Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-02-18


smoking opium or opium prepared for
smoking found within the United
States shall be presumed to have been
imported after April I, 1903, and the
burden Of proof shall be on the claim
ant or the accused to rebuff such pre-
SUMPTION
Hits Traffic on Vessels.
Then follow other sections just as
drastic Section 4 deals with the ship
ment of opium by vessels and places
upon any person who knows Of opium
on such vessel the duty and fespon-
sibiiity Of reporting the facts 10 the
principal officer of the vessel. This
also hits any person attempting to
transport opium by vessel
Stringent regulations against the
handling of the drug by vessel. its
shipment or transhipment in local or
foreign waters, are adopted.
Section 3, the last, is particularly
important to captains OF vessels and
shipping firms It reads:
THAT whenever opium or cocaine
or any preparations or alternatives
thereof shall be found upon Any yes
sci arriving at any port of the United
States which is not shown upon the
vessels manifest, as is provided By
sections 2S06 and 1907 of the revised
statutes, such vessel shall be liable
for the penalty and forfeiture prescrib,
ed in section 1909 of the revised stat.
utes.
Section 2S09, referred to above. pro-
vides that if merchandise is found on
any vessel in violation of the provi-
sions, the penalty shall be a fine
against the master of the vessel in
the amount of the value OF the mer-
chandise and the merchandise shall
be forfeited.
ssYen Sheec 0ntIawed
The ether act not only deals a
heavy blow at the opium traffic but
also at yen she,' the residue Of
smoked opium also used by opium
smokers.
Recently, after series of legal
battles. the supreme court of the
territory held that yen shee is
not opium under the meaning of the
domestic opium act. This new law
now comes to the rescue. Here is the
first section
THAT an internal revenue tax OF
$500 per pound shall be levied and col
lected upon all opium manufactured in
the United States for smoking pur-
poses; and no person shall engage In
such manufacture who is not a citf-I
zen of the United States and who has
not given bond required by the COM
Of internal revenue, Every
person who prepares opium suitable
Tor smoking purposes from crude gum
opium orfrom any preparations there /!
If, or from the residue Of smoked or
partially smoked opium, commonly
known as yen shee, or from any mix;
.ure of the above, or any Of them, !
shall be regarded as a manufacturer of /
smoking opium within the meaning Of i
his act
1t will be seen at once that the tax
IN the manufacture of opium is pro- !
high, meant to drive the
raffic out OF business and to furnish 5
he government with another weapon 1
or campaigning against the drug. The
SOAdE III MISUNDERSTANDING 10 " DS III q <
oenal sum of not less than 100000 :
md other provisions of the act are
ust as impossible for opium manufac-Y
urers to observe.
Penalties for violating these acts
nay he exceedingly severe. Fines
ange down from $4,000 maximum and
wo years imprisonment in, the first {
lrt For Violating the second acf q 4
penalty of not less than SIC. 900 fines
II five years imprisonment, or both. {
3 provided.
With the broadening of the scope Of &
he anti-opium laws; the provisions
hat the accused person must prove
lis Innocence, the radical penalties
md the general provisions outlawing
he traffic, the government officials
ire equipped, say those who have !.
studied the acts, to go into a cam
,aign mere that will shake the illicit I
rade to its foundations.