The Osceola times., 1878-03-09
THE CHINESE FAMINE.
A vivid state meat of Facts as q" Nhr VT
Gin and nature Of the sreat Calamity

A vivid state me.a Of Facts as q" the Or
Gin and Nature OF the Great Ss'amiy'
with a view of doing something to aid
the starving millions in China, Prof.
Wells Williams, of Yale College, has
drawn rp a memorial to Congress from
the citizens OF New Haven, Conn, parts
Of which we copy below, praying that
the surplus from the fund known as the
Chinese Indemnity Fund, which surplus
amounted in 1861 to S2i0,O0O, shall be
applied to relieving the famine stricken
Chinese. The objections which have
been made in the United States senate to
the carving out of this scheme are that
such a proposition would give rise to pro-
lopged debates, and that before the
money could be sent, the pressing need
for it would have ceased. The facts con
tanned in Prof. Williams memorial are
extremely distressing, and are contained
in the following paragraphs
"The undersigned, cit zens OF New
Haven, respectfully ask the attention of
congress to the present distress in the
northern provinces of China, caused by
the failure of the usual rains during the
past summer The region over which
the dearth exists comprises parts OF the
four large provinces of Chilli, Shansi,
Honan and Shensi, contiguous to the
Yellow river, and measuring altogether
not less than one hundred thousand square
miles. The province of Shansi, west of
Peking, issn upland region, the noun
tains bare of trees, no means of irrigation,
and dependent on the rainfall for its
annual harvests; and now this is the
third s,ason in which little or no rain has
fallen in its southern districts. The har-
rowing details Of the extremties to
which the furnishing inhabitants were
reduced two months ago have been re-
ported by eyewitness, Protestant and
Catholic missionaries, 30 that there can
be no doubt that it is one of the most
serious and widespread calamities o.
modern times. The governor OF Shansi
reports, in his appeal to Peking for
aid, that between three and four
millions of people are dependent on
official support. In the southern part of
that province there remains neither bark
of trees nor wild herbs to be eaten; and
ordinary food stuffs, grain and meats,
have disappeared. In some places the
people have been eating earth to prolong
life, while husbands were selling their
wives, and parents their children, to pre-
ssrve, il possible, all from death. As
may readily be inferred, all who were
able had lett their homes to seek a preca-
rious subsistence in other provinces, and
the roads were throDged with hosts of
beggars.
"In the mid,t of this sudden and tre-
mendous woe the imperial government
has been more than usually alert in doirg
what it can TO relieve its subjects, nor
has private philanthropy among the peo-
pie been idle; but the urgent demands
for help far overpass their means to re-
lieve them. The population of the entire
region suffering from want of the usual
harvest last year is estimated at not less
than 5000, 900; and of this vast number
of our fellow men there can hardly be
of utter destitution. 1t is inevitable,
therefore, that before the winter
is over, and the crops can
be gathered in next May and
June, hundreds of thousands, if not mil
lions of the sufferers must inevitably
perish. No human agency can reach all
of them, and no rhetoric can add
strength to the facts which describe the
sufferings endured or the dreadful means
taken 10 allay them.
" la view of this unexpected visitation,
your memorialists respectfully represent
to your honorable body their belief that
the present call for help is one which
commends itself as national affair. In
the recent famine in India the means,
skill and power of the British govern
ment were taxed to the utmost to save
life, while private benevolence was not
lacking to supplement public aid. But
the Chinese government cannot com
mand the means, the skill or the power
TO meet this call ofits distressed subjects,
and it is chiefly the necessities and dis.
tresses of a common humanity which give
force to this appeal for aid. A little has
been done by private charity, aud be-
tween 81 900 and SO 600 have been sent
to Shanghai. 1t is not necessary to send
out food, for there is enough in China to
relieve the iamshing the funds are
needed TO get them. They can be trans
mitted by telegraph 80 as to be immedi-
Il