CO129-372 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 446

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Foochow The taotai's visit was made in the early part of January. He travelled in the steamer "Shutung," which was specially chartered for the purpose, with a large retinue and some soldiers, making a stay of some ten days in Foochow

Inspection of the crops seems only to have been carried out near the city and along some of the high roads. In these places the farmers either concealed the plants then but a few inches above the ground-by covering them with soil or rooted them up voluntarily, but in so tender a fashion that all could be replanted when the

inspection

**

was over.

The taotai was thus able to send a good report regarding what he saw to the Viceroy. How much it was worth may be judged by the fact that large quantities of opium were to be seen growing without any attempt at concealment où both bank of the Yang-tsze, the main highway, for some 210 li (70 miles) in the Foochow jurisdiction when Mr. Claxton passed down in April.

The magistrate in charge at the time of the taotai's visit was dismissed and sentenced to a fine of 10,000 taels, which has not yet been paid.

His successor issued proclamations, couched in fitting terms, regarding the suppression of cultivation, but found himself powerless to carry them out and to uproot To any of the poppy which was growing everywhere throughout his jurisdiction. save his face he gave out that it was all to be uprooted within sixty days, an order which has been scrupulously obeyed, the time limit being one within which the crop

in would have been harvested and the soil prepared for the usual spring crops any circumstances.

The consequence is that nearly as much poppy was grown during the 1900-10 season in the Foochow district as before the orders for a reduction in the amount cultivated were issued, and the people have been allowed to remain in possession of their harvest, all with impunity.

Foochow has never taken the anti-opium movement seriously; the viceregal proclamation prohibiting cultivation is not regarded otherwise than as a nominal order. In this view the people have been confirmed by the result of the taotai's visit, which has proved to have been worse than useless. Flagrant disobedience has gone unpunished and the people have every intention, which they openly announce, of continuing the cultivation next season. The feeling seems to be that if so high an official as the toatai, with a foreign steamer and troops to aid him, could do nothing this year a visit from the Viceroy next will probably have a like result.

In Wanhsien, Chungchou, and P'a shun ssu (to the west of Chungehou), Nanchuan and Changshou, very little opium has been grown during the 1909-10 season, and that only in secluded spots. This confirms the information given in my report of the 28th February in regard to all these places, and, in the case of Changshou, is corroborated by Père Lorain,

In Fengtu, according to Père Lorain's information--based, as stated before, on native reports about half as much as usual has been grown; but Mr. Claxton, on the strength of personal observation, thinks that the amount which has been cultivated is very much less.

In Tienchiang, Père Lorain states that little progress has been made, which contra- dicts the information given in my report of the 28th February, where the district is credited with no opium at all.

In Shih Chu most of the opium was stated to have been cut down in January, while Père Lorain says there is as much as formerly, except near the high roads. Mr. Claxton tells me that in many places in this district the opium crop is abnormally late. This is due to the fact that farmers at first prepared their fields to sow other crops; later, seeing the impunity with which Foochow was allowed to cultivate opium, they changed their minds at the last moment and sowed poppy.

At Yu Yang, Père Lorain states that 80 per cent. of the poppy planted has been cut down.

Missionaries who travelled in the south-west district of Eastern Szechuan from Suining, through the Hochou T'ungliang and neighbouring magistracies during the flowering season tell me that no poppy was then to be seen.

Mr. Claxton says that in all the magistracies bordering on Foochow, the impunity with which that place has been allowed to disobey the Viceroy's proclamation and the futile result of the taotai's visit has had a very bad effect. Farmers make no secret of their intention to try and cultivate poppy next season, and quantities of seeds are now being bought by them in Foochow for the purpose.

In these circumstances, if the existing policy of totally suppressing cultivation next season is pursued, the elements of possible trouble present themselves-trouble which

would the more easily break out should landowners not meet the wishes of cultivators by effecting a considerable reduction in rentals, to pay which the farmer has hitherto (relied on his opium crop.

