The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-16
CHINA THE WORLDS PERIL.
THE VIEWS or MRS. LII WHEAT or
SHANGHAI.


CtviliSatiOn-The Wonderful Re-
Cooperative Race, which, Ravaged
by Plague and Famine, sttll In
creases-NOt Only the cities of
China swarm, hut Even the Farm
ing Provinces Are Occupied Al
Farms Twelve Feet square In sEec-
huan-waGes OF a Boy who walk
ed Thirty Miles 40 Garry ConI-The
old order Changing In China.
To an American. an adequate eompre-
hension OF tho tremendous populousness
OF China Is almost impossible. This coun-
try has nothing TO approach It. The dens-
est Sums OF the great American cities
with their teeming tenemnts give but a
faint idea OF chinas swarming communi-
ties. The very farming districts are as
over-crowded as our great American
cities. II Is this vast and ever increasing
population which constitutes the main
danger to tho civilized nations OF war
which should involve the who.e Chinese
people The mere force OF numbers OF
those millions. uncounted and unreckon-
able with any degree Of accuracy would
wear down a vast army. An admiral Of
the American navy. who has Travelled IN
China. put the case tersely a few weeks
ago when he said. that all the armies OF
the world might be kept busy for twenty
years killing Cinnamon and there would
still be enough left 70 be a serious mem
ace TO mankind. should the survivors
unite in war.
Statistics In China are the merest guess
work. but II Is highly probable that all
given estimates fall short OF. rather than
exceed, the conditions Mr.. Archibald Lit
tie. the traveller. gave. IN a recent lecture
In Shanghai, an idea OF the conditions IN
the province OF szechuan at the present
time Szechuan Is an inland province,
about GO by 400 miles In extent made up
OF mountain ranges. most untavorable
locality for farming. nevertheless, the
pOpulace supports itself mainly BY the
raising OF tiny crops on minute plots OF
land. MIR. Little said that in travelling
through Il In any direction Il was i'm
possible for days az a time, 10 ind va
cant spot large enough 90 pitch small
tent upon. Frequently. he said the Chi
nese farmer would climb a flight OF three
thousand stone steps % a piece OF lana
no more than ten or twelve feet square
ana this economy Of space went on TO the
very topmost point Of all the mountains.
While Mr.. Little was travelling through
szechuan. a boy Of nine or ten years fell
in ono day with his travelling party ard
plodded sturdily along all day keeping
up bravely with the retinue. taking dust.
heat. and hill climbing as patiently as the
grown men. lie was naked save for a
loin cloth. and without food or money.
At night Mr.. Little. who speaks the Ian
guage asked him where no was going. TO
which he replied. To su Low. 10 carry
coal"
But" said Mr.. Little. you cannot car
~ coal. you are too young.
oh" said the little man. I can carry
fifteen baskets In q day for which l will
be paid seventeen cash (about IL cents)."
Have you eaten to-day7' inquired Mr..
Little.
NO" said the brave little fellow. but
I'm not hungry"
As there was stiii about thirty miles OF
hard hill road TO be gotten over before
reaching Su Low one can conceive some
ching OF the moral courage OF that child
Amidst unuterable poverty. disorder
and confusion OF confusions. despite over
population, pestilence and famine the
Chlnaman increases and muitiplies unin-
terruptedly. This IL In part due 20 the
universal desire for children. progeny who
shall hand down she name and family
blood through long generations. All the
miseries OF existence have no terrors for
the Chiuaman so long as he Is raising
children 10 worship al the ancestral
tombs His individuality ne counts rs
nought II he only may turn 20 his family
and with pathetic devotion die within the
charmed circle. Ask him how long he has
lived IN a certain locality and he will an
swer 500 or !. 600 years. meaning that for
thar length Of time his family has perpet-
uated itself end left the records OF rs
tomhs there. II death claim his legiu-
mate children he looks 20 che children Of
his concuhine or 10 those OF some relative
whom he adopts. TO perpetuste the family
name and traditions Failing this he has
recourse TO a method which 90 Occidental
morality q somewhat startling. he hires
for "a year a friends wife who has a rep
utatiou for fecundity. hoping thus 60 re-
pair the fortunes OF his line and 10 escape
Heavens worse curse, that OF childless-
ness.
From time TO time the Chinese have
paid the penalty Of their conditions OF
life. and nature. auditing her accounts
with a red pencil" has revenged herself
with decimating plague and famine. But
the recuperative ability 81 the race. after
such loss Of life. is without parallel Chi
nese annals. with every evidence Of au-
thcniicity. state thafafter the Black Plague
Of the Fourteenth Century had swept away
its millions. the birth rate showed an in
crease that was almost incredible. The
birth OF triplets throughout China was OF
common occurrence and infaus mortality
decreased 20 a very small percentage
Love for his children Is che dominant
emotion in the Chinaman's heart. Patient
under abuse ridicule and ~ treatment OF
himself he VIII endure no harm TO his
children. Lay n hand upon them and you
SEQ him descending wiid-eyed IN multi
tudes from his mud novels every man
with a heart fun OF sorrow and savaEery.
bent on your destruction. II Is by appeal
20 this feeling that the secret society men
~ China are now arousing widespread
sentiment against all foreigners. Under
their teachings. millions OF the coolie class
are coming to believe that all foreigners
are kldnapers and that the eyes or Chi
nese children are used for making medi-
cine. There Is n story being scattered
broadcast az this moment 20 Tho cffecs
that the railroads lay the foundation OF
their bridges in children's bones That be-
lief IS n the root OF much Of the aniag-
onism 20 tho building Of railroads All
over che country the Chinese are guarding
their wells lest the foreigners put poison
IN them Less than 100 years ago our
ancestors held precisely the same super
sfitions as do the Chinese to-day During
the fourteenth century they prosecuted
and burned alive thousands OF Jews for
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