The San Francisco call., 1913-08-10
DRASTIC MEANS
USED IN CHINA IN
FIGHT ON OPIUM
Reform Feeling Shown in
Measures by Government
for the Suppression
of the Drug
SMUGGLER IS SHOT
BY ORDER OF PEKING
Conhscated Stock of $4,000
Burned at Tientsin Amid
Festival Celebration
special Correspondence to The Cam


Special Correspondence TO The calll
PEKING. July 25-From Lanchowfu.
the capital of Kansu province. comes
the report of a man named Hsi who
was arrested last February with two
collins in his possession containing the
remains of near relatives. around which
were packed 1000 ounces of opium.
which he was taking with the corpses
TO Shansi 1t is the custom OF the Chi
nese to take their dead in huge wooden
collins back to the place of their birth.
The prisoner was tried and sentenced
to 10 years Imprisonment. The case
then was referred to the central gov
ernment in Peking. and the man was
sentenced to death. The execution has
Just taken place. the prisoner being
shot instead of decapitated, as was the
practice in the old days.
In connection with the suppression
of the use of opium news reaches
Peking from time to time of some dras-
tic measure which the government is
able TO enforce in spite of the disor
ganization it is experiencing as a re-
suit of the revolution. Reports tell fire.
quently of lighting between farmers
who have formed bands and armed
themselves with the object OF success
fully harvesting crop of opium.
Sometimes the reports tell of Chris
tians being made special objects of at
tack and even murder because they
oppose the growing of the poppy. The
rule Of keeping hands off the mission
ary and his property. however, is still
generally observed, as it was through
out the revolution.
DEATH SENTENCE PROMULGATED
Other reports tell of proclamations
threatening death for a third offense
in selling or smoking opium. Still
others tell of great stocks of the drug
being burned amid festival celebrations.
Some S25,000 worth Of contiscated
opium went up in smoke in Tientsin a
few weeks ago while bands played and
people drank tea and listened to
speeches telling of the harm opium had
done the Chinese.
It is believed by foreigners and Chi
nese alike that such drastic measures
would not be possible at this period Of
reconstruction if the feeling of the
nation were not in favor of the reform.
Inc TeSIFlCLlOn OF the importation ana
growth has caused the value of opium
in China to be enormously enhanced.
Those who persist in using it must now
do so not only in secret, but at prices
which only the rich can afford. It is
now said to be beyond the reach of the
poor man. selling as it does for many
times what it cost before the suppress
sion began. In consequence there are
great inducements to carry on the trade
Hlicitly. and much smuggling and grow
ing in remote hill countries is at
tempted.
POLICE CLEVER IN DETECTION
The cleverness of the Chinese police
in discovering smuggled shipments is
shown by the instance given above of
the big burning at Tientsin. But in the
country they are not always so clever.
and many reports Of fields of growing
poppy come to government notice,
directly or Indirectly, through foreign
missionaries and their converts.
An American missionary, f. w.
Thwing, representing the international
reform bureau, which has its head
quarters at Washington, has been de-
voting practically all his time for a
number of years to the suppression of
the opium habit. He has been leading
the campaign for the Chinese where it
came IN conflict with foreigners, and
as a result he has acquired many enc
mics among those foreigners interested
in the continuance of the trade.
Thwing has shown the Chinese how
TO organize anti-opfum societies and
how to deal legally and to the best
advantage with the white men in the
business who are subject to no Chinese
Jaws, but only to the jurisdiction Of
their own consular courts.
Thwing recently stated in a public
speech in Shanghai that, while Chinese
officials and people have suppressed the
greater part of the traffic throughout
The country. and stamped it out alto
gether in some provinces, the foreign
quarter of Shanghai was licensing more
opium shops each year
FLEE sFoREIGN SETTLEMENTS
The suppression in what is known as
the native city had forced the opium
traders and the smokers into the for
eign settlements. controlled by the
foreign consuls subject to the orders
of their governments.
TINS, Thwing contends, is contrary TO
The Hague opium convention, where all
the interested powers agreed to reduce
the number of opium shops in the Chi
nese territories controlled by them IN
proportion to the reduction made by
the Chinese government.
Comment is frequently made on the
fact that two of the foremost American
interests in China. the sale of Gig
arettes and the propagation of Chris
tianity. seriously conflict. Agents OF
American and British missionary So
cieties distribute bibles, and agents of
the British american Tobacco company,
which controls the sale OF cigarettes In
China, both penetrate to the far in
terror.
In some remote little towns in the
provinces bordering Mongolia Thibet
or Turkestan the only white men will
be two small hostile groups Of Ameri-
cans, of two or three men each, one
trying TO induce the Chinese to give
up their little water pipes for the
cigarette. the other arguing that all
things American are not good to adopt.
Generally these two little groops of
men are not on speaking terms.