THE OPIUM VICE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 192, 8 May 1908, Page 7

THE OPIUM VICE.

' v I* ■■■ . : ,v : CHINA'S' EXAMPLE. >: BRITAIN -WILL STOP LICENSES "IN . CROWN COLONIES. DT ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT,' (lloc. May 8, 0.12 a.m.) / . . : ; . London, May 7. ' In tho House of Commons, Mr. Johnson (Labour 'member) \ moved a resolution urging the Govermnent to take steps '•' to - speedilyterminate, the licenses of. ..opium dens in Crown colonies.- i. 7\ - ,The motion was accepted by the Government, and was unanimously agreed to. Sir E.' Grey, Secretary for Foreign' Affairs, emphasised, the fact that remarkable results of the right.kind had been achieved by: China in, a short time.. ,: : ' CHINA'S MARCH TO VICTORY. "China lias not' hesitated to deal with '; a question, which a European nation, with all the : modem machinery of .Government and-the po\yer ,of enforcing its decisions, would probably have been unwilling ,to face." Sir J.'Jordan, British .Minister,: expresses this, opinion inwriting front Peking, on January 11 last. He refers to ' the;' Emperor's resolve to: sweep ' away, within :a- decade, the opinm have been the' growth of a jentury;'and • which'have gairied'a firm holdupon at least 8,000,000 of the adult'population. ' Two roars ago, to. a ,European, observer, the Emperor might, as well threatened .to strike,down with/the single ; strength of 1 his' right, arm' the solossal" figure 'of Buddha -carved in; thb' solid rock., Now,- the mail';; on/ ( the«. ivho is certainly; ..the' , best' : person- to juage, ivh'ethor British' Minister,' Chinese ,Statesman,', Missionary or l native coolibji is'convinced that Uhina can accomplish this stupendous undertaking. . •As the'; regulations for the; enforcement of . the prohibition of smoking, selling, or in • any way indulging in- the opium vice , only lameinto active exorcise in August 1907, the period in which to gauge the .result is only v few ,months. Every one 'of tho eighteen' provinces has) been required to report progress,'a ;'reat' variety'of methpds have been adopted. Mandarins, have acted as their judgment or. lisposition dictated; " Some liave enforced the Emperor's -commands, by blows, and' imprisonmnent, others • have ,' constrained by persuasion ind humane measures...'-'.The 'Provincial'. Treasury'of- Shansi, for instance, has , opened-freo lispensaries . and supplied : medicines to the ipiiim, victims. Between 300, and 4QO ,applicants .veroi reported to present themselves daily, for :reatment.. " On'; the .whole,' there can.'be no loubt .that the. progress exceeded the :most :anguine. expectation.'. China's toilsome inarch :owards hationttl' freedom has so far been •ictorious. '.. .' ■ The British Minister/(writes a* , cbrresponlent), acknowledges that China; is at. ■ present lebarred from attaining the, noble object she las sot before her by an article in the British rreaty of Nanking, (18-{2), 'and-by..the'French Preaty of Tientsin (1858). It is humiliating o confess that'for;'more, 'than half, a century wo nations which, glory in calling themselves ' Christian " : have .cursed /'an' . ancient /land, rhich they term ' "Heathen " China," with emptation to \vice. The'great bulk of' English leople 'have singed in ignorance in enduring his condition, of affairs. . Many of .them probiblv know more of; the'history' of .England inder the . Stuart 'or Tudpr l dynasty than oi heir , own history of the,' Victorian .period: 3ut no one,can.any. longer plead being in..the lark, with regard to the Indo-Chinese opiuir [uestions. The : negotiations between the ria. ions are now public property.- The bravf iffort of a great land to shake off'every weigh] vhich hinders her, in a race for a prize wort! he winning is an example'to the world. Eng and is-bound not . only, to give her ungrudg ng admiration and. sympathy, but practica ielp, even though at the cost of sacrifice o: evenue. \ /-/. : i