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Changshou and Nanch'uan. -One-third less smokers. Ch'ichiang. A very marked decrease.
Chiangchin.Certainly a decrease. The price prohibits smoking, but opium is being taken in pills.
Attitude of Officials, Gentry, and People towards Movement.
The movement can scarcely be said to be very popular in a region where opium has constituted one of the chief sources of profit to a large proportion of all classes for many years. On the whole, however, it seems to he felt that the trade must be extinguished, and everyone is seeking to turn its last moments to the best possible advantage.
The officials have regarded the prohibition against cultivation as an opportunity for advancement, and have therefore shown themselves, on the whole, zealous in the matter.
With other classes the popularity of the movement is to a great degree regulated by the extent to which it affects each individual's pocket. The land-owning gentry look on prohibition as an interference with their sources of income, and while some may possibly be favourable to principle, they do not show any very great enthusiasm towards the movement.
Though prohibition is unpopular with the farmers, they have, on the whole, bowed to the inevitable and made the best of circumstances.
A small riot, which was promptly suppressed, occurred at Tachu hsien. The most serious opposition was offered at Tienchiang, where a society for forcible planting was formed and gave considerable trouble, first by compelling farmers to sow, and then by offering armed resistance to the efforts of the officials to put it down, in the course of which a deputy was killed. One man was decapitated as a punishment, and the trouble has now subsided. At Llangshan the farmers take the matter quietly, but there seems to be a considerable amount of discontent fomented by opium dealers and smokers.
Apart from the farmers, the movement finds favour with other sections of the people, as the increased growth of food staples is causing a corresponding decrease in the cost of living.
Replies under this heading are:-
Hsuting. All are in awe of the powers that be.
Kaihsien. On the whole favourably disposed to the movement.
Wanhsien. Official favourable. Gentry indifferent.
Chungchou.-On the whole favourably disposed to the movement. Tienchiang-Movement unpopular as trade has been going on for years.
Liangshan.-Officials look on suppression as a means of advancement, the gentry
as an interference with their profits.
Fouchou.Officials are pusillanimous, fearing riots if they are too strict. Gentry and people antagonistic.
Nanch'uan.--Movement generally popular.
Ch'ichiang.--Official and people favourable. Gentry not favourable.
Chiangchin.Officials and gentry are making tremendous sums of money while the
stocks last, but feel that the movement must ultimately succeed.
Crops to replace Opium.
I have not heard of a single instance in which the officials or gentry have interested themselves in procuring new products to replace opium. the farmers seem to have contented themselves with growing on a larger scale food In most places and vegetable-stuffs already common to the locality, such as wheat, rape, beans, peas, &c.
In several places the cultivation of the mulberry for sericulture is extending--to wit Houting, Kaihsien, Wanhsien, Ch'ichiang, Chungchou and Tienchiang. It is said to be a new introduction at the last two.
At Tienchiang juncus communis ("teng tsao") for lamp wick has increased by 50 per cent., and buckwheat and cotton are being cultivated on a larger scale in Shihchut'ing.
General Remarks.
was
While considerable diminution in the amount of poppy sown this season anticipated in consequence of the Viceroy's drastic prohibition, few persons with
experience of ordinary Chinese official methods were prepared for the success which has attended the execution of the order in this the first year of its enforcement.
In the total absence of reliable statistics a definite statement as to the percentage of decrease is necessarily open to some question, but whatever objection may be taken to the estimate, mentioned above, of a diminution of at least 80 per cent. in the area cultivated this season, it may be safely asserted that there has been an immense reduction in the district of Eastern Szechuan as a whole.
In view of the extent to which opium was formerly grown, it is remarkable that the success which has attended so drastic and unpopular a measure should not have caused any general disturbance of the public peace. Apart from a few local riots, which have been quickly suppressed, the attitude of farmers on the whole has been one of submission to the inevitable.
The enforcement of the rules in regard to the diminution of smoking by the issue of licences to buy, effectual closing of opium dens, gradual reduction of amount consumed by each individual, leaves much to be desired; but this lapses into very secondary importance in view of the success which has attended the attempt to cut off the source of supply. Foreign opium is but little smoked in Szechuan, and there is no import of it through the Customs. Yünnan opium is favoured by the wealthier classes, but accounts from that province seem to show that cultivation there is gradually being done
away with.
Though customs statistics are not a complete guide in view of the amount of trade which passes through li-kin, it would seem worthy of remark that no opium lamps whatever were imported during the year 1909, while 942 were passed in 1903 and 65,789 in 1907.
In regard to the effect of the decrease in the cultivation of opium, it may be mentioned that the value of agricultural land has depreciated in many places, and, now that one of their chief sources of profit is in course of being removed, farmers are demanding a reduction of rentals. Loans which could formerly be obtained with ease on the security of an opium crop are now impossible.
The officials and gentry do not appear to have interested themselves in assisting the farmers by seeking new crops to replace the poppy, leaving the matter to the initiative of the agricultural population, which has contented itself with increasing the growth of products already common to the locality.
It is submitted that assistauce in the direction of finding new products might with advantage be furnished to opium-growing provinces by the Central Government in the engagement of one or more prominent scientific agriculturalists to study and advise on the question.
In several districts cultivation of the mulberry for sericulture appears to be extending, and the growth of food and vegetable-stuffs on a larger scale is leading to a reduction in the cost of living.
Chungking, February 28, 1910.
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