River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-01-04

first the movement simply had as its OBJECT
the Punishment of opium from China put
gradually the scope Of the antoplum mis-
sionary work" expanded until 1t embraced the
whole world-every section of the globe where
the use of opium has become naDlt-anu
finally within the past few months the hgnt
against the evil has been expanded in scope
until 1t embraces prohibitive or restrictive
action not only against opium, but also against
morphine cocaine and, in short all haDlC-
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 1t
is only 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-particularly those residing on the Pa
cifc slope and in the western section OF the
country where the bulk Of the Mongolians
settled
However it was only after Uncle Sam came
into possession of the Philippines, following
the Standardization war. that our public
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 tho spectacle of another ma
ton (and one that had always been tradi-
tionally friendly to China) combating at the
very doors of the Orient with evil that
was realized by all thinking men to be sap
ping the life blood of large share of Asias
population. The result was a strong anti
opium movement in China and out of this
grew direct appeal to then President Roose-
yelt 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,
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 was In the year 1904, but it 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-
ally 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 its 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.. Elih1 ROOF,
open up correspondence with all the powers