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Show RETROGRADE MOVEMENT. China 1 ook a bac I; w a rd step when the go it ti me nt at I 'el; i rig sa net inncd the revival of the opium trade in thnt count ry. It is nol m( lung ago that. I lie opium dealer-! in China weie threatened with death and high hope of the ntli mate dc.M,rt urn of Hi'- traffic urns entertained. Tlie news that tlie gov eminent has ,',aijct.mjjed I lie purchase of certain r.loi'l.u of opium and mado ar- rangements for the disposal of tho deadly drug in contravention of the spirit of The Hague convention, ratified by both China and the United States, has caused disagreeable surprise in this country and a vigorous protest has been made by the authorities at Washington. This country has been trying for years to prevent the transportation of opium across the Pacific ocean, but it is almost al-most an utter impossibility to catch all the smugglers, a preat many of whom operate through Mexico. So if China snnctions a larger trade in opium more or less of it is bound to find its way to our shores in the near future. YVc have long been satisfied of the existence ex-istence of a powerful opium ring in the United States, with branches in all the principal cities. Although under (the ban, thJ'drug is frequently offered for sale inthe streets of Salt Lake and arrests ar-rests are being mado from time to time. If more opium comes into the country we shall undoubtedly notice an increase in the traffic as soon as the smugglers get busy. It is up to the national, state and municipal authorities to take every possible measure of prevention, : and it is up to the courts to punish all i offenders. I |