"The expense of a war could be paid in time; but the expense of opium, when once the habit is formed, will only increase with time"

Townsend Harris, an influential 19th-century American diplomat, uses a profound reflection on the contrasting nature of financial and individual financial obligations, especially through the lens of war versus dependency. His quote pivots on the style of temporal effect and growing problems, marking the distinction between the limited, albeit considerable, expenses of warfare and the intensifying, potentially limitless expenses related to opium addiction.

In the phrase "The cost of a war might be paid in time", Harris acknowledges that while war is profoundly costly in terms of resources and human lives, the monetary concern is eventually containable. Wars, although ravaging, are viewed as episodic occasions with starts and ends, allowing countries the ultimate possibility to recuperate and restore. The financial effect, regardless of being extreme, can be offset by future growth, strategic preparation, and cumulative effort. Basically, war imposes a debt that, with effort and time, a country can pay off and move past, even if the scars remain etched in history and memory.

Conversely, Harris defines opium addiction as a constantly broadening fiscal and moral burden. When he specifies that "the expense of opium, when once the practice is formed, will only increase with time", Harris highlights the insidious nature of dependency. Unlike war, addiction embeds itself deeply in the specific and societal material with a propensity to deteriorate more rather than resolve. The expenses of addiction extend beyond the monetary drain brought on by getting the substance to include lost productivity, weakening healthcare systems, strained social structures, and familial destabilization.

Therefore, Harris's observation is a cautionary commentary on the perpetual cycle of dependence and degeneration attribute of addiction. It works as a prescient caution about the alarming long-term ramifications of prevalent drug use, showing both economic insight and a deep understanding of human vulnerability. The quote acts as a historical suggestion of the necessity for caution and proactive measures in dealing with drug abuse to fend off its growing societal toll.