The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-09-24
TABOO LIQUOR HABIT
Foreign Drinks Not Likely to A.
feet the Chinese.
VIII Not Take Place of Prohibited
Opium-More Danger in China
From Cheap Drug Subst-
tutes Than Liquor.

Shanghai, China.--In these days OF,
opium suppression in China a good
deal Of capital is made by interested
parties out of fear that the Chinese
will turn to spirits when the drug can
not be obtained. The white man may
be responsible for introducing spirits
to the natives of Africa and other
continents, but he certainly cannot be
called to account for their use in
China. In short, China taught the
white man the use of spirits; the ma
tives of this country have manufac-
tured spirits from time immemorial.
Recent reports in home newspapers
show that large number of people in
Great Britain and America are much
exercised in mind over an alleged con-
spiracy to infiict on China, which is
making such strenuous efforts to get
rid of the curse of opium, the debas-
ing vice of excess in the use of alco-
hol.
But, If it be true that the Chinese
are buying spirits from foreign coun-
tries in larger quantities, which is
open to question, it must be remem-
bered that they possess an immense
variety of Intoxicating liquors. Any
Chinese may set up a distillery and
sell its products without let or him
drance. So plentiful and cheap is the
native article that the equivalent OF
two cents will buy enough "samshu"
at street corner to bowl over navy.
1t is claimed by foreigners who ought
to know that to this day the distillery
apparatus in a highland "bothy" is
the exact counterpart of that in use in
Chinese "chiufang."
China's millions are too poor to be-
come nation of drunkards, especially
on imported liquors. The natives OF
this country have their own wines and
spirits. Those who can afford to drink
wine take it at meals, and even the
poor find it cheaper than their favor
lite fat pork. No feast is complete
without wine; at marriages and funer-
ais it flows freely. Yet one seldom
sees drunken Chinese, and court rec
ords have little acquaintance with the
drunk and disorderly."
It may be objected that even foreign
spirits would be cheaper than opium
at it's present price. The reply is that
the poor man does not use the original
drug; he gets cheap scrapings from
pipes and what is called dross, but
even that in very small quantities.
At feasts and other celebrations the
Chinese indulge in game in which
one hand is kept behind the back and
the other closed The closed fist is
brought smartly forward and one, two
or more fingers exposed. If A shows
two fingers and B is calling for two
then B suffers a penalty; if A is wrong
he has to pay forfeit Among rich
Chinese | have seen the loser suffer
the penalty Of drinking peg" OF
whisky neat. But this custom pre-
vailed centuries ago, excepting that
samshu was then universally used. 1t
must not be forgotten in this connec-
ton that the players usually withdraw
when they have suffered the penalty
once or twice.
There is no reason to suppose that
the Chinese will become a nation OF
drunkards. In a decade in this coun-
try I have not seen ten drunken men
| in the streets. In China, even at
i feasts, when men begin to get red
in the face" they withdraw. The real
| danger in China at the moment is that
drug fiends are hunting for a substl-
tute for opium. Hence the attempt TIC
regulate the traffic in morphia and So
called opium cures" The Hongkong
government is doing noble work in
| this direction and China herself has
realized the danger that threatens her.
The class Of man who seeks obliYion
in opium will not turn from a sensual
dreamland to that which will upset
his stomach and give him violent
| headache for days.