The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-06
TWICE A WEEK, $3.50 A YEAR
WHY is CHINA POORp
Natural and Artificial Causes 0fthe ChrOn-
ic Tragedy Of a Great Nation.

| (Wm. Durham, in Pail Mall Gazette.
One of the greatest disabilities un.
der which China labors as q patton
is rs simple as it ia sad An immense
proportion of it's population very rare
ly get a meal sufficient either in quan-
tity or in nutritive power. Hundreds
of benevolent foreigners, both Of the
mt roantiIe and missionary orders,
are constantly seeking in scattered
spots throughout the vast realm to
mitigate the chronic distress Of the
poorest sections, Especially has phil
anthropy been effective IN relieving
the abnormal pressure consequent on
drought and floods. Obviously, how
ever, external help can do next to
nothing to meet normal condition
of insufficient ailment extending over
very extensive land and involving
an enormous population.
One Of the causes Of chronic and
massive Indulgence in China through
out most Of the interior is the utter
stagnation for ages of civilization.
The development of this mighty race
was long since arrested, and though
tho nation ie not decadent, it's condi-
tions are stereotyped, and China is
IN state Of permanent childhood.
Every linguist we'll understands that
this accounts for that colossal philo-
logical curiosity, the Chinese langu-
age. 1t has never got beyond the
monosyllabic stage, and is Il mere
language of overgrown babies. This
condition Of arrested development
lies at the root Of the appalling pow
erty of the masses in country
which nature designed to be inoalcu-
lably wealthy. China is not, like
Central Asia, land of savage, howl
ing wastes. 1t liz one Of the most fer
tile and tlowery parts of the earth's
surface almoet throughout the entire
area. And, moreover it's people are
the most industrious agriculturists
in the world, aud have been 80 for
many centuries. Fruit and vegeta-
bles are much more abundant and
exist in much greater variety than
we are favored with in our own coun-
try.
Notwithstanding these magnificent
natural endowments, what is the
state of things in the Flowery King
domr From lack Of anything like
scientific cultivation the quality Of
nearly all fruits is exceedingly poor,
an )nly the the splendid sunshine
ano the atmospheric conditions COM
pensale for the lack of skill. Apples,
pear. apricots, peaches, nectarines,
pluma, cherries, grapes and persim-
mons are almost every whore grown
in immense abundance, but no native
ever studies improvement in their
culture. Wheat, millet, maize, sor-
ghum, sweet potatoes, peanuts, indi-
go, and great variety Of pea and
bean crops arc produced with ease,
while rice il, Of course, almost uni
versally found in cultivation. But
in nearly every province tho output,
Notwithstanding the interchangeable
toll of the people, is far short of What
might be attained under better man
agement, while the quality of the
foodstuffs il deficient in nutritlve
power. Vast tracts Of soil have been
impoverished through centuries of
uninterrupted production without any
adequate compensation Enrichlng
material ls poor in quality. Grazing
is unknown, and in most of the pro-
vlLces the land never lies faIlow, Ito
natives never having learned the so
cret of tho rotation of crops. Yet
the land is still forced to produce
three crops in two years without in.
termission.
The Chinese poverty problem is
complicated. It's secondary causes
are manifold, but after all they are
only aggravations OF the agrariun
stagnation. One of my friends resid.
ing for time in tho interior asked
an official how many beggars he was
feeding. He replied $4,000. "These,
he explained, ARE all tenant farme,s q
from tie north. Few people who
entirely own their land are so misera.
bly, poor" Thus at every point the
agricultural question recurs In the
province of Wuhu last year a large
relief work was initiated by foreign.
ers Here also the starving sufferers
we're chiefly of that Same large class
Il IL