The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-19
FAMINE IN CHINA.

ana famine rayaRcs IN the Chinese pro-
yinces OF shansi and ghensi seem ap-
palling beyond belief That parents
should offer their children for sale, ana
whole villages turn ~ cannib8ls seems
almost TO etagger belief
But Archibald II. Colquboun IN his
China In Transformation" 80 clearly
sets forth not only the causes but the
conditions Of famine IN China as 10
/ give a graphic realism 10 the accounts
Of the present famine. He says:
THE three great enemies Of the gu
|preme Government In China have been
famine, provincial autonomy, ana re-
/ bellion. Famines are caused IN China
/ by various calamities. L0cugtg and
rats may dcyour the growing crop Of
a whole province; deficient rainfall
may prevent the crops, particularly on
/ the lDcss, from coming 10 maturity; or
unreasonable snow on the highlands or
heavy and continuous rainfall may
breach the dikes and cause inundati0B,
thus bringing starvation ana It's acc
companying horrors home 10 millions.
/ China, however, Is d land " such yari-
/ ETY. ana contrast that, though there
may be famine IN one or more pro-
yincea, at the same time there may be
abundance in neigbbOriHg ones. But
here, as elsewhere, without cOmmuni-
cations, a failure Of the local CROPS
means famine; while a bumper harvest
1 appreciates the value Of the produce, 80
hs scarcely 10 repay the labor Of reap
/ Ing. IT Is mainly the difficulty encoun-
tered by the Government IN TRANSPORT
/ ing the food supply that leads 10 the
/ terrible loss Of Me- 10 carry for long
distances the enormous amount Of
grain required, over terribly defective
roads especially In the north, where
no good waterway exists-is an inn
possible task.
"Ihe story Of the 1878 famine Illus
irhles well what such a calamity mems
IN emma, In that year Shansi ana large
portions Of Chin, Shengi, ghaBtup0
ana IionAn were suffering at the Same
uhe from famine, In ShaHsi II WAS
AT lts worst. The people there were
lh'inmed IN by belt N famno-stricl.on
( country which II took weeks 10 cross.
me poor Denshnlry clung 10 their
homes until their last cash was speDt
praying each day for rain that never
came, ana YainIy awaiting the Govern
heht relief At last, penniless and
weakened by starvation, they started
sometimes win wives and children
sometimes abandoning these-on their
march 10 reach the food districts. Few
succeedcd. A consular officer, deg-
patched on n merciful mission, SAWS
that Of the thousands who thus at
tempted TO 6ecapF only those on the
outer confines Of the famine district
succeeded IN doing 80. The Chinese
Government has been the subject NJ
considerable OpprObHum IN connection
WIN iamlnes bnl us character for
apathy and iacapacity is not altogether
deserved The history Of Indian IA
mines should make rs reflect before
we too severely blame the Chinese
/ Government for itg want 0f SUCCESS in
famine relief The system ana appli-
ances were faulty The Government,
| finding itaeH pOWerlcss 10 deal win the
| transport, was compelled to attempt
relief by distributing money, The cost
Of cart transport from the Chihli plain
! 10 Shansi was officially stated TO be
/ Gl2 per ton! In addition 10 want Of
communications official corruption, as
usual, found its opportunity Thus
came about the strange anomaly that,
while people were suffering from star
walton, relief was generally given IN
money rather than grain When money
began 10 fail, ana general starvation
set In, the Government imported silver
as fast as II could, imprcssing into the
seryIcs all available carts and animals.
But the official rate Of hire rs consider
ably below the ordinary one, and there
are other obvious reasons why Gov
eminent work is unpopular I'm China.
The transport owners, therefore, avoid
ed all parts where "requisitiOn" was
liable 10 be enforced, ana the Govern
ment scheme Of transport was brought
10 a stand-still, The rates were then
raised TO the market standard, but
much time had been lost, and In The
mean time thousands upon Thousands
died from want. The wolves attacked
not only children but adults, IN broad
daylight and in the village streets
There Is no need TO dwell further up.
on the horrible scene; II IL sufficient tC
state that tho consumption Of human
flesh became a practice. and grew u
frightful proportions. II being stated
that 1--WE people out Of ten In shans
learned It's taste"