Opium-China's Ancient Enemy.

China for a century and a half has made a gallant fight against opium. She fought two wars to keep out opium from British India. She lost both times, and paid high penalties for her protests. She had to pay indemnities. What was worse, she was forced to open treaty ports which later became the foreign concessions. Into these treaty ports Indian opium flowed by the ton, and the Chinese, bound by the treaties of two unsuccessful wars, could only stand by helpless. Next, China, determined that all her money should not be drained away in the purchase of foreign opium began poppy cultivation herself on a gigantic scale. This meant a double quantity-an immense supply. Things went from bad to worse; China became a nation of addicts, with the consequent poverty and demoralization.