In 1906 they mobilized an army of
30,000 "modern" troops for manoeuvres in Honan Province. If they are to
succeed with this notion, they must begin at the beginning. Opium is
dragging them down hill. Opium will not build railroads. Opium will not
win battles. Opium will not administer the affairs of the hugest nation on
earth. Therefore, no matter what it costs in revenue, no matter how
staggering the necessary reform and reorganization, opium must go.

China may be a puzzling land. The Chinese officials may be capable of the
most baffling duplicity. But we are forced to believe that they are
"sincere" in putting down the opium traffic. It appears, for China, to be
a case of sink or swim.

The next question would seem to be, if the Chinese are really trying to
put down the opium traffic, how are they succeeding? We will pass over
that part of the problem which relates to Great Britain and the Indian
opium trade, with the idea of taking it up in a later chapter. Let us
consider now what China, flabby, backward, long-suffering China, is
actually doing in this tremendous effort to cure her disorder in order
that she may take a new place among the nations. We will deal here with
the enforcement of the edict in Shansi Province, taking up in later
chapters the results of the prohibition movement in the other provinces.

The plan outlined in the edicts prohibiting opium is clear, direct,
forcible. It was evidently meant to be effective. It provides (first) that
the governors of the provinces shall ascertain, through the local
authorities, the exact number of acres under poppy cultivation. The area
of the land used for this purpose shall then be cut down by one-ninth part
each year, "so that at the end of nine years there will be no more land
used for such purposes, and the land thus disused"--I am quoting here from
the Chinaman who translated the regulations for me--"shall never be used
for the said purposes again. Should the owners of such lands disobey the
decree, their lands shall be confiscated. Local officials who make special
efforts and be able to stop the cultivation of poppy before the said time,
they shall be rewarded with promotions."

The plan provides (second) that "all smokers, irrespective of class or
sex, must go to the nearest authorities to get certificates, in which they
are to write their names, addresses, profession, ages, and the amount of
opium smoked each day." Latitude is allowed smokers over sixty