In the reports submitted by the Inspection Commissioners on the progress of opium prohibition in the provinces, it is generally asserted that the poppy plants have been entirely rooted out. If this assertion be true, well and good. If not, we tremble to think what the oon-sequences of, their prevarications may be, not to mention the impairment to our international credit, declares the "Shunpao."
Owing to our lack of energy in the suppression of opium, the Powers have already once hinted at intervention. The continued failure on our part might revive their officiousness, when our sovereignty would receive another severe blow.
Only a little over a month will elapse before the holding of the Genoa Conference, at which the result of our opium prohibition work will certainly be discussed. What reply could our Delegation give should the Powers question it on this subject? Moreover, the Powers would not. readily consent to any demand for ce-operation made by our Delegation, if they lost all faith in our ability to accomplish this task. This would have the serious effect of retarding the final extinction of the opium evil in our country.
Let those at the head of Northern and Southern Governments devote more of their attention to this vital question than to the constant struggle for ascendancy which is the concern of a few selfish persons.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.