THE OPIUM CRUSADE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1698, 14 March 1913, Page 5

THE OPIUM CRUSADE.

EXECUTIONS IN CHINA. By Telegraph—Pros Association—Copyright Poking, March 12. Two merchants have been executed at Changtu for secretly storing opium. Four officers at Kicnchow were killed whilst attempting to force farmers to destroy poppy crops. Not long ago Dr. Arthur Smith, a wellknown writer upon China, sent n signed article to the leading journal in China in which ho asked the pertinent .question: "Is China able to suppress opium?" In explanation of his lack of faith he gave specific instances of official connivance at smuggling, naming places and people. It may well be asked, with Dr. Arthur Smith (says the Peking correspondent of "■•The Times"), whether China lis ablo to suppress opium. Doubtless she can in time, but before success is attained the_ establishment of a Central Government able to enforce its will throughout the country is essential. This essential, however, must inevitably lie lacking for many a long day, probably some years, so far as certain provinces are concerned. In tho meantime, what is the principal incentive to the really serious efforts which are being made by many of the older and most of tho new officials (o obliterate opium? It can hardly be moral, for, if so, there would be endeavours to mitigate the other equally crying evils in China. Many sober Chinese aro ashamed that their people should lie addicted to degrading a vice, and desire to s-ro tlw country freed from it. But one is constrained to point out that, jealousy of tho foreign right to import, and soil the foreign product does more than anything else to maintain the. opium agitation and to stimulate perseverance with the suppressions measures. Few seriously acquainted with the subject are confident that tlio denunciation of tho Agreement of 1911 and the immediate stoppage of the foreign trade would accelerate the eradication of the evil. Rflthcr they fear that the elimination of the foreign product would result in a decline of interest in Hie general policy of suppression, and only lead to a prolonged use of the native article.