Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-25
THE FAMINE IN CHIN A
FEARFUL TOLL ENACTED BY
sCoURGE NOW ABOUT OVER.

SHANGHAI. August 24.-The terrible
famine. which has ragged in central China
for several months Is now virtually over;
the crops planted with the seed distributed
by the relief committees are being har-
vested; the missionaries who have labored
so asstduously in the cause of humanity
are gradually coming down to the coast for
n rest, and people are beginning to count
the cost in lives and money. The exact
number of Chinese who persisted will never
be known. but the estimate recently made
by a prominent member of the relief or
CARNATIONS, judging from conversations
with many workers, was very much exag-
gerated- He computed the loss in lives at
over 1,080,0G0. but on going carefully into
facts it Is found that the famine lasted less
than eight months, and at the worst period
the deaths were said to average 5000
day, SO that even had this figure been main
tanned for the full period OF the famine the
total mortality would have been less than
three-quarters of million.
The smallest estimate is three times the
maximum death rate in the area affected.
and this would give nearly half million
deaths. These figures are fair estimate
Of the toll exacted by the scourge. 1t may
be said, in short. that the famine has not
claimed anything like many victims as
was predicted would bs the case This Is
due in great measure to the prompt way
in America. and the manner in which for
eigners. chiefly missionaries who could
speak the Chinese language spoken in the
central provinces of the empire, responded
to the call for workers
Foreigners Behind Practical Relief.
Fighting the ravages of famine has been
silent war in which China alone could
have achieved little because of her official
system, her bad financial organization and
the crude, ineffective system Of relief which
the more honest officials adopted when left
IA f,aFp for tbo FIR
eigner to point out the necessity Of relief
works, both for their intrinsic worth and
to enable the authorities to distinguish be-
tween the really destitute and the mere
loafer Many districts in the famine area
can point to the benefits derived from relief
worAs inaugurated and supervised. by for
eigners; but there are also some where the
Chinese officials have followed to good
purpose the example set them. To quote
but one example. many miles of the Grand
canal north of Chinkiang are now in good
repair, and this will help to prevent
catastrophe in the future similar to that
which occurred last year when the heavy
rains fell
Much of the severity of the famine could
have been prevented by public works, of
which the neglect can only be regarded as
criminal. The difficulty too often was that
such works. as they feared they might.
soon after the inauguration Of the work. be
removed to another sphere of labor, and
thus lose the large amount of money which
it would have been necessary to disburse
from the local exchequer and which would
otherwise have gone into their pockets.
II order were introduced into Chinese
finances and an end put to the sale of po-
sitiOns the business instincts of the nation
would discover that 1t Is cheaper to under
take such works in time rather than wait
until the misery their neglect causes has
to be relieved.
The two relief committees collected no
less sum than 81 .313. coo. and all but
small balance has been expended in the
saving of life, combined, In some cases,
with preventive measures against future
famine. The small balance. unfortunately
will probably be insufficient for the de-
mands made upon 1t this autumn. The
devastation Of whole provinces by floods
will not cease until the imperial govern
ment so rearranges its financial system
that 1t can direct large sums to be spent
entertainments and the necessary clearing
and deepening Of the waterways of the
e1npfre.