The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-06
The Famine in China.

The very magnitude Of the distress in
China renders it difficult to more than
partially realize its extent and its appal
ling features, The United States has
population Of say forty millions, China has |
population estimated at four hundred
anG fifty millions. Out of this immense
multitude, seventy millions are reported to
be actually starving that is, nearly twice
as many people as the whole number of
inhabitants of the United States are
actually dying for want OF food People
who recollect the condition of Ireland in
starvation times will have some faint idea
Of the distress in China. In lS4S Ireland
was said 70 have contained 100000
people, in SIX years the Emerald Isle lost
one half its population, two million by
emigration and two million more by star.
walton. But two million, immense as the
number seems and great as the sympathy
was for the suffering and starvation, is bat
a mere handful compared with seventy
millions. Not merely lacking for bread and
the ordinary comforts Of life, but literally
destitute Of everything which can sustain
life. Those who know upon what means
Cninaman can manage to subsist, who
understand that ages of hardship and
struggle for mere existence have taught him
to subsist upon food which to the people
or other countries seems filthy and
disgusting, those who realize what om-
nervousness of food has become ingrained
and inbred into their life and
existence, will the more readily
appreciate the condition of these
millions of human beings who are passing
out Of existence from sheer lack of
nutrition. The late famine in British
India, relieved as it was Of some of its
most appalling features by the earnest and
sympathetic efforts of the government to
afford relief, was. nevertheless, matter
which causes a shudder to contemplate.
Five millions of peope-a nation 10 nun Der
Enthusiastically died of starvation. Yet
thar bears no large proportion TO the
famine IN China. 1t is next to impossible
for the human mind to take in the incred-
IDLE sutterlngs, the overwhelming hardships
and despair, the dying agonies, the unut,
terable fortunes Of that vast number of
people, living emaciated skeletons drop
ping away with the lingering torments of
unappcasiblc hunger. A million of men
constitute vast and powerful army, the
very earth trembles beneath the steady
tread OF such number; but seventy
millions lying down to die and perishing
like the beasts of the field with horrid
hunger-the very thought is beyond
adequate expression.
Is there any humanity among the nations
OF the earth? Are not all things pertaining
to humanity of common interest ito the
nations OF the world2 The Orientalism of
Asatlc countries has nothing TO do with
the claims OF humanity. The oppositior
to Chinese emigration to this countrv
should not dry up the fountains of generosity
or cause the people of the Western world I,
turn deaf ear to the woes OF the sufferin,
or the walls of the dying in the overburden
ed East. Nations in regard t
tue claims of humanity should be a
helghoors; when seventy millions of fellov
men cry for bread lest they die, let til
nations give-it is but the dictate (
humanity the bond of human benevolenc
-
Printing and binding evao,,to5 ~.