The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-01-05

first the movement simply had as its object
the Punishment Of opium from China, but
gradually the scope Of the anti-opium mis-
sionary work. expanded until 1t embraced the
whole world-every section of the globe where
the use Of opium has become hab1t-and
finally within the past few months the fight
against the evil has been expanded In scope
until it embraces prohibitive or restrictive
action not only against opium, but also against
morphine cocaine, and, IN Short all habit
forming drugs
The fight against the opium evil, with IN
Gle Sam the chief aggressor, has been
going on steadily for some years past but It
is only the Of complete success
that It has to attract attention from all
classes of the community. From the time
when Chinese began to settle in the United
States bringing with them, many Of them.
their love Of opium smoking 1t realized
that the evil the menace Of which
would sooner later be brought home to our
people-particulary those residing on the Pa
cific slope and in the western section of the
country where the bulk Of the Mongolians
settled.
However, 1t was only after Uncle Sam came
into possession of the Philippines, following
the Spansh-Anerican war. that public
men and government officials were thoroughly
aroused to the necessity Of graphing with the
problem. In the Philippines people found
great numbers of Chinese who confirmed
opium smokers. and worse yet. they
rapidly teaching the destructive habit to the
natives Of the islands. There much agi-
tatlon Of the subject both IN the Philippines
and here In the United States and the up
shot of the matter was that the congress of
the United States passed laws prohibiting the
Importation Of opium into the Philippines
except for medicinal! purposes. From that mo-
ment there was a marked Improvement of
conditions.
The example of Uncle Sans action and the
complete success which attended 1t. awakened
China to her own need and gave hope of
solution The progressive Of China were
deeply moved by tho spectacle Of another
ton land one that had always been tradi-
tionally friendly to Chna) combating at the
very doors of the Orient with an evil that
was realized by all thinking men to be sap
ping the life blood of a large share of Asia's
population. The result was a strong anti
opium movement in China and out of this
grew direct appeal to then President Roose~
Welt froE. representatives of missionary so
cieties in the Far East and from commercial
organizations and institutions in the United
States. 1t was the plea Of these various in
1erests that tho United States government
considering It's historical attitude In regard to
the opium traffic in the Orient should take
the initiative in assisting China to secure the
prohibition Of that traffic
This in the year 1904, but 1t was
couple Of years later that definite plans were
made for an international concert of action
in the matter. In that year Bishop Charles
H. Brent OF the Philippines, who was, natur-
oily, in a position to appreciate the havoc
wrought by opium. wrote to President Roose-
welt appealing to him Ito promote some move
ment that would gather in it's embrace repre-
sentatives from all the countries where the
traffic in and the use of opium is a matter OF
moment" Thereupon President Roosevelt
had his secretary of state. Mr.. Elihu Root,
open up correspondence with all the powers