I frequently took pleasure in tantalizing the natives connected with the distilleries for having to do with a business contrary to their religion and customs. They replied that it was utterly hateful to them in every way, but as servants of Government they had to obey orders or lose their situations, and this would be poverty and starvation to them and their families. A Tahsildar was in charge of one of the distilleries. I said to him, “You are a strict Mussalman, you say your daily prayers, you rigidly fast during all the Ramazan, and yet you superintend the manufacture of spirits forbidden by your Koran.” He replied, “I have been in the Government service over thirty years, and have to obey its orders. Should I refuse, I would receive my dismissal and this would greatly reduce my pension on which I retire soon. I am helpless in the matter and compelled to have charge of a business, of which I am ashamed and more than that, every day when I go to the distillery I am afraid that the curse of the Prophet may come upon me for doing what is contrary to my religion.” If the natives of India were asked about the liquor and opium business, nine-tenths of them, heathen as they are, would say “abolish it at once.” Why then is it continued? For the sake of the revenue. Were there no gain from it, the Government would not tolerate it for a day. The most detestable feature of the whole matter is the philanthropic, for-the-glory-of-God air, that the Government supporters assume, when they try to uphold this crime against a conquered and helpless, ignorant people. One can have some respect for an outspoken, frank man, though he be wicked, but I have yet to learn that a truckling hypocrite has ever been regarded with anything but contempt. If the Government of India would frankly say that it didn’t care a blanked ha’penny about the morals, happiness or eternal welfare of the people of India or China, but what it wanted was revenue from opium and spirits, it would be telling the truth and one might respect its frankness, though detesting its principles. When it claims that it is cultivating opium and fostering the liquor traffic out of pure philanthropy, it is presuming too much on the capacity of human credulity. The statement that if India does not raise opium, China will do it for herself, or that India should supply the pure drug, otherwise the Chinese would get it badly adulterated, is simply twaddle of the thinnest kind, such as any villain might use as an excuse for his wrong-doing and none but a knave or an idiot would accept.