To the Editor of the "Norta-Ciixa Dar News.
As it is my impression that the public is far from well informed as to the real situation in regard to opium shops in Shanghai I wish to ask your indulgence a second time while I draw the attention of your readers to some of the things which I think should be more generally known.
Last Sunday after writing the letter which you published in your issue of the 4th instant I had occasion to walk along Kiangse Road between the Yangkingpang and Canton Road. Though I had already noticed the great number of opium shops in other parts of th> settlement I may truly say that I was not prepared for what I saw there.
I hope and believe that there is no other place in Shanghai, or in the world where there are so many opium shops in so small an It is quite well known that the sale of opium is strictly forbidden in the old native city. What.bes be the thoughts of a Chines? citizen who, coming from the native city northward to the self-styled Mod! Settlement," sees the signs of opium shops on every hand. Notto speak of the comparatively few in the French Concession, as such 4 citizen comes across the bridg? into the International Settlement he can see, a block away, an opium sign with letters five feet high at the corner of Canton and Kiangse Roads. But in traversing the short distano> to reach that corner be must pass not less than sixty signs of opium shops—not sixty shops, there are only ten or a dozen of those facing on the stneet—but in many cases one shop has sewral signs and some of the signs refer to shops situated in alleys. But the advertising is there. And it not only advertises those shops—it also advertiazs this foreign community to the whole Chinese public and to the world. Som> people will be inclined to say, "What of it?" I have read in an old book that "'a good name it rather to be chosen than grest riches," and I rather believe it is true. It is because, I believe that the good name of all foreigners is to some extent compromised by thes" conditions that I believe that it is the duty of all good citizens to try to change the policy of the Council to continue to licence shops "until the disappearance of the Another way in which our good name is in danger is from the fact that present conditions encourage smuggling from Shanghai to the surrounding country. The fact that it is well known that opium is openly sold here encourages characters to come here for it and to try to take it out, Of course the police try to prevent this by searches of the persons of travellers, and otherwise, but it is ver difficult. As the police have be come more strict, I am told by Chinese friend, those in in the trade have taken to employing women on whom the drug is concealed. This malers it neces sary to search women both innocent and guilty. Not to go further into this, for it is an unpleasant subject, I just wish to call attention to the fact that this is the sort of thing that is stimulated by the present policy here, and that it com fr
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.