The Washington herald., 1912-11-17

Absinthe, that much-advertised dope
drink, recently excluded from importa-
tion by special Treasury order, Is by no
means the only article forbidden TO be
brought into this country. Investigation
dIscloses the fact that there are good
many other things on the prohibited list,
to which was added, by special act of
Congress, July 81 last. the prize fight
moving picture film.
The shutting out OF opium prepared
for smoking has brought into existence
new and highly Objectionable industry;
!. e., the manufacture OF an extract Of
the drug. which serves as a very salts
factory substitute. It Is made by rub
bing crude opium in a mortar with
water, shaking the mixture at intervals,
filtering II until the fluid Is nearly color
less, and concentrating 1t by boiling.
The stuff Is thus reduced TO a gummy
consistency, and Is utilizable for smok-
ing.
Crude opium is still admitted at our
ports, SO that there is no lack OF the
raw material. But II IL were excluded by
law plenty OF II would be smuggled in
to supply the demand. StatisticIans in
moral economic say that there are over
white people OF this country tnot to
reckon the Chinese). every big city hav-
ing its opium haunts and habitues They
are bound to have the drug, and the ex-
tract at a pinch will satisfy their re-
quirements especially as II can be pur-
chased readily enough at many drug
stores.
The Internal Revenue Bureau Is al
lowed by law TO issue licenses for the
manufacture OF smoking opium in the
United States. Up to the present time
II has never granted such a license to
anybody, however. On the contrary,
successful efforts have been made to put
out OF business the 'crookeries" which,
formerly numerous in San Francisco and
other Pacific Coast cities, sought refuge
and security later on in out Of the way
places-for example. along the Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin Rivers. whence
the opium was shipped to San Francisco
as butter and eggs.
Making Opium Extract.
The business OF making opium extract
Is now conducted on a considerable scale
in Philadelphia. Baltimore. and other
cities in the East Utmost secrecy is
maintained by producers Of the article,
apd up to the present time the govern
ment authorities have not made much
headway in their efforts to put a stop
to the business. Whereas the crude
opium contains only about 3 per cent of
morphine. there is in the extract % per
cent, so that the drug thus prepared has
a really frightful potency and Is much
more injurious to users than the smok-
ing opium which has been shut out from
importation.
One Of the oldest OF the articles shut
out. II one considers the reason why. Is
governing such eggs had its origin IN
an amazing myth, which was to the
effect that millions of eggs OF wild ducks.
geese, swans, and other wild fowl were
annually gathered in Alaska and the
British possessions and shipped TO points
In the East, where they were manufac-
tured into egg aIbumen for Use by bak-
ers and confectioners. in photography.
and for other purposes.
1t was alleged that these eggs, col
lected from the breeding grounds OF the
birds In the Yukon Valley and else
where in that region, were forwarded
over the Canadian Pacific Road in enor-
nous quantities, single shipments some
times amounting to 1000. or even Ison,
barrels. They were mainly wud duck
and wild goose eggs. and the bulk of
them were from Alaska. but consider
able quantities Gt was declared) came
from British Columbia. Immense num-
bers. being partly Matched. were incl
dentslly destroyed. The ducks in ques-
ton were canvasbacks. teal &C. and II
was charged that this industry had done
more to diminish the former multitudes
of wild fowl in Oregon. Washington.
Idaho. Montana. and California than all
the guns and dogs Of sportsmen in that
vast region.
The simple fact is that no such in
dustry existed. Not a single shipment
OF eggs OF ducks or other wild fowl was
ever forwarded over the Canadian Pa
cific Road. The whole story was an in
vention from beginning to end. But II
was widely believed. and to prevent the
threatened determination of feathered
game by such means the tariff act Of
1894 forbade the Importation of the eggs
OF game birds into the United States.
This regulation still remains in force, |
and for a while did much harm. con-
siderable quantities of such eggs, fetched
from abroad for purposes Of propagation. |
being dumped into New York Harbor. |
In 1902, however. an amendment was |
adopted permitting eggs to come in for |
where the matter stands at present
purposes only'-which Is |
One or two further facts will make the |
absurdity Of the yarn more manifest. |