ium on the part of the British Opium
Monopoly. The anti-narcotic laws on our statute books are powerless to
protect us. With Canada, a British province, to the north, and all
Mexico on the south, what chance have we against such exposure? Of what
use to send two smugglers to the penitentiary, when at the Calcutta
opium sales, once a month opium is auctioned off under the auspices of
the British Government, to be disposed of as the buyers may see fit?
Much of it, as we have seen, goes to those helpless states and colonies
which have no control over their own affairs, where the opium traffic
is conducted under the administration of the alien government. Much of
the rest of it goes out for smuggling purposes, to be distributed in
devious, roundabout, underhand channels throughout the world. We are
coming in for our share in this distribution.

We feel that our country is in grave peril. Our politicians and our
diplomats have been too careful all these years, to speak of this
business, through fear of offending a powerful nation. But we feel that
the time has now come to speak. England has been relying upon our
silence to "get away with it." Upon our ignorance, and upon that
silence which gives consent. But in this new, changed world, reborn out
of the blood and agony of the great war, is it not time to practice
some of the decencies which we have proclaimed so loudly? As we have
said before, no stronger opponents of this policy are to be found than
among a section of the people of England itself. We look to them to
join us, in this great issue, and we feel that we shall not look in
vain.

Printed in the United States of America

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OPIUM MONOPOLY***

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