The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-06-01
The Natives Are Dying BY The Mil
lion.

The Natives Are DyiuS ny Inc "AA
lion.
Nv Rev. walter n. Lambutb, ID. ID.
At a mass meeting of missionaries
held here in Shanghai some startling
facts were brought out In the state
ments of those just returned from the
famine district. three hundred miles
to the north and by kilograms received
from others who are on the GROUND
battling with disease and Starvation.
In an area north of the fang-tse
River-which Is an agricultural section
and which has diameter of some i've
hundred miles-there are 100000
Chinese who are on the verge of star
yation OF this number, there are 81
100000 who are actually starving, IL
is possible. with the relief In hand. 70
succor only 500 600 of the 100000. The
others must perish miserably In Few
weeks If something is not done.
The cause of the famine is primarily
the flood, months ago, which caused
the breaking of the bikes. This has
prevented the planting of crops early
enough to bring relief in the spring,
though some wheat is now In the
ground which, when harvest comes IN
July or August may help to mitigate
the horrors with which the people are
now face to face.
Consul General Rodgers has. advised
that 10000 bags of flour were being
forwarded from the United States on
the steamship Coptic. This will be
noble addition to the commissary de-
partment in the hands of the mission
aries; but even that will be mere
handful. since appeals have come to
the Shanghai Committee for 10000 bags
of flour for the starving people on the
TAPPING Island alone. The consul fur
Their advises the receipt of $4,000 (gold)
from the Red Cross Association, ana
$50. 900 (gold) from The Christian Her
aid, through the Red Cross. But even
this additional aid will keep alive only
the 100000, while the 100000 must
arrive in time.
DR.. Hampden c. DuBose, of the
Southern Presbyterian Church, writes
as follows from Tsiang Kiang Pu,
where he is engaged in distribution:
"Cpening twentysix mile canal. 1t
will drain large section. / employ 10,-
900 men. This week 1 fed $4,000 This
Is the largest number yet reached. The
cry is: Dying from hunger! Doors,
windows, furniture. beams in houses
being sold for food Houses and viii
lagos, desolated by flood and famine.
Necessary to feed chair and barrow
coolies before they can work The
poor eating weeds. When shall wheat
crop be gathered? No money to pur-
chase seed. Old men, women and chill
dren in desperate straits. 1 see very
few babies. Ship flour, rice, wheat
bran in boats direct from Wusih to
Suchien. Increase famine relief ten
fold"
Miss NJ. A Reid, at Antung, writes:
THE boon these cheap sales of flour
and grain are to the people is just un-
speakable. Local grain is very dear
and scarce. We are getting closer and
closer to the worst days. I really
dread to think what the few weeks be-
fore the harvest will be like"
A telegram comes from Pere Thomas.
Roman Catholic Priest, chairman of
the local committee at Yawowan He
states that the famine conditions are
becoming accehtuated. and that large
numbers of families are wandering
about. nourishing themselves with
wild roots; and that they are in many
places plucking up the wheat as 1t APP
pears above ground and eating it.
A member of the committee writes
as follows: "A pathetic case was that
of poor fatherless and motherless
children. They stood nude, huddled up
against the building. when 1 went out
of the door to take in the shipment of
flour. I heard the low. feeble cry of
a child, and, looking around, saw the
most pitiful little face leaning over
the older brothers breast. The mere
infant was making such a low, pitiful
cry. it's eyes closed from the intepse
light and swollen lids. I could not
help i'll went back in the inner court
and wept. What could I do? 1t was
too young TO feed. It must get nour-
ishment from the breast; and. poor
thing, even then 1T was beyond hope.
no doubt filled the older brothers
bowl with copper coins, and the four
went off. slowly toddling along. to get
some Cruel"
The Chinese officials have not failed
to contribute to the relief of their own
people The sum of 100000 taels, or
about s4.2Oo000 (gold) has been thus
expended. They are embarrassed. how |
ever, by indemnities, heavy exactions
from the central government, and es
peciallv by the lack or organization
and systematic effort for reaching
those who are in such straits. More
helm from abroad should be given in
that broad spirit of Christian charity
and brotherhood which has ever char |
acterized the enlightened nations of
the West.
The relief committee feel that a
guarantee should be given those who
are furnishing funds and provisions
that these will be wisely swiftly. and
economically expended. There is a call |
for fifty more missionaries in addition
to the forty odd who are now assist |
ing in the work, and these will be
forthcoming Every dollar will be &C
counted for, and the generous public |
may be sure that the most will be
made of the means furnished. Such
names as DuBose. Henry Woods. Jun |
kin, Patterson. Father Thomas. T~A'--El