can
thus master themselves they surely have
strength to accomplish whatsoever they
set their hands TO do. 1t Is true that this
moral uprising against the nefarious
opium-traflck began through the influ-
ence of Christian missionaries and con-
verted Chinese, but 1t has, run rapidly
through regions in which christianity Is
almost unknown-which fact shows the
native strength of Chinese purpose when
1t sets itself to suppress an evil or OBJ
tain good thing. The result is worth
more than all the cost Of a. the mission
airy enterprises In China since the first
mission was established until the present
hour. It's reflex influence on the social
ed Christian nations ought to be very
great, and such an example, of national
reformation in a heather nation ought
not to be without great value in teaching
the Christian nations how to deal with
some of their own moral problems.
Our own dealing with the whiskey-
traffick when compared with China's
dealing with the opium traffick presents
a contrast distinctly unfavourable to US.
A vast number of the best people in our
country have risen up against the liquor
traffick and it's brazen infamies. In the
South a majority of all the people have
undertaken to prohibit this nefarious
traffick. But their efforts have been him
dered by the distillers and brewers in
debased states. whose people have not
been willing to put-away the evil thing,
and the Federal Congress has not had
the virtue to pass an act purging inter-
state commerce of the foul merchandise
Within the dry states a few cities have
boldly nullined the law, and in response
to such defiant anarchy 1t has been seri-
ously proposed that laws not enforced
should be repealed. or in other words
that the sovereignty of proud states,
which once went to war to maintain their
sovereign characters, should PROSTATE
themselves before the distillers and brew
ers and doggery- keepers. It were better
to follow the example of the viceroy of
Yunnan, who with an edict made an end
of the opium fraf1ck in the province
which he was appointed to govern, than
to accept such cowardly counsel of sur
rendering to the liquor-trafick in Geor-
gia. While our people are hunting about
for governor ii might be well to find
one with me backbone and Integrity of
this Chinese Viceroy. 1t Is quite evident
that when the executive officials of a
government intend to have the laws en-
forced 1t IL done without question What
we need Is not the repeal of good laws