While the information above given does not entirely coincide with all that was stated in my report of the 28th February, it does not vary the general assertion which was made in it-that there has been an immense reduction in the cultivation of the poppy during the 1909-10 season in the district of Eastern Szechuan as a whole, a conclusion drawn with the fact in view that the production in Foochow would probably be nearly as great as in previous years.

In this conclusion Père Lorain agrees, and the actual state of affairs would seem to be best expressed in his words: "Il résulte de l'enquête faite parmi le clergé indigène que la culture du pavot a disparu entièrement de presque tout le Szetchouen oriental. Il y a, cependant, plusieurs sous-préfectures dans lesquelles le pavot existe et même est cultivé sur le même pied que les années dernières."

APPENDIX.

Report drawn up (from information given by Native Priests) by Père Lorain, Procureur of the Mission catholique at Chungking.

Il résulte de l'enquête faite parmi le clergé indigène que la culture du pavot a disparu entièrement de presque tout le Szetchouen oriental. Il y a, cependant, plusieurs sous-préfectures dans lesquelles le pavot existe et même est cultivé sur le même pied que les années dernières; parmi ces districts Fouchou tient la première place.

Malgré le voyage du taotai, on trouve le pavot partout et en grande quantité. Le peuple, bien malgré lui, s'est contenté d'arracher les plants qui étaient trop en évidence sur les bords du grand fleuve ou le long des grandes routes, ce qui a diminué la culture d'environ un dixième. Le mandarin a été cassé et puni d'une amende de 10,000 taels. Son successeur (qui n'est qu'intérimaire) a fait quelques voyages à travers les campagnes et, ne pouvant faire détruire le pavot, a proposé au Vice-Roi d'imposer chaque once d'opium de 200 sapèques dans le but d'amasser ainsi une bonne somme d'argent qui serait distribué au mois d'octobre aux cultivateurs qui cesseraient cette culture. Le Vice-Roi a rejeté la proposition, a ordonné de détruire le pavot, ce que le mandarin n'ose

pas faire.

Dans la sous-préfecture de Tien chiang le sous-préfet a travaillé en vain pour obtenir une diminution de la culture du pavot. Les notables n'ont pas écouté ses avis, les cultivateurs ont semé le pavot comme les années précédentes et ont refusé d'arracher les plants. Douc peu ou point de progrès dans cette sous-préfecture.

A Fengtu, malgré édits et proclamations laucés de bonne heure, les semailles du pavot se sont faites comme autrefois. Le sous-préfet a lui-même parcouru les campagnes, fait détruire les plants le long des routes parcourues, convoqué les notables, puni des délinquants, menacé les réfractaires, et malgré ce vrai surmenage n'a rénssi qu'à détruire ou faire disparaître la moitié de cette culture.

A Shih Chu le pavot a été aussi semé conume les années dernières. Le mandarin a fait arracher les plants qui se trouvaient près des grandes routes. Partout ailleurs dans les montagnes et les plaines un peu éloignées des grands centres la culture du pavot est aussi intense qu'autrefois.

A Chang show on ne trouve de pavot que sur les confins de Tien chiang et Lin shui dans les ravins cachés par les montagnes. La culture n'est pas entièrement détruite mais le plus possible à l'abri des regards.

A Fu Yang le pavot a été semé en grande quantité. Le préfect de Yu yang a fait arracher la majeure partie des plants. Four lui tous les moyens ont été bons, il a accepté la délation, a recompensé satellites ou gens du peuple qui lui ont indiqué des plantations de pavot. Actuellement les huit dixièmes des plants ont disparu.

Partout, c'est-à-dire dans tous les districts, on a semé le pavot, et s'il a été détruit presque partout, on le doit surtout à la jalousie des cultivateurs, Ceux dont l'espoir d'une récolte d'opium était disparu, parce que les plants de pavot avaient été détruits par le mandarin, se sont acharnés à anéantir la culture de leurs voisins, sûrs qu'ils étaient de l'impunité.

J. LORAIN.

Chungking, le 18 acril, 1910.

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