The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-02-02
PRESIDENT BACKS
CRUSADE AGAINST
THE OPIUM TRADE
fore Of It Is Used Per Capita
In the United States Than In
d. China, According to :
Statistics.

New York, Jan. 31.-The recent raids
n opium smugglers made in New York
nd other cities by federal officers We're
aspired directly by President Taft, and
re preliminary to a nationwide cru
hde by h authorities in Washington
D check the ravages of the opium
iabit. /,
Government statistics reveal thai
ry per capita than in China. Four
hundred thousand pounds of crude
plum are imported annually. A tariff
II $1.50 a pound is imposed; but the
aids show that vast quantities are
muggled. The population of the
United States is $1,000, 600. The annual
consumption of opium in China in all
prms is 1900, 900 pounds. China's pop
Nation is more than 400, 900, 900.
William Jay Schiffelin. president. of
schiffelin & Co, the Oldest wholesale
rug house in the United States. and
he largest importer of opium, called
he attention of the National Civic Fed
ration, recently in session here. to the
rightful growth of the evil.
Taft Takes a Hand.
President Taft was moved to send a
Il urging immediate action to check
~ SloMll oL ZIG eNll. IAo message
Contained a report by Secretary of State
Knox, outlining the work of the Inter-
t%ationai Opium conference, held at
Shanghai two years ago. DR.. Hamilton
Wright, OF Washington, who repre-
ented this country at Shanghai, will
Ittend another similar conference at
Che Hague next month
There is now pending in both
ranches Of congress a measure, known
s the Cullom-Foster bill, to control the
rattle by subjecting it to heavy inter-
!al revenue taxes. The bill also. pro-
ides for a practically prohibitive tax
5000 a pound-on smoking opium.
The control of other forms, principally
Morphine, will be more difficult, it is
conceded, although it is said that in
hat form the drug is most widely used.
highest medical authorities estimate
hat $4,000 pounds OF opium should
Euffice for the medical needs of the
United States yearly, and that fully rs
Ter cent of the 100000 pounds imported
9 manufactured into morphine.
Clue to Staying of SigeI Girl.
Collector Loeb and Surveyor Henry
ay that other raids on opium snug
lers would probably be made here AND
It other points within a few days.
The raid on the opium emporium OF
ehoAiSS % vi oSSSllIIl avenue I1dy
cad to the solution of the mysterious
tlaying in June, 1909, Of Elsie Sigel,
granddaughter of the late General
Franz Sigel. Her body was found In
a fiat in Eighth avenue, within a few
blocks of where Boston was conducting
his opium traffic.
Several hundred letters in Chinese
Were seized by the customs raiders as
Wei as many in English, addressed to
Boston and his friends. In some OF
them Elsie Sigel's name is mentioned.
Edward Norwood found the letters.
Norwood was instructed by Surveyor
Henry to have the letters translated,
and is cooperating with District Attor-
lney Wise in the matter.
Boston has disappeared. His place
was the headquarters for the under
world Of Chinatown, and he is the sup
posed chief Of the On Leong Tong So
iciety. which long has been at wal with
the Hip Sing Tongs for control of the
gambling privileges OF Chinatown.