New-York tribune., 1908-08-15
CHINA FACING CRISIS
ON EYE OF REVOLUT1ON.
Famine Relief Worker Sees Change
in Government Soon.

Revolutionary rumbngs are being heard to-day
in all parts of the Chinese Empire. according to
Howard Richards. jr.. the first of those actuahv
engaged in the famine relief work in China last
year TO return to the United States MI Richaros,
who here direct from China by way of San
Francisco. is graduate of Yale and has been
professor in Boone College. Wu-Chans. China, for
e number of years He says the reilel TO lae
famine sufferers contributed by Americans has
done more than anything else to foster an under
standing and friendship for Americans among the
Chinese
Speaking of the present conditions in China
Mr. Richards said yesterday that the recent up
risings in various parts of the empire were only
slight indications of the strong urdercurrent OF
revolutionary feeling running through the whole
people Europeans in China consider there is a
lighting chance of the revolution being peace
ful one as he expressed ii. The death OF the
Empress Dovager, who is over seventy years old
will mark, it thought. the end of the Manchu
dynasty
The Chinese millions beginning to wake
up and feel liberty within their grasp, said MT
Richards. "A revolution will be a terrible thing
IF the Manchu dynasty can be overthrown and
native Chinese viceroy put at the head of the
government without bloodshed it will work
wonders for the country. There is chance tnat
this will take place peaceably at the death OF the
Empress Dowager
The way in which the japanese are crowding
into China is wonderful Three-fourths of the
foreigners employed in the Chinese schools are
Japanese. In city of no great size friend
of mine told recently that over one thousand
Japanese had settled there within the last Few
years The Japanese putting q number OF
foreigners in China out of business I know Of
dentist there. only a fairly good one, who has
had all his practice taken away from him by
Jap is thoroughly trained and up to date
Mr. Richards says that not many Chinese stu
dents are going Japan year or two ago
One of the reasons he gave for this was that the
government had withdrawn most of the government
scholarships for study in Japan 1t seems that
when the young Chinese tasted full freedom in
Toxic they Immediately began to talk of freedom at
home Several revolutionary societies were formed
and the imperial government found it was paying
Chinese students TO plot against It in Toxic.
Chna's great present need is schools, says Mr.
Richards. He tells of a native Chinaman, T G
Yen who was graduated from the New York Law
School and is now secretary of the Manyang Iron
Works who is working to educate his countrymen
Only recently has written to his brother, who Is
secretary of the Chinese Legation at Washington
asking him try to find two American engineers
who would go TO China and teach the Chinese stu
dents engineering.
In regard to the relief work last year, Mr. Rich
ards says the food and money contributed went to
the famine sufferers with remarkably little loss
II most of the stricken districts the -four had TO be
carried in springess oxcars and given only to those
who were sure to starve If support were pro-
vided them.
I'VE were able to tell by the color OF their faces
those who had reached the last stages" he said
1T was surely pathetic sight TO see about US
those, especially the children, who were actually
starving. The resources at our disposal enabled us
TO help only fraction of those who seemed unable
to get over the days keep alive until another
harvest
Another method used for helping the sufferers
was termed relief works BY this is meant work
on canals. roads and bridges that was carried on at
many places to give employment to those who were
without means of livelihood account of the fam
inc. The men employed were paid at the end of
each day in native money, the average daily wage
being approximately 5-17 cents in United States
money.
Three missionaries gave their lives and upward
of $50 their services In this famine relief. The
Chinese people grateful for this foreign assist
ance and they know that three-fourths of the food
and money contributed came from America