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are being prepared with great secrecy, though it is reported from two districts that orders have been given for a reduction of cultivation next year.
As the seed is only sown at the beginning of November, it is too early to form any reliable opinion as to what is being done in the matter.
Although in isolated instances in other provinces the cultivation of the poppy has been reduced, yet it may be safely said that in general no attention has been paid to this Article throughout the Empire, nor have the penalties for non-compliance with its provisions been imposed.
Art. 2. To issue licences to smokers in order to prevent others from contracting the habit.
In Chengtu, the capital of Szechuan, an attempt is being made to carry out this Article by ordering all persons using the official opium divans or purchasing opium from the official opium shops to register themselves. But it is only among the humbler classes that the authorities have been able to enforce these orders with any amount of success. The Chinese have an instinctive dislike to registration. Growing public opinion condemns the use of the drug, and hence a natural disinclination on the part of persons of any claim to respectability to avow themselves addicted to the habit. Registration of smokers has been carried out to a certain extent at Cheloo, Hangchow, Kiangchow, Nanning, Changsha, Chengtu, Chungking, Yunnan-fu, but in general it may be said that little or nothing has been done in this matter, although many instances have occurred of people considerably under the age of 60 not hesitating to register themselves as having reached that age, in order to insure to themselves the privilege of continuing the habit.
Art. 3. To reduce the craving for opium within a limited time in order to remedy chronic addiction thereto.
At Chengtu (Szechuan) the head Anti-Opium Bureau has issued Regulations providing for a limited quantity of opium being issued to each smoker, the amount to be reduced annually by 20 per cent.
These Regulations, however, have not been effectively carried out for the reasons given under Article 2.
In the rest of China this Article is practically a dead letter.
Art. 4. To prohibit opium houses in order to purify the abodes of pollution.
Of all the eleven Articles in the Decree, the above has met with most success.
In the Province of Szechuan, generally speaking, dens have been closed, licensed houses being opened in their stead.
In Chengtu the divans have been reduced from 500 to 300; in other towns the reduction has been on a smaller scale, but they are undoubtedly under stricter police supervision than in the past. Though dens have not been suppressed altogether, they have been improved and brought under official control, a much needed reform in a province where they were notoriously the resort of the criminal classes. For the rest of China it may be said that the dens have been closed in nearly all the chief cities and without disturbance, while the majority have been shut in the country districts.
Art. 5. To closely inspect opium shops, in order to facilitate preventive measures. In Chengtu the Provincial Government, as in several other provinces, have gone somewhat beyond the scope of the spirit of the Article, and have endeavoured to create a monopoly of the manufacture and sale of the prepared drug.
Official opium stores have been established, and a limited number of retail opium shops have been licensed. The sale of prepared opium without a licence is made a criminal offence. No restriction has been placed on raw opium which can be purchased as desired, though boiling is prohibited, except in official store, where only an amount is allowed corresponding to that noted in the smoking licence.
In Chungking a similar procedure is in force, but elsewhere in the province the monopoly depends on the ability of the local officials to enforce it.
In the rest of China the shops are inspected and licensed in most cities, and are more or less under official supervision and subject to taxation, which is generally based on the amount of business done. Raw opium can still, however, without much difficulty be purchased by those who wish and can be prepared and smoked at home. Nevertheless, the opium den in China occupies very much the same popular position as the
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13
public-house in England, and its suppression is a very important step in the right direction.
Art. 6. To manufacture remedies for the cure of the opium habit.
This is one of the most difficult rules to carry out efficiently, not from the lack of remedies, but from the fact that those provided are either not efficacious in themselves or produce greater evil than that which they are intended to prevent.
Most anti-opium medicines contain either opium or morphia, and the efficacy of such cures is not infrequently limited to the period during which they are taken, while they have a tendency to introduce opium eating instead of smoking, replacing one vice by another, and introducing one more difficult to cure. In Chengtu opium refuges exist where medicine is supplied free of charge, but these establishments are not well patronized. In addition, the sale of opium remedies, for the most part spurious, is strictly controlled by the police.
In other places in the Province of Szechuan benevolent societies have been formed for the distribution of opium remedies, and a large number of people have applied to mission dispensaries for medicine. In most cases the applicants cannot be induced to undergo a course of treatment in the mission hospital. It is also noteworthy that the Chinese authorities do not invoke the assistance and advice of foreign medical men in the selection and preparation of opium remedies.
