tion of pom The cessation of sale of The Shen-pao does not approve of prohibi-
Indian opium was once thought of by the English, and Minister Kuo discussed the subject with the authorities in England. He then memorialised the Throne to stop the sale, and this was duly promulgated, but the Court was unable to see its way to a practical method of prohibition. The sale and taxation of opium by the Customs has therefore continued to the present day, and the proposals of Kuo have been relegated to the region of empty talk common to anti-opium societies.
Though opium is foreign in its origin, yet the poppy is now grown all over China, and the people can neither be forbidden to cultivate it, nor the foreigner to import it "The opium duty is, further, the chief port of the foreign Customs, nor is there any other levy that can well take its place. regard in an ideal senso prohibitive Chinese and foreigners can therefore only
tay Tung-Vang es posed to fnorenso the duty on opium to is 160 per Tsung-Vang has now pro}
chest, so increasing the price for smokers, and Gompeliing the poor to pay higher prices. It is expected the consumption of opium among the poor will gradually cease and the craving disappear; if, too, smokers are seen to impoverish themselves by indulging in opium, non-smokers will be deterred from making a commenc ment, will not th and. ¢hus acq fatal connoquone Superintendents of Trade are further to report, and devise if possible, some practcable method.
Now Tso's idea is not a bad one, and resembles the prohibition formerly addressed to officials, scholars, and soldiers. Smokers, however, exist in all ranks; but to single out these three classes and to ignore all others is failing to show equal respect to all the classes composing the nation, Praise and blame, however much liked and disliked respectively, do not always result in renov: and repentance.
But this increase in price shows a lack of pity for smokers; for if they smoke they assuredly will become poor, but it is not equally certain their reformation will follow.
There is not much difference in result between the prohibition addressed to officials, &c., and this increase in price.
The tax of Tls. 160 is not, besides, a sufficiently heavy tax to seriously ineonvenience smokers. Fifty ounces of opium will be taxed in future Tls. 5 instead of as at present, Tis, 2, and instead of paying Ts. 16 per 50 oz., Tls. 20 will have to be paid, If, say, a maco is smoked each day, the increase will be not more than some 20 cash or so. 'The price at present for the poor is extremely high, whilst for those better off the few additional cash will not make much difference. Smokers with the craving regard opium as the first of necessaries, and place it before everything. They' will simply reduce their expenses in some other direction, as in food, or clothing, or furniture, or entertain ments, and so gratify their desire. Opium will still be bought, even if the price were ten-fold higher.
Tso has chosen this increase of price out of many competing plans, because, if it does not diminish the evil, it will at any rate benefit the Exchequer. But it may be said the increased taxation comes really out of the pockets of the people and does not concern foreigners. Smokers, however, will not grudge the extra price nor the extra gain to Government. Smuggling past delivery barriers, causing heavy losses, is even now common, and taxation through the Customs amoutits to many myriads of taels. The extra tax will be but 1} times more.
At present opium is paid for by 10 Rol millions of silver which go chiefly into the pocket-of the foreigner; for this there is no remedy, but the Government by increased taxation will gain several maris of taels and China will therefore benefit. 'The new plan, though not really the best, is feasible and practical. Some ignorant persons declare opium should be as cheap as possible; and that officials should fix the price, only allowing so much for freight from' India. The foreigner would then cease to make money by it, and not import it, India would not grow it. Indian opium cheap, native would become still cheaper, and its cultivation would cease to be profitable, and would decrease. With prices very low, and none sold, men will be obliged to desist.
of non-prohibition. But smokers are now This may be called prohibition by means numerous, and if opium were cheaper every one would uso it. It is sheer nonsense to assert that with an increased craving there would be also a diminution of opium-shops and of sale of the drug. Tt is, too, quite impracticable to attempt to fix the price st the time of import by the foreigner.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.