There was little need of any Anti-Opium Association as long fas Tan Yen-kai was in power, Ho enforced the laws against opium. After six months, Chao Hong-ti succeeded Tan "Yen-kai, Once more the Anti-Opium Association was called on for help. Once more, I had "experiences." I wish I could give a better account of my experiences than the only one I can give, I hesitate to describe Gen. Chao as "a militarist"; he ig not at heart and much of his five years jof jadnfinistration has been free from militarism. But there are considerable parts of it which have been vitiated by the evils of militarism. T do not be-ein his heart he would do anything to favour opium growth or traffic; but he is not free from financial cares. He certainly has ver compelled farmers to eultivote the poppy, but it is equally that he has "accorded protection to the dealers in this unlawful line of business."
My first "experience" under the present regime was a request from yn range an interview between the military governor, the civil governor and H. B. M. "Consul on the mat ter of suppressing the evils of opium transportation which were beginning and increasing with al arming rapidity, through the intervention of sundry militarists (more oF less self-appointed) who were controlling matters in the southwest and west of the provines where it borders on an opium-growing country. The interview result ed in the issue of a capital, brief, pointed proclamation by Governor Chao, which was printed in very Large bold characters and distributed far and wide throughout the province, The Price of Protection But I still possess one copy of this very proclamation, sent to me ky an unknown Chinese gentleman, which. had been removed from the building on which it hod been post-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.