The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-31
NfsSIONARY IOMEN~a
ONLY AL MONERS
In GREAT FAMINE.
Chinese Officials y ntrustworthy,
4 and Of Foreigners Only Mis-
sionaries Know Language.
THE TERRIBLE DEVASTATION.
Special Correspondent Of Tines
Dispatch Pictures Frightful
Conditions in China.

=
Conditions in China.
Shanghai, China, January 81, 1907.
e ebi Hh9's M ETsas mas ssn heard LIT ct
there are no evidences. from
this Viewpoint, that the world /
knows Of the connection OF the
missionaries Herewith, which Is an tn-5I
5teresting5 story by itself, although 1t
sconnot be separated from the warp
and woof OF the tragic tale OF this
overwhelming calamity. BY an inter-
Iesting coincidence. just at the moment
OF Sir Ernest Satow's attack upon
missionaries in China, the latter are
silently answering his and kindred
criticisms and iustifying their pres.
once in the Interior Of this enigmatical
country, by saving the lives Of thou
sands, tens Of thousands and huns
dreds OF thousands Of starving Chinese
T have returned this week from q
months tour Of the famine district.
which IS 50 remote from tho treaty
ports that was formed that no
other traveller had ever been there
| bfeora US; and I am prepared TO soy
that tho presence OF the missionaries
alone makes 1t possible for the WORLDS
/ were 1t not for tl,I;se Americans most
| OF the myriads OF starving people
/ would be permitted to perish.
I In this correspondence many sharp
j criticisms of missionaries have been
written, here, however, Is state q
i affairs which. as an Endorsement or
4 the missionaries by the Far East
4 speaks for itself. q, 5$
The simple fact that the North China
4 famine relief committees, composed Of
4 the consuls, leading merchants, govern
4 ment officials and other prominent ctti-
1 zens OF Shanghai, has pledged Its word
to distribute all It's immense relief funds
4 cx clusivly through the responsible
a l5llands OF the missionaries shows what
& the settlement residents really think Of
q the missionary body. For! by intrusting
: this gigantic task Of relief distribution
. to the missionaries, the business COM
!. munity here indicates plainly Its confl-
!, dence in the capacity as well as the III
tegrity OF the foreign missionary. Shang-
hal may not like the missionary's views
!, or work, hut It really trusts him.
], Missionaries to the Rescue.
:, Not all people in America clearly I'M
! derstand that there are practically no
Z white men, except missionaries, living
in China outside the treaty ports. Y y
!. have no right to reside or do business
: elsewhere The foreigners In the In
I terior. with the exception OF q few work.
!. Ing on CONCESSIONS. are only mission.
J; aries. These latter arc likewise pracu
= cally the only ona who spend laborious
!, years In learning the Chinese language
!. the foreign mercantile houses do busl
II ness through Notwithstanding Chimes
4 .'shroffs" or "compradores." 1t is MS tru
i as most generallzations, to say that tn
IS missionaries alone among the foreign
"a sers understand the Chinese.
4 Es SO 1t was, quito naturally the mis-.
& sionaries who first called attention Z
Il tho im,ninence OF famine In Klangpeh
. or North River country. During tn
"A spring and summer heavy rains fol
"a throughout Kiangpu and sAnhuei PROV
:. n inces, and In the adjacent parts Q
Il Shantung and Honan Provinces TIL
= yellow RIVER overlooked It's banks. a
did the Grand Canal and Jesse
' streams. dikos breaking in man:
" points lower than tho ancient canals
Q. tho country was a long time sub
H. merged, remaining so IN nunerou
81 places until this day.
on Despite the foods, the mlssionarie
as continued to traverse their fields.
on ono of them at least, nearly losing hi
az life by drowning. Miss Read, for eX
nj ample, OF Antung, itlnerated anon
,o the sufferers for six and seven mile
vs. at time, In water above her walls
NJ on ono OCCASION she was barely on
NJ Of a house before 1t collapsed. Natlv
- churches and native homes. both alik
nr built of mud or Of sun-dr!ed brick
NJ crumbled before the attacks of tt
~ waters So before China herself kne
n that there was to be a famine, til
e., missionaries were sending home the
~ yS pleas to the religious papers. A NIL
-, ionaary relief COMMITTEES was FIRST
~ tho field but 1t was later rendert
unnecessary by the larger, strong
ns general committee at Shanghai, Whis
Ap soon had the missionaries who IL
~. .s in tho district busilyi employed d.
~! w. trlbuting Its funds,
tho tho The Unspeakable Chinese.
Chistendom can never understar
to the Chinese. not even when IT Sc
in him In his native element, The dep
nal ana callousness of his selhshness al
ma materialism Is simply beyond the tel
INN ing, In sharp contrast with the neti
nod ity Of tho missionaries In behalf OF
,n' homeless and the hungry was the !
Az Az difrerence OF the Chinese officials.
ssnrs first they reported that there was
wy famine. Then they tried to6mlniml
1t. Then, when II became evident III
relief funds ware In sight, affordl
rich pickings to the rascals. thu
TRY swelled tho figures enormously,
own investigation confirms inc In
my belief that the missionary figures I
ates con serYntiye;. 10000 900 people, az
100000 square miles, affected by. the