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Liu Taotai, Superintendent of the Anti-Opium Bureau, the paper adds, considers that these instructions could not arrive in time to be uniformly carried out in districts at a distance from Soochow, and has obtained the Governor's assent to the measure being universally carried out from the 1st day of the 4th moon (12th May), when a tax of 50 cash per ounce shall be levied on each ounce of prepared opium sold, irrespective of quality.
From the income thus derived, 20 cash per ounce sold shall be remitted to the Soochow and Shanghae Li-kin Bureaux, and the balance of 30 cash per ounce shall to meet the expenses of the Anti-Opium Bureau.
2. Regulations.
go
It is perhaps more convenient to give the various items of information in chrono- logical order, so as to trace the evolution of the Regulations and measures eventually put into force.
From the "Hsin Wen Pao," of the 12th March:
The Provincial Treasurer, the Judge and Commissioner of Education have discussed in concert the 16th Regulations for the prohibition of opium smoking at Soochow, and for doubling the price of the drug, and the establishment of a "Bureau for the Control and Taxation of Prepared Opium." They are requesting the Viceroy and Governor to consider these Regulations, and to give their opinion on the subject. We now hear that Viceroy Tuan has carefully gone into the Regulations forwarded, and considers that the doubling of the price as a prohibitory measure would be pernicious in many ways. Other of the proposed Regulations present difficulties, so for the moment the Viceroy is refraining from indorsing the report. It seems that he is communicating with the Governor by letter on the subject, and probably the result of the discussion will be that the proposed Regulations will be rejected, and instructions will be given to draw up
others.
"Shih Pao," of the 14th March:
The Governor of Soochow, Ch'en, is anxious to take vigorous measures to repress opium smoking, but preparatory to doing so, wishes to examine the Regulations pat in force by the Japanese Government in Taiwan. He instructed the 'Shanghae Taotai to write to the Japanese Consul-General for a copy of the Taiwan Regulations and to the Commissioner of Customs for the Regulations in force at Hong Kong. The former have been obtained and forwarded to the Governor. The Hong Kong Regulations are not yet forthcoming, and the Taotai has written again pressing for them.
"Shen Pao," of the 16th March:
The Bureau for the Control and Taxation of Prepared Opium at Soochow has been ordered to put into effect the following measures :--
1. When the Opium Tax Bureau is abolished, the prepared opium shops shall be ordered to add 30 cash to the market price per ounce, to make up for the loss of the former tax. This sum will be collected by "farming" establishments.
2. Raw opium shops shall be ordered to prepare an estimate of the quantity of opium purchased annually, and to pay a tax of 5 per cent, ad valorem on this amount.
Kuo Kan Ch'en, chief of the raw opium dealers, has been ordered to call a meeting of the heads of the raw and prepared opium shops at the opium club to discuss the
matter.
"Shen Pao," of the 17th March:
Chen, Governor of Soochow, under instructions to take active measures to suppress opium, has ordered Chu, Provincial Judge, to submit some practical regulations to be put into force if approved by him. The Provincial Judge accordingly drew up a draft containing the following proposals :-
1. That the retail price of prepared opium be doubled; and
2. That a Central Bureau for control and taxation of licensed prepared opium be instituted at Soochow, and branch offices of the bureau should be established in all prefectures and districts.
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If these measures should have good effect at Soochow, a Memorial could be addressed to the Throne, and similar measures taken in all the provincial capitals. We now hear that Viceroy Tuan has examined the proposed Regulations, and is of the opinion that to suddenly double the market price of prepared opium would be difficult. After telegraphic discussion with the Governor of Soochow, he has decided upon a new measure. An increase of 10 per cent. on the market price of the drug will be added yearly, thus doubling the price at the end of ten years, which period coincides with that fixed for the absolute suppression of opium smoking. The other Regulations regarding the establishment of a bureau are to remain, and instructions were issued to the Provincial Judge and Treasurer on the very day that this decision was arrived at, to issue circular orders to all Prefects and District Magistrates to take action.
"Nan Fang Pao," of the 17th March:
Viceroy Tuan has recently issued the following instructions to the Provincial Treasurer.
On the 20th of the 1st moon I received a despatch from the Ministry of the Interior:
"We have determined to adapt and act upon the Memorial of the Censor Chao Chi-liu, with regard to the strenuous prohibition of opium, and to issue circular instructions to the various local officials in Kiangsu to act in accordance."
The Board inclosed a copy of the modified procedure to be adopted. I have also received from the Council of Government, a despatch embodying the Regulations which they have decided upon for the prohibition of opium, which have been submitted to the Throne. Further, the Provincial Judge at Soochow and others have, in obedience to my orders, consulted and decided upon practical measures for this object. Both Regulations and the measures which they advise have been circulated among the officials to be carried out by them. The Provincial Judge, after consultation with others, subsequently asked that the time limit for the cessation of opium smoking should commence to run from the first day of the present year, to which I agreed. In pursuance of the above measures, I made the police authorities responsible for their enforcement within the city, and charged the various local authorities with their carrying out in their respective jurisdictions in the towns, villages, market towns, &c., outside Soochow city, and ordered them all to work with the gentry to make energetic investigations of the opium shops, draw up a register of these, and report to me. In Peking a central bureau for the prohibiton of opium smoking is already established, and a central office should be organized at Shanghae for the purpose, which should be controlled by respectable members of the gentry, chosen by the Shanghae Taotai. It is hoped to connect thus all parts of the province by branch offices. The various head offices and branches should report from time to time the result of their investigations to the Peking Central Bureau. The opium shops of all localities must make preparations to close at the end of the 6th moon, without exception, and any disregard of this order will be punished.
With regard to the restriction on poppy cultivation, it is a plan for cleansing the source of the evil. It should rightly be dealt with by the local authorities in Soochow, and they should conscientiously combine forces with the gentry to pursue their investigations. The cultivation of poppy must be strictly limited, and it is sincerely to be hoped that decrease can be attained year by year. Should any one dare to be casual, or to shield others by making false representations, I shall have no option but to inflict severe punishments with regard to each individual case, as laid down by Regulations.
Other localities, apart from Soochow, in which land is under poppy cultivation, shall be subject to the same measures, and thus, by attacking it root and branch, this chronic pest shall be finally stamped out.
I am sending instructions to all officials, and have the honour to request you to act in accordance, and to report from time to time the details of the measures you are taking for my information. It will not do for you to regard this as a dead letter.
"Nan Fang Pao" of the 28th March :
The Provincial Judge at Soochow has submitted to the Viceroy a scheme for raising the price of prepared opium by a yearly increase of one-tenth of the market value. The Viceroy's indorsement was: The plan for the suppression of opium smoking
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