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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
OPIUM.
(Daily Press, April 3rd,)
[April 4, 1908.
revenue
alluded to as 'defective American packing.' "well that the experts who alone have them times as great as the amount of opium In this connection, Mr. KEEGAN defends "at their fingers' ends " would not give imported. There is ample excuse for the the American manufacturer strenuously, them to the enquiring Consul or journalist. scepticism shown by the Chairman of the but with some carelessness, for later British and German trade information Shanghai Municipal Council in the fact, in the same article he remarks, "In the cannot be officially collected and COD- that cannot possibly have escaped the notice United States, ns in other countries, fidentially divulged only to their manu of Peking, that the revenue derived from there are two kinds of manufacturers; the facturers, as Mr. KEEGAN supposes. What native opium is roughly about eight times one who understands export trade and the is supplied may be "sensible assistance," that of the anomal derived from import one who does not. The former is greatly in but it is certainly not more private than the dues. The figures, as given by Sir Jour the minority, but usually has had sufficient American reports, and commercial infor- JORDAN, are respectively Tls. 45,000,000 hard, practical experience with foreign mation of the really valuable order loses, and Tls. 5,711,711, Thus this reform is cost China, after it has wholly trade to be independent of any slight much of its value if not kept close in its going to assistance which the Consular Report might own commercial circles. During a long and succeeded, over fifty million taels a year. possibly give him."
Evidently the Consu- respectful association with business men If it only partially succeeds, to the Tar Reports that have earned Mr. KEEGAN'S we have managed to learn that simple fact. extent of barring only the foreign
bave a future, as contempt atill
the A business man is frankly curious regarding drug, the immediate loss in American manufacturers who are ignorami the "secrets" of others, but regarding his will be the smaller sum. China's willing- constitute the great majority. Still, though own he is a very oyster. In view of that, ness to lose those five or six millions per admittedly incompetent, they ought not to we are bound to put in a word in defence of annum has been advanced by the anti- be abused so. No European government," the Consuls so scathingly criticised by this opium people as evidence of her sincerity. remarks Mr. KEEGAN of Manila, "makes a young but eminently successful contributor They overlook in so doing the self-evident business of publishing allegations against to the Far Eastern Review, for we realize fact that this loss would be simultaneously than covered by an immediate its manufacturers for the world to read." fully the nature of the difficulties in the way more We certainly have never met with such a of meeting his requirements.
augmentation of the enormous revenue from statement as that the majority of British
the home product, but that China would overlook this is unlikely in the extreme. manufacturers do not understand the export
Of course the Edicts provide for the trade, and we do not expect to. the British mauufacturer
a rule
reduction and ultimately the abolition of depends, not on Consular and jourualistic
Sir JOHN JORDAN thinks that "to sweep the native crop, and if the British Minister advice, but on the suggestions and de-away in a decade habits which have been be wrong in doubting their effectiveness, mands of his agents or importing repre- the growth of at least a century and which aud if in ten years or even less there sentatives, who have expert knowledge that have gained a firm hold. upon eight millions. should be an appreciable reduction in the they do not distribute broadcast.” Mr of the adult population of China is a task larger revenue, it would be monstrously KEEGAN has not quite realized this. Jis which has been rarely attempted with unfair not to reduce accordingly the foreign opinion is that "sensible assistance is given success in the course of history. Such supply, comparatively small though it to their manufacturers by the British; and cautious phraseology is a diplomatic habit, already is. It is, however, evident that for German governments and to their manu
or he night safely have said that history some years to come China has the matter facturers only. This time the italics are
records no such successful attempt. in any largely in her own hands, whatever the The curing Mr. KEEGAN'S.] Their systems of obtaining empire The British Minister at Peking foreigners may or may not do. information regarding trade opportunities does not, like some, doubt the sincerity of of the vice can be effectively tackled, if as might well be copied by our government." the Chinese Government, but with regard all, regardless of the foreign contribution. Our impression is that the system and
to its opium edicts, he does more he of one-tenth. To strain at that gnat, before source of such information is identical doubts its competence. He says that "the attacking the camel in real earnest, is bound in Britain and America, except that Central Government has largely lost the to. suggest to most reasonable observers a America gives its "bearsay information