For the rest of China it may be said that refuges and anti-opium medicines are provided in nearly all the capitals and chief towns, and that they are within reach of the majority of the inhabitants of the Empire.
The morphia question is one which is of great importance in connection with that of opium, inasmuch as the Chinese have of late years taken a great fancy to it. It would no doubt take the place of opium were the latter eventually suppressed had not the Chinese Government already taken steps to prevent this contingency.
By Article XI of the Commercial Treaty of the 5th September, 1902, between Great Britain and China His Majesty's Government undertook to prohibit the general importation of morphia into China, except for medical purposes, as soon as all other Treaty Powers agreed to this step. The Chinese Government on their side undertook to adopt measures at once to prevent the manufacture of morphia in China. With the exception of Japan, the consent of all the Treaty Powers has now been obtained, so that China is within measurable distance of seeing morphia eradicated.
Art. 7. The establishment of Anti-Opium Societies in order to promote the good movement.
In the Province of Szechuan the authorities have given little encouragement to such Societies, and have ordered them only to discuss opium and not current politics or questions of local government.
In the rest of China Anti-Opium Societies have been established in many of the capitals, some being under official auspices, others of a private nature. They display a certain amount of energy.
Art. 8. To charge the local authorities with the duty of leading the movement.
In regard to the Province of Szechuan, with the exceptions of the capital (Chengtu) and Chungking, it cannot be said that the local authorities have as a whole done much to help and encourage the anti-opium movement. The country officials are mostly smokers, their attitude lukewarm, and their action generally limited to the issue of the necessary Proclamations. As to the rest of China, the officials foremost in energy are those of the cities of Tien-tsin, Chefoo, Soochow, Shanghae, Nanking, and Foochow.
Art. 9. To strictly forbid the smoking of opium in order that an example may be set for others to follow.
This Article is practically a dead letter in the Province of Szechuan. The late Viceroy did issue an order to all civil and military officials throughout the province fixing a limit of six months in which to give up the habit, opium smokers in the meantime to report themselves to their superior officials in order that their names might be entered on a black list. No officials are known to have reported themselves; On the other hand, several officials, notoriously inveterate smokers, are retained in office.
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12
are being prepared with great secrecy, though it is reported from two districts that orders have been given for a reduction of cultivation next year.
As the seed is only sown at the beginning of November, it is too early to form any reliable opinion as to what is being done in the matter.
Although in isolated instances in other provinces the cultivation of the poppy has been reduced, yet it may be safely said that in general no attention has been paid to this Article throughout the Empire, nor have the penalties for non-compliance with its provisions been imposed.
Art. 2. To issue licences to smokers in order to prevent others from contracting
the habit.
In Chengtu, the capital of Szechuan, an attempt is being made to carry out this Article by ordering all persons using the official opium divans or purchasing opium from the official opium shops to register themselves. But it is only among the humbler classes that the authorities have been able to enforce these orders with any amount of success. The Chinese have an instinctive dislike to registration. Growing public opinion condemns the use of the drug, and hence a natural disinclination on the part of persons of any claim to respectability to avow themselves addicted to the habit. Registration of sinokers has been carried out to a certain extent at Cheloo, Hangchow, Kiangchow, Nanning, Changsha, Chengtu, Chungking, Yunnan-fu, but in general it may be said that little or nothing has been done in this matter, although many instances have occurred of people considerably under the age of 60 not hesitating to register themselves as having reached that age, in order to insure to themselves the privilege of continuing the habit.
Art. 3. To reduce the craving for opium within a limited time in order to remedy
chronic addiction thereto.
At Chengtu (Szechuan) the head Anti-Opium Bureau has issued Regulations providing for a limited quantity of opium being issued to each smoker, the amount to be reduced annually by 20 per cent.
These Regulations, however, have not been effectively carried out for the reasons given under Article 2.
In the rest of China this Article is practically a dead letter.
Art. 4. To prohibit opium houses in order to purify the abodes of pollution.
Of all the eleven Articles in the Decree, the above has met with most success.
In the Province of Szechuan, generally speaking, dens have been closed, licensed houses being opened in their stead.
In Chengtu the divans have been reduced from 500 to 300; in other towns the reduction has been on a smaller scale, but they are undoubtedly under stricter police supervision than in the past. Though dens have not been suppressed altogether, they have been improved and brought under official control, a much needed reform in a province where they were notoriously the resort of the criminal classes. For the rest of China it may be said that the dens have been closed in nearly all the chief cities and without disturbance, while the majority have been shut in the country districts.
