The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1901-02-19
W | T t1OUT'
FOOD.
Famine in China
the Worst
Known.

NEW YORK, Feb. "A cable to the
sun NOM reN.ng says: Reports IRON
s'i..gdh-ku AL agree that tne lani"v
iu tne pruNh.cvs OI sndn-cI d"u sieh-
ii is one "a The wOIst In tne nisto.y OF
Iiud. An InlVia ,uI,On ~. .,e s".'J.C.
Is ..~,~sa.,nJ L.o.A O,....Nas s'o'''-Ns
dEu - Iias".o.t..,y, -, s,O1Ios a., .".c
ct ,D..DI.Is.. s...,..Is '-.t.-''..',eu ~
arouse tnG - ...pat..J oL TIE "oiid iof
,..v S,tIIINSi. pNCp,c.
1t is estimdteu tnat twu-tnIrGs or
me people are MIthuut suriC.G"t .uUd
OF means ut oDtan.lu, a.. Ine Nvdlnvr
is bitterly colo, anu mas auus ~ the
misery OF starvatiun. There is hItIe
fuei in either pIONluce. anu people are
tearing out the Wouuwurn Vi tnvIr
houses to obtain fuel TO Keep them
selves warm. oxen, horses. dogs ana
other animals used by farmers 10 All
them in work in ordinary times have
practically all been sacrificed to salts
fy hunger.
For three years crops have been fall
ures in both provinces. There was
more or less famine in previous sea-
sons, and the people were in poverty
when the winter began. Their condi-
ton has since been growing steadily
worse. Letters state that cannibalism
is practiCed now to a considerable eN-
tent. Ii Hung Chang. in conversation
with MIR. Conger, the American Min
lister, stated that the people were In
poverty when the winter set in and
We're compelled to live on human flesh.
Many of them were selling their
women and children to obtain money
with which to buy food for the re-
naming members of their families
Infanticide is alarmingly common
Parents, driven insane by want and
the cries of their children for food
which they are unable to provide, kill
the little ones rather than listen to
their cries of distress AID see their
suferings.
one letter received here says: I'm
towns men have become ike raven Gus
kites. They snap from your hand
whatever you may be eating. Women
and children are BEN sold or given
away. InfantiCide is crasiu Z on a
terrible scale. The ord Larry food OF
wolves will be living babies, VIII en-, as
in the last fami- will turn them iliu
fierce man-eaterS.'
The same writer says that the p1-
gans at the present moment are de-
veloping their worst traits. 1t is
common thing to hear such appea $ as
Buy my land or I will kill myself"
give me a morsel of bread or 7 wi
destroy myself at your door," ''Appeuse
my hunger" says feminine voice,
says, Take my Child for paltry aims"
or a husband will say, My wife is
yours forever for a few strings of cop
per-"
These statements are corroborated
by other writer's. Men and women
hunt for food in savage bands. Moth
ing that might appease their appetites
escapes them. Fierce fights among
themselves frequently follow when
they oyertaRe prey.
While the famine is said to be worst
in Shan-Si, it is almost as bad in
Shen-Si, which is particularly interest
ing now, because it is in that province
that the court has taken refuge. The
court is literally surrounded by these
horrors. AT a conservative estimate
q, 600 extra mouths have to be filled.
There are 10000 soldiers alone in the
neighbOrhOOd of Singan-Fu and 5000 Is
a small estimate of the number of off,
cial retainers who are with the court
OF course, great quantities of provi-
sions have been sent from other
provinces for the use of the court, but
these have been insufficient for Is 600
persons, all of whom get full rations
at the expense of the starving Door
The Government has been doing what
it could to relieve the sufferngs, but
it's efforts have been marked by very
little success, because food in sufl-
Gent quantities fo~ distribution cam
not be obtained. The p0Du'atior of
Shan-Si Is u 100000 and of Shen-Si o.
900 600