The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-02-20
GAUNT FAMINE.
Hunger Kills Millions of People in
Chinese Empire.
Chill DREN DEvOURED,


: Thousands of Chinese Turn In,
n Cannibals and Eat Dead Hun,a
q Beings. European and America
!. Countries Slow to Aid the Star,
), ing Millions in Ci,ina-Detaiis {
Widespread Horror.
Guant famine is stalking abroa
over 10000 square miles Of the Chi
nese empire. Hunger has elaine
the lives of over a million Chimes
men, women and children. The e:
rible god of want day by day grow,
; more Sluttonous in his appetite 70
human lives and countless Celestial
are offered to the grim monster, ue
cause food cannot be obtained fo.
love nor money.
In the foreign countries no con
ception of the utter misery va:
clouds this area Of China. in extent
as large as North Carolina and vlr-
glnla. is possible. Imagine a state
Of affairs in which parents are brought
! to eating their own children aud
children driven to devouc.ng she:.
! own Srandmothersan grandfarhers:
Such condition faces owe: II, ,G10,-
900 Chinese. and the conditions are
becoming worse every day.
In the heart OF the stricken dis
riot the survivors have become so
weakened from lack OF food th ey can
aot properly bury their dead. As a
consequence diseases of the worse
type may break out at any mome;:t
and the scourge may sweep the
the whole vast Celestial empire. The
only thing that will save the millions
now on the verge Of death is help
from European and American Cou1-
tries.
Appeals have been sent out but
few answers have been received.
This is unaccounted Tor. as famine
is considered International. Hunger
is above politics, religion and diplo-
macy, and the Chinese and E,lro-
peaIs in Pekip cannot understand
wyh some means is not foual to al
leviate the suffering OF he ;o.rv".-
600 famine-stricken Celast::ls
Daily. men, women and children
fight like beasts of the forest cTer
an ounce Of rice. The pangs Of
hunger gnawing at the vitals of the
millions have turned men and wo-
men into beasts of prey. Since their
homes were destroyed by the great
food Of the Eaugste Kiang river,
eight months ago. whole armies of
homeless people have fought des-
perately for food and life. Many
made their way the large cities
while they had Strength to walk.
Those who put Off their exodus
from the lood-swept district until
the finger of starvation pointed to-
ward them, had not strength enough
to wax wo miles a day and so were
overtaken by death, dying in char
acteristic of starvation. In the belt
of death it is not uncommon to see
men and women going through I'M
pressive ceremonies before killing
their children for food.
Thousands upon thousands OF
young Chinese have been so put to
death, that their parents might live
little longer to wrestle with tht
uncompronising god of famine. Ola
men and old women, dogs, cats.
horses. rats, snakes and carrion birds
have been devoured by he strongest
survivors in the belt of hunger. Now
all he old people and the birds and
and he rats and the cats have been
disposed of as food and the sulVlV-
ors, who were now fghing among
themselves.
The famine district of China is
comprised in the provinces OF klassu
and Chekiang. These two provinces
claim about one-fourth Of the popu-
iation of the Empire OF China, OF
about 100,OO0,000 souls. 1t is
only a partof this territory and popu-
iaion that is affected BY the famine,
but still the figures are appalling.
It is estimated at he present time by
Chinese officials that about 10000
900 are feeling the heavy hand OF
famine and its sister DESTROYER. pes
thence, and Of this number there are
1000.
Twenty per cent. of the people IN
the famine district are eating only
Cruel at the present time. and the
ravages are only beginning. Many
of this number have only one meal
day. The meal to make cruel wll!
soon be gone, and then the people
with the wonderful patience OF the
Chinese. will sette down and await
the time to reap their rice crops next
June, knowing full we'll that the
ma ioritvof the famished walters VIII
he dead before the season comes.
But the famine in the refugee CEN
tiers is nothing to what 1t is IN the
interior. Here everything is gone,
and the eaunt hand OF famine IS
daiv clutching the throats OF tnous-
anls who have wasted away TO living
skeletons. It would be useless to
send these people money as theE
have nothing to buy. thousands
Of bags Of rice az being sent up. put
these are all consumed on the mere
fringe Of the vast area. Deep IN
the interior the people are ylns
wherever they fall. TOO weak to
move, and wait for the end that has
been aproaching for months
Wanted Four Thousand.
at Spencer. La. Miss MabIe i'u'-