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36 CHINA MISSION YEAR BOOK.governorship of Mukden, the holder thereof, Chen Tehchuan,becoming Kiaugsu Governor.Thus far we have dealt with Decrees and changes ofa general character, but there remain those with a specialpurpose. First of these conies the large number concerning the suppression of opium. These date from 1906,but a confirmatory Decree was issued on yth February,1907, and on 25th June there appeared a Decree authorizing the officials responsible for opium suppression to paydomiciliatory visits to delinquent officials and offeringrewards to those officials who were successful in the suppression of the vice within their jurisdiction. On theloth October following a list of opium-smoking officialswas issued, but these were given another chance, beingallowed to retire for the time being in order to get rid ofthe habit. On the yth April of the following year anImperial Decree commanded the establishment of institutes in which the cure could be effected, and on the3oth July several officials who were detected smokingopium were cashiered. On the 2oth March of last yearan attack was made on the poppy cultivation, and theofficials were exhorted to do their best to reduce the areaof land under poppy, whilst on lyth June a furtherexamination of suspected officials was ordered. Sincethat time no effort has been spared in the suppressionof the habit and the reduction of the crop.An important Decree was issued on the 25th Mayof last year calling attention to the serious lack of facilities for primary education and ordering a universal extension of the primary school system, but with no fundsto carry out this work the Decree has been practicallya dead letter. This has not been the case, however,with a Decree issued in response to a memorial by TuanFang proposing the Nanyang Exhibition enterprise, orwith the decree of i2th August, 1909 appointing ChangJen-chun President of the Exhibition and entrustinghim with the work of carrying it to an issue, a task thatis just being completed as these lines are written. We

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