The Washburn leader., 1913-03-28
Observe 0p-
INN Law In China
This Country can Look to China for
Examples Of Enforcement Of Re-
form Legislation

form Legislation
1t is strange but true that we in this
so-called civilized land can turn to
China for examples of strict enforce
ment Of reform legislation such as are
most unusual here. In this country we
have a good many laws of a reforma-
tory sort, we'll intentioned when we
place them on our statute books, but
very badly enforced after they get
there. In fact, we are much stronger
at the law-making business than we
are at living up to the laws after we
make them, which is proof that we are
less sincere than we should be.
Over in China possibly the greatest
evil the country knew few Year, ago
was the opium habit among the people.
Rapidly it was sapping the manhood
and womanhood of the land, weakening
men and women morally as well as
physically. Recognizing the evil and
its great danger to the state, the Chi
nese government passed laws against
it and against the people who were
profiting by it. At once the whole
world smiled. For China to give up its
opium habit was something very much
like joke to contemplate. As well
for Germany to give up its beer drink
ing habit. Hardly anyone on the out
side but believed the anti-opium law
would become dead letter so soon as
it was on the statutes. But it didn't.
The government of China was in
deadly earnest about this business and
as result there has been not only
strict enforcement of the law, but
severe punishment of people who have
broken it. As the Springfield Repub-
lican describes the situation, it is as
follows: f54
If the news of the execution of a
woman by shooting in public square
at Shanghai for the of1iense of opium
smoking is correct, it is q striking ex-
ample of the determination with which
the Chinese have attacked the vice
which is sapping the vitality of the
nation. The first reports of the reform
were received with incredulity, and the
bonfires Of pipes and opium were by
many looked upon as theatrical dis
play which meant about as much as the
New Years resolutions of the hopeless
dipsomaniac. This skepticism was es-
pecially noticeable in England for
obvious reasons. It would never do to
admit that the Chinese were en-
gagged in life and death struggle with
the plague which England has fastened
upon them by force. Apologists for
this lniquitous opium war have had to
take the line that the Chinese would
smoke opium anyway, so that they
might as well smoke opium from India.
The reform has been treated as farce;
largely got up as ap excuse for treaty
breaking, for the apologists for the
opium war have put great stress on the
sanctity of the treaty which was extort-
ed at the cannon 8 mouth. They insisted
that while pretending to reform, the
Chinese were simply growing their own
supplies of the drug. But another
story is told by the accumulation Of
large stores Of opium from India for
which there has been no market, and
by the steady and relentless progress
Of the cursade. That there is such a
moral awakening has been made album
dantly plain in the past two or three
years. It is a part of the birth Of q
new China.
The fastening Of the opium evil upon
China is one Of the serious sins of Great
Britian, and one in connection with
which official repentance came alto
gether too late. However, it is better
that reform should begin late than not
at all, and from information arriving
from China it is apparent that reform
with capital ''R" is now under way.
We may not agree that it is just right
to shoot people for no greater offense
than the breaking Of an anti-opium
law but we will have to admit that the
lesson conveyed by . few shootings Of
this sort will be salutary. And there
are some offenders who cannot be
forced into obedience Of law by any
less severe method. Minot Reporter.
!.