Art. 5. To closely inspect opium shops, in order to facilitate preventive measures. In Chengtu the Provincial Government, as in several other provinces, have gone somewhat beyond the scope of the spirit of the Article, and have endeavoured to create a monopoly of the manufacture and sale of the prepared drug.
Official opium stores have been established, and a limited number of retail opium shops have been licensed. The sale of prepared opium without a licence is made a criminal offence. No restriction has been placed on raw opium which can be purchased as desired, though boiling is prohibited, except in official store, where only an amount is allowed corresponding to that noted in the snicking licence.
In Chungking a similar procedure is in force, but elsewhere in the province the monopoly depends on the ability of the local officials to enforce it.
In the rest of China the shops are inspected and licensed in most cities, and are more or less under official supervision and subject to taxation, which is generally based on the amount of business done. Raw opium can still, however, without much difficulty be purchased by those who wish and can be prepared and smoked at home. Never- theless, the opium den in China occupies very much the same popular position as the
C
13
public-house in England, and its suppression is a very important step in the right direction.
Art. 6. To manufacture remedies for the cure of the opium habit.
This is one of the most difficult rules to carry out efficiently, not from the lack of remedies, but from the fact that those provided are either not efficacious in themselves or produce greater evil than that which they are intended to prevent.
Most anti-opium medicines contain either opium or morphia, and the efficacy of such cures is not infrequently limited to the period during which they are taken, while they have a tendency to introduce opium eating instead of smoking, replacing one vice by another, and introducing one more difficult to cure. In Chengtu opium refuges exist where medicine is supplied free of charge, but these establishmouts are not well patronized. In addition, the sale of opium remedies, for the most part spurious, is strictly controlled by the police.
In other places in the Province of Szechuan benevolent societies have been formed for the distribution of opium remedies, and a large number of people have applied to mission dispensaries for medicine. In most cases the applicants cannot be induced to undergo a course of treatment in the mission hospital. It is also noteworthy that the Chinese authorities do not invoke the assistance and advice of foreign medical inen in the selection and preparation of opium remedies.
For the rest of China it may be said that refuges and anti-opium medicines are provided in nearly all the capitals and chief towns, and that they are within reach of the majority of the inhabitants of the Empire.
The morphia question is one which is of great importance in connection with that of opium, inasmuch as the Chinese have of late years taken a great fancy to it. It would no doubt take the place of opium were the latter eventually suppressed had not the Chinese Government already taken steps to prevent this contingency.
By Article XI of the Commercial Treaty of the 5th September, 1902, between Great Britain and China His Majesty's Government undertook to prohibit the general importation of morphia into China, except for medical purposes, as soon as all other Treaty Powers agreed to this step. The Chinese Government on their side undertook to adopt measures at once to prevent the manufacture of morphia in China. With the exception of Japan, the consent of all the Treaty Powers has now been obtained, so that China is within measurable distance of seeing morphia eradicated.
Art. 7. The establishment of Anti-Opium Societies in order to promote the good
movement.
In the Province of Szechuan the authorities have given little encouragement to such Societies, and have ordered them only to discuss opium and not current politics or questions of local government.
In the rest of China Anti-Opium Societies have been established in many of the capitals, some being under official auspices, others of a private nature. They display a certain amount of energy.
Art, S. To charge the local authorities with the duty of leading the movement,
In regard to the Province of Szechuan, with the exceptions of the capital (Chengtu) and Chungking, it cannot be said that the local authorities have as a whole done much to help and encourage the anti-opium movement. The country officials are mostly smokers, their attitude lukewarm, and their action generally limited to the issue of the necessary Proclamations. As to the rest of China, the officials foremost in energy are those of the cities of Tien-tsin, Chefoo, Soochow, Shanghae, Nanking, and Foochow.
Art, 9. To strictly forbid the smoking of opium in order that an example may be
set for others to follow.
This Article is practically a dead letter in the Province of Szechuan. The late Viceroy did issue an order to all civil and military officials throughout the province fixing a limit of six months in which to give up the habit, opium smokers in the meantime to report themselves to their superior officials in order that their names might be entered on a black list. No officials are known to have reported themselves; On the other hand, several officials, notoriously inveterate smokers, are retained in office.
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