The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-07-05
Behind Other Nations in Re-
striction of Opium.
IS IN ANOMALOUS POSITION
Initiated Movement for Control Of the
Traffic ano Has Neglected to
Adopt the Necessary Remedial
Measures-LaWs Urged
to Be Passed.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

lultldteu lue luteINdllUudl luOFSAaSAA
for the control of the traffic In opium
the United States is today the one ma
ton which has not been vitality affect
cd by the movement. For, with tn
single exception of the act OF l9O9
which by no means strikes 4. tn
heart of the problem, congress SO la
has failed to consider the necessary
remedial measures, and today, in tht
words of Hamilton Wright, monber o.
the American delegation to tie Inter
national Opium Conference, "the Unit
ed States Is in the position, after hav
Ing received the cordial cooperation
of twelve powers, of being fa1 behind
in the movement" 1t is clear case
say those who are urging tire suppress
sion of the opium trade, Of neglect at
home and charity abroad
In his message to congress the 9th
or day regarding the orium traffic
President Taft laid stress, upon this
Legislative inactlon" when he said:
Il have several times called the at
tention of congress to ths necessity
for the passage of the proposed meas
ures, and | now endorn, the view Of
the secretary Of state chat congress
should promptly pass these measures,
more especially becauss this govern
ment took the initiative and has been
generously supported dy twelve other
governments In It's effort to mitigate,
If not entirely suppress, the worlds
opium evil".
Passed Law to Save Our Face.
The one anti.opium law which is
now on the federal statute books is
the so-called "opium.exclusion act" of
1909, whose purpose 1t Is to prevent
the importation into the United States
Of the vicious form of opium used for
smoking. This law was not passed, 1t
Is curious to note, until after the az
sembling Of the International Opium
Conference, when it was discovered
that ever since 1860 this kind of opium
had been legally imported into the
United States and chat 1t had yielded
in annual revenues the enormous sim
Of s27,OO0,000. The promptness with
which congress repealed that privi-
iege was due, says Commissioner
Wright to the fact that ut would
be quite impossible for the American
commissioners to appear at the shang.
hal conference until the federal gov
eminent had taken some steps toward
a housekeeping"
Although several Of the Individual
states during the last few years have
revised and strengthened intrastate
legislation aimed to confine narcotics
to legitimate uses, yet the federal gov.
eminent has done nothing, There have
been urged upon congress, however,
three bills, each Of which strikes at
some important phase of the opium
traffic and all Of which have the gen.
eral approval Of the pharmacy boards
of the different states Of the Union
which are charged with the enforce.
ment, under the police power Of the
states. Of the state acts for the regu.
lation Of the sale of narcotics.
Three Bills Urged.
The first Of these bills calls for an
amendment to the act OF 1890, regu-
lating the manufacture Of smoking
opium Within the United States; the
second imposes tax upon and regu.
lates the production, manufacture, and
distribution of various habit forming
drugs; and the third bill aims to resu.
late the practice of pharmacy and the
sale Of poisons In the consular dis.
tricts Of the United States in China
The opinion is expressed in Washing
ton that the signing of the interna.
tional opium convention on January
% last at The Hague will stimulate
congress- into activity, for by the
terms OF the treaty entered into at
that time by twelve world powers, It
is ordered that the laws suggested IN
the convention shall be proposed by
the several governments to their par.
haments or legislative bodies within
the period of six months. Mr.. Taft.
therefore, in sending his message 20
congress on May 81, was ahead OF
time by about seven weeks, SO eAat,
technically at least, :his colntyy has
kept to the agreement.
Women and Politics.
Women are taking moss ana usre
interest in politics every day and |
the movement is particularly 20
.ticeable in Washington, whore &c
body, man or woman. has 3 r.ste. !!
There are purely political movements
IN Washington undG constant .iscus.
sion by the women Witch have moth.
Ing to do with the masser O. Suffrage |
for the sex. Republican, women are |
taking an interest IL the suss.ess G.;
the Republican ticiiet and the Demo
cratic women are taking an interest
IN the success OF the ticket OF their
party, and thus fas .hs women 81 both
sides have insistse that the move.
ment shall be for tkf success II their
parties at the polls and tha, no at.
tempt shall be made On behalf of any
particular candidate for the nomina-
lions. -
There was harmony breakfast nro.
NOTED by the Democratic women here
recently. accounts Of which already
hQuo pnrooroS 80