The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-03-07
THE CHINESE FAMINE,
A Vivid Statement Of Fact as to the
Origin and Nature Of the Great
Calamity.

With view OF doing something
to aid the starving millions in
China, Prof. Wells Williams of
Yale College, has drawn up memo
rial 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 III 1867 TO S240,-
600, shall be applied TO relieve the
famine stricken Chinese. The facts
contained in Prof. williams memo
rial are extremely distressing, and
are contained in the following para
graphs:
"The undersigned, citizens OF
New Haven, respectfully ask the at
tention of Congress to the present
distress III 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, contig-
uous to the Yellow River, and meas
uring altogether not less than 100,-
900 square miles. The province Of
Shansi, west of Peking, Is an upland
region, the mountains bare of trees,
no means of irrigation, and depend
ent on the rainfall for its annual
harvests; and now this is the third
season in which little or no rain has
fallen in its southern districts. The
narrowing details of the extremities
to which the furnishing inhabitants
were reduced two months ago have
been reported by eye-witnesses,
Protestant and Catholic missiona-
ries, so that there can be no doubt
that it is one of the most serious
and widespread calamities of mod
ern 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 remain
neither bark of trees nor wild herbs
to be eaten; and ordinary food
stuffs. grain and meats, have disap
peared. In some places the people
have been eating earth to prolong
life, while husbands were selling
their wives, and parents their chill
dren, to preserve, if possible, all
from death. As may readily be in
ferred, all who were able had left
their homes to seek a precarious
subsistence in other provinces, and
the roads were thronged with hosts
of beggars.
'In the midst OF this sudden and
tremendous woe the Imperial Gov
eminent has been more than usually
alert in doing what it can to relieve
its subjects, nor has private philan-
thropy among the people been idle;
but tue urgent demands for help far
overpass their means to relieve
them. The population of the en-
tire region suffering from want OF
the usual harvest last year IS est
mated at not less than 100000,
and of this vast number Of our fell
low men there can hardly be less
than 100000 now in a condition
of utter restitution. 1t is inevita-
BILE, therefore, that before the winter
is over and the crops can be gath
cred in next May and June, hun
dreds of thousands, if not millions,
of the sufferers must inevitably per-
ish. No human agency can reach
all of them, and no rhetoric can add
strength to the facts which describe
the sufferings endured or the dread
full means taken to allay them.
"In view of this unexpected visi-
tation, your memorialists respectful
ly 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 Government
were taxed to the utmost TO save
life, while private benevolence was
not lacking to supplement public
aid. But the Chinese Government
cannot command the means, the
skill or the power to meet this cal
OF its distressed subjects, and it is
chiefly the necessities and distresses
of a common humanity which give
force to this appeal for aid. A lit
tie has been done by private chart
ty, and between $4,000 and $1,000
have been sent to Shanghai. 1t is
not necessary to send out food, for
there is enough in China itself TO
relieve the famishing; the funds are
needed to get to them. Tiey can
be transmitted by telegraph SO as
to be Immediately available"
A Gentle Hint.
In our style OF climate, with its sud
den changes of empertture-rain, wind
and sunshine often intermingled in
single day-it Is no wonder that our
l.illt..r E.iat,.l. N r..lntt.-ns