New Mandate Issued for Suppression of Evil Loyang, June 12.
Strict and faithful enforcement lof the various laws and ordinances Promulgated by the Government regarding the suppression of the opium evil is called for by & mandate issued by the National Government yesterday. The mandate threatens severe punishment to offcials who are negligent in the enforcement of these laws and or-dinarices. The following is a free translation of the mandate: the Biate but oise to. toe peop 0 to 7 Determined as it always has been to eradicate this evil, the Govern ment ha: "peated opium mandates, promulgated ya ous laws and ordinances governing enforcement of opium-suppression as well as set up special super-Yisory and directive organs to 0i-rect the enforcement thereof, "However, in view of the wide extent of the national territory, is possible that there aces where due extended.
apprehensive, therefore, that in some of the border and remote prov inces, observance of such laws and ordinances might have become perfunetory through the lapse of time and, therefore, not as faithful as should be, and fearing also that under the pretext of special qtaness im, certain Tocalt officials have respon sibility and failed to eradicate the evil, thereby, offsctingg the results previously achieved, "it is therefore hereby ordered thai all. the respon: sible local officials must hereafter obey and carry ost faithfully. the various laws "and ordinances re lating to opium-suppression, that they must not regard such as dead laws, to be treated only as pro forma but ignored de facto. It is hereby further declared that should any official be found guilty of negli gence in the enforcement of such Favre, thereby avery alfetin welfare. of the people, he. Will be the
Prosecited and. plinithedl severely tu Stelet accordance with, Jaw."
"The mayo of the above' mandate should "serve to" dispel. rumours which have been current recently that the Government contemplates the enforcement of an opium mone-poly. and consequently "the virtsi legalization of the opium traffe-—0 Kuo Min.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.