power to impose its will upon the provinces." certain insincerity, which is just what is gratis, while Britain charges a penny for Of lato years tliere have been not a few at present most feared by all who have it. To business men, if we may believe instances adducible in support of such a been considering the position impartially business men, it has about equal value. view, and it might almost be added that the The Chinese say that "if this reform What Mr. KEEGAN says of Americau cou-
more remote a province is from Peking, the [the discontinuation of the trade in the have any effect, sular reports, that they are compiled as a less respect it seems to pay to instructions native article] is to matter of duty by men who have had no emanating therefrom. In the matter of the importation of Indian opium must business training, that they consist for the reducing the growth and consumption of also be prohibited within the same most part of statistics of no practical value, opium, this position of affairs, if admitted, perio [ten years] so that both may come and that they are usually based on inade has a peculiar significance. Railways and
to an end together.". That does not follow quate enquiry among the right sources, has telegraphs all over China should do a great at all. The contention may be upset by been said over and over again of British deal to restore the power Peking ought to simple arithmetic. If the Chinese Govern Consular reports also.. For instance, the have of imposing its will upon all the ment really intends that reform, if it really following passage is startlingly like oue that provinces, but there seems as little room to believes it can stop the production and con regularly does duty in the British press:
hope to see that within ten years as there is sumption of the native opium in ten years, to see the opium habit eradicated within it would be content with a promise (which growing demand" for American goods of the the same period. If the Cantonese can
would of course be readily given and faith- class he makes, in such and such a place, and safely show so much contumacy at they do, fully kept) that foreign supplies should not that at present the obeaper European makes control the market" but, "if the manufacturers what may not the Szechwanese; who pro-rabis missionary, would dare to suggest in the United States will make the proper duce the bulk of China's native grown efforts" they will get "a share of this vast opium (200,000 piculs per annum) or the that, in such circumstances, foreigners would trade. To assist him in "making the proper
the Yuunanese;
dream of profiting by China's noble self- next largest growers efforts" a table of statistics is given, none of (30,000 pieule) The three provinces most sacrifice, At the end of the decade, or as which deal with necessary details regarding the remote from Peking, and the three, as we soon as China's sincerity and ability were net cost, at the European point of shipment, of the articles which control the market, freight suggest, the least amenable in the natural proved by her action, foreign supplies could and insurance rates, landing and other local order of things to the imposition of the be summarily stopped, and not even vested charges at the point of destination, together Imperial will, together contribute more than interests could grumble, for every annuaf with all possible data regarding strength and three-fourths of China's annual total of diminution in the native trade should count dimensions of material used in packing the 316,000 picals of home grown opium. Si as a warning to them of the inevitable finish goods. These details are not given. Neither JOHN JORDAN realizes the difficulty of of their share in the traffic, Meanwhile, to is the manufacturer told what extra commissions, "reforming people by legislative enact explain why we italicised two words of the petty charges, etc., are tacked on to the originalment," if the teetotallers now so busy in Chinese contention, and our reference to a cost by the local commission agent who imports Great Britain do not; but still more he arithmetical demonstration of its fallacy, the for the native buyer. Many other details regarding invoicing, drafting, etc., are likewise recognises, and tells Sir EDWARD GREY that effect of the Chinese reform would be a nine- omitted. Some names of possible buyers are the Chinese recoguises also, the fiscal side tenths reduction of the vice, even if the perhaps given but no American or European of the question. It is clear that the foreigners did not help at all. As it is, references are named to whom the manufacturer reduction of the import of foreign opium the Chinese (and their missionary friends) may apply for information as to the commercial agreed to by the Government of India on expect the foreigners to begin, to" set the standing of the merchants.
simply amounts to hastening and enlarging be ashamed of entertaining these doubts, their part, is nothing new. Their consent example. This policy does not tend to assure us of their sincerity. We need not a decrease that has been progressing during the last twenty years, until now the total for the Chinese return the compliment. In production of native opium is about ten their proposals to the British Government
15
A manufacturer is told, that there is а
We do not think such growls ever emanate from the business men themselves. They do not demand such details, they do not expect them, because they know very
T
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be increased. No one, not even the most
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