The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-07-29
DRASTIC MEASURES ADOPTED
TO PREVENT SALE OF OPIUM

was the practice in the old days.
In connection with the suppression
of the use of opium news reaches
Picking from time to time of some
drastic measure which the government
is able to enforce in spite of the dis
organization it is experiencing as a
result of the revolution. Reports tell
frequently Of fighting between farm.
ers who have formed bands and armed
themselves with the object of success.
fully harvesting a 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
airy and his property, however, is still
generally observed, as it was through.
out the revolution.
Other reports tell of proclamations
threatening death for a third offence
in selling or smoking opium. Still
others tell of great stocks of the drug
being burned amidst festival celebra-
tons. Some $4,000 worth of confis-
rated opium went up in smoke in
Tientsin a few weeks ago, while bands
played and people drank tea and lis.
tened to speeches telling of the harm
opium had done the Chinese. 1t is be-
lieved by foreigners and Chinese alike
that such drastic measures would not
be possible at this period of recon-
struction if the feeling of the nation
were not in favor of the reform.
The restriction of the importation
and growth has caused the value of
opium in China to be enormously en-
HANGED. Those who persist in using
it must now do so not only in secret
but at prices which only the rich can
afford. 1t is now said to be beyond
the reach of the poor, selling as it
does for many times what it cost be-
fore the suppression began. In conse-
quence there are great inducements to
carry on the grade illicitly, and much
and growing in remote hill
countries is attempted.
The cleverness of the Chinese police
in discovering Struggled 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 con-
verts.
An American missionary, E. w.
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 lead
ing the campaign for the Chinese
where 1t came in conflict with foreign
ers, and, as result, he has acquired
many enemies among those foreigners
interested in the continuance of the
trade. Thwing has shown the Chi
nese how to organize anti-opium so
cieties and how to deal legally and to
The best advantage with the white men
IN the business, who are subject to no
Chinese laws but only to the jurisdic-
ion of their own consular courts.
Thwing recently stated in a public
speech in Shanghai that while Chinese
officials and people have suppressed
he greater part of the traffic through
Tut the country, and stamped it out
altogether in some provinces, the for
ign quarter of Shanghai was licensing
more Opium shops each year. The
suppression in what is known as the
Native City had forced the opium
raiders and the smokers into the for.
ign settlements controlled by the for.
'ign consuls subject to the orders of
heir governments, This, Thwing con.
ends, is contrary to the Hague Opium
convention. where all the interested
lowers agreed to reduce the number
II opium shops in the Chinese terri
cries controlled by them in proper