The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-01-18

hrst the movement simply had as its OBJECT
the Punishment of opium from China, out
gradually the scope of the anu-opium mis-
sionsry work" expanded until 1t embraced the
whole word-every section of the gtope Whele
the use of opium has become a haplt-aho
finally within the past few months the hsnt
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 nablt
forming drugs.
The fight against the opium evil, with I'm
Gle Sam as the chief aggressor has been
going on steadily for some years past but IL
is only now on the eve of complete success
that it has come 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 it was realized
that the evil was one the menace of which
would sooner or later be brought home to our
people-particuarly those residing on the Pa
ci6c slope and in the western section of the
country where the bulk of the Mongolians
settled.
However it only after Uncle Sam came
into possession of the Philippines, following
the Spanish-American war. that our pubic
men and government officials were thoroughly
aroused to the necessity of graphing with the
problem In the Philippines our people found
great numbers of Chinese who were confirmed
opium smokers and, worse yet, they were
rapidly teaching the destructive habit to the
natives of the islands. There was much agi-
tation 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 it, awakened
China to her own need and gave hope OF
solution. The progressive men Of China were
| deeply moved by the spectacle of another ma
ton (and one that had always been trad
| tionally friendly to China) 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 from 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
terests that the United States government,
fEonsfdering its historical attitude in regard to
the opium traffic in the Orient, should take
the initiative in assisting China to secure the
f7prohtDftfSn OF that traffic.
This was in the year 1904, but it was
couple of years later that definite plans were
made>s fer al iutefrntional concert of action
in the matter: Elm sAat year Bishop Charles
I'D ~ Rgeat@afsthA Philippines, who was, natur-
~resftieH~te==appreciat the havoc
wrought by opium wrote to President Roose-
Welt appealing to him "to promote some move
l.IFeT thatI S33tIl FADE in its embrace repre-
+ sen tatives from all the countries@ where the
traffic lip and the use of opium is 4 matter of
mknhhtEb / fAereupon President Roosevelt
sos his a sss,stasg OF sta With n6 P HE8
HTfGT S3(FT FEe 81