Page:Brinkley - China - Volume 2.djvu/280

specie, whereas the inclusion of opium resulted in turning the balance of trade against her to the extent of more than a million. In the yearly exodus of such a large amount of silver and produce on account of a totally unproductive and demoralising drug, the Chinese detected a serious economical disaster, and that aspect of the problem figured prominently in the Peking discussions. Two opinions found exponents. The first, recognising that the evil had struck its roots too deeply to be eradicated, was in favour of legalising the import. Advocates of that course claimed that smuggling would thus be effectually prevented and the exodus of specie checked. At the same time they recommended immediate dismissal from office as the punishment of any official convicted of smoking, their idea being that if the upper classes were weaned from the vice, it would ultimately fall into general discredit. The second opinion condemned the trade uncompromisingly as a minister of evil, maintained that the import of the drug should not be tolerated for an instant, and urged that in severe laws unflinchingly administered lay the only effective remedy. Exponents of the latter view did not neglect the economical side of the problem, but they dwelt chiefly on its moral aspects, and their arguments had a ring of unmistakable sincerity.

Of these two views the latter was adopted in Peking,—adopted so uncompromisingly that the