England and the Opium Traffic

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 30, 1906

England and the Opium Traffic

In England for many years a persistent agitation has been carried on against the forcing of the opium traffic upon China, in fact, ever since England went to war with China to compel her to permit the opium trade to go on. England has derived a revenue of fifteen million dollars from this business. Mr. John Morley has officially announced in Parliament that should China still desire to prohibit the importation of that demoralizing drug, England will not oppose her. China accepted war once to keep opium out of her domain, and was unable; but so many millions of her population have now become slaves to the drug, it is a question whether China will be able, or will even think it wise to attempt to put a stop to the business. It is held that one third of China’s inhabitants are suffering from the effects of the use of opium. If China should now be able, in spite of the terrible hold which opium has obtained upon her people, to bring the traffic to an end, she would put to shame all the governments of Christendom, whose people are being slain by the liquor traffic under government license.