Deadwood's Problem Curtailing the Sale of Opium To The Whites

A few years ago the grand jury was the means of breaking up the opium dens in Deadwood for a time. Since then the joints or small private clubs were kept going, because they could purchase the drug from Chinamen, but recently the Chinamen have again commenced the open sale of the drug, and three opium joints are in full blast in this city. They must be shut up, so that our young men cannot be ruined. The opium smoker, who has once begun, cannot stop unless some calamity overtakes him, or the chances of getting a smoke of the dreaded poison is removed. As soon as the joint is in full blast it can be discovered by the emaciated look the smoker has. We see them on our streets every day, both men and women, who no doubt are smoking the poison. The authorities should take steps to immediately remove these places, and have the proprietors arrested. If the sale of the drug to white people cannot be stopped, we will advocate and insist that these Chinamen will have to go. They are a curse to our people, and if they will not obey our laws they no longer have any rights among decent people. As long as they obey our laws and conduct themselves as good citizens, they are welcome among us. But when they assume their present attitude, we say, "they must go."
November 23, 1883
In regard to: Chinese.