Evening star., 1898-02-26
The Densely Crowded Portions of the
Flowery Kingdom.
MYRIADS THAT TOLL HOPELESSLY
A Years Labor Worth Only Ten
Dollars.
HOW THEY RAISE CROPS

From the Overland China Mail of Hong-KoDg.
In density of population Shantung ranks
first among the northern provinces of the
empire. Half the province is more or less
mountainous, but on the broad plains live
from 800 to 1000 persons to the square
mile. Every village has some families of
mechanics and artisans who own no land.
Trades unions exist in the germ. and even
In branches in which a bright pupil could
learn iT. few months all that a master
could teach him in a lifetime: 1t is neces-
sary TO take three-years' apprenticeship.
with little chance of being able to set up
for himself at the end of that time. When
the apprentice is at last free and gets at
work his master or boss receives a per-
eentage on his earnings for an indefinite
period. The density of population makes
il very hard to get living in Shantung.
There is a large class of men who have
neither land nor occupation. These sell
strength, or hun, they call it. The
lack OF means to support family is no
barrier to matrimony in China, and GER
talnly not in Shantung, where Mencius
lived 1t was he who uttered the dictum.
There are three unfiial courses. but of
these not to leave poSterity is the chief"
his view and the uniform procedure based
upon it are held to have been for. centur-,
les the curse of China.
selling "Hun."
In every village are women and children
who have no visible means of support
While the husband and father Is away try
lag to sell hun what is his family to five
-cn? If he sells strength he is doing well
IL he gets for years work his food and
10 strings of cash, each string worth less
than a Mexican dollar 1t is impossible
for his family to, exist on this pittance
III his wife knows how to weave cotton
made ages ago. Often two families possess
one loom. one using it by day and the other
ny night. Whenever there is a bad year
the loom has to be sold to buy food, and
then the night of despair settles down
III You can't catch up in one step Won
can't catch uD in hundred steps" saws
a native proverb. and this is the condensed
biography OF millions of Chinese. They
were born into the Mencian doctrine and
lhey ;tarve in it. and are duly buried and
Iaid to the only rest they ever know to he
followed by posteifty which will repeat the
same round. ~
The prefecture of Tao-cbou-fu IN tho
southwest corner of Shantung, has always
heen a nest of robbers. They cannot be ex-
.trmlnated, for the reason that the farm
eis themselves unite highway robbery with
their ordinary occupations peasant who
sees an unprotected traveller passing on
the highway will drop his hoe seize his
ciui' and proceed to take money or life or
"' 'h' acc'rding to circumstances.
Lawless Marnuders,
Memorials often appear in the Pekin Ga
u lite complaining of the intractable dispo-
sition OF these people and their congeners
across the Kiangsu border. The latter
part of July and the month of August are
periods during which lawlessness is at n
maximum. for 1t Is then that detection ia
next to impossible. The sorghum plants.
which grow to height of from 10 to Is
1eet. practically obliterate all landmarks
;" far as knowing where one goes one
night as well be plunged In a Jungle Even
natives of the region sometimes GET lost
cloudy day.
The autumn crops of Shantung consist
Of mlllet. beans, Indian corn or maize pea
MUS melons, squashes. sweet potatoes
ana other vegetables. hemp sesame and
especially cotton OF all these products
lhere are barely more than two which do
hot cause their owners anxiety lest they
DC stolen from the field The heads Of
- rghum and millet are easily clinned or
Nothing is easier than rapidly to despoil n
P"tcn OF corn or to dig potatoes The lat
5ei. indeed are not safe from the village
ocSs. which have learned by ages of ex-
Ptrence that raw vegetable food is much
letter than no food at all. What REQUIRES
,he most uneeasing vigilance are the wa
ttrnleion patches ard the orchards or
Walermelons especially the Chinese are in
ofdinately fond Every field Is provided
win Z lodge. and there is some one watch
ing day and night The same is trua Of
the fruit rows. Birds insects and man arc
the Toes OF the man who has apples. pears
grapes. anu
Armies of Watchers.
The darker and rainier the night the
more essential it is that the watchman
should be wide awake. If the orchard Is
OF any size there may be collusion be-
tween the thieves, who appear at both
erds at once. Both sets cannot be pur-
sHeo- Inc crows and bluejays ara the
worst bird robbers, but they can be scared
on specially with a gun The human
Ihierers are not SO easily dealt with. The
iiftner hope Is that, seeing that some one
Is on guard, they will go elsewhere and
stedi from those not on guard Hence
everybody Is obliged to stand guard over
everything. Where the population Is densest
tne extent to which this watching must
De carried passes belief. In such regions
ahout DUSK an exodus sets forth from
village ike that in the early morning tn
Z" 10 the hslds to work BY every natI
the men, women and even children stre-m
itruh- Light wooden beds. covered with a
!aStf OIL sum sorghum stalks, are KENT ont
~ the heids or constant use few sor0
nun stalks ara twisted together at the ton
anu piece OF old mating tackled ON the
sGhhs side. and under such a wraIchnd
shsiter sits toothless old woman Ali a.,
dhd All night. Female thieves are com,nor
ana no one hesitates to steal fron, ~,
Neighbors. Aohi his