The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-02-27

Adding his voice TO those of other
governors of,American states who have
joined with President Taft in an APP
peal to the American public for aid
for the millions of sufferers from the
famine in China, Governor Frear yes
terday spoke for local contributions to
the fund which the Nation is gathering
for the relief of the starving Chinese.
"The conditions are hideous in
China,'' said the Governor. ga little
aid will go long way, and an appeal
to the people of Hawaii is peculiarly
proper. Hawaii has had much to do
with the political conditions in the
Chinese nation. I hope to see our peo-
pie do their share for the relief of the
sufferers in the new Republic. 1 am
sure Hawaii is fully in sympathy with
the movement to aid the suffering
Chinese, and it should be remembered
that under the conditions in that coun-
| try even small contribution will go
long way to aid victims of the
| famine.D
Tales brought back from China tell
of the frightful extent to which famine
has ravished the republic. Missionaries
and casual travellers, unite in declaring
| that the conditions in some sections of
| the land are most hideous. These ac-
counts Of the suffering and privation of
men, women and children go far to ex-
plain the action of Sun Vat Sen while
| president, in continuing the armistice
from time to time-an action which
drew down good deal of censure upon
his head.
These stories of conditions have had
| their effect. All the civilized world
appears to be combining to raise funds
to meet the situation, feed the hungry
and clothe the naked in China. In New
York movement has been afoot for
some time to set aside Sunday, March
10, as "famine day. throughout the
United States. Ministers of every de.
/ nomination will devote part of the time
| allotted for their sermons to bringing
before the people the alarming situation
in the newest republic, where more than
100000 ar threatened with extinction.
| A statement of the famine relief com.
mittee, urging the observance of the
day, says:
NfNever has there been anything to
compare with the conditions now pre-
vailing along the Yangtse Valley.
Thousands upon thousands of once
| thrifty farmers are starving with their
wives and their children. They are alb.
solutely without hope of relief. The
humand mind can not conceive of the
magnitude Of Che destructive force of
the famine now depopulating China.'
Passengers Tale.
One of the passengers ON the last
steamer from Shanghai, the China, Feb
ruary 23, brought in fresh accounts OF
the vastness of the suffering, the pes
thence and woe that is marching like
devouring army through the once fer
tile valley of the Yangtse. Two years
ago with the coming Of the plant lice
the overburdened land failed to give
its usual crop. On top of that disaster
came the floods, sweeping away what
was left of the grain and paddy. From
the stricken district went groan, but
the farmers turned to with will ant
such as did not die set to work plant
ing for last years crop. But the bruta
government of the Manchu, like som'
) huge vampire, smoked the lifeblood Of
the nation. The parasites of the rulinl
class, the whole vast system of graf
and theft, lay an enormous incubus
upon the backs of the people, draining
them dry of money, of hope of life it
: self. Then last summer the plant licl
came back again and the few fields O.
, wheat were destroyed. The rice dis
. appeared, and famine, black. famine
i closed down on the land. s5
Il Plant Buckwheat. t Nf
Hounded by hunger in the eyes o
their wives and babies the farmer las
fall planted buckwheat, which mature
in eighty days. But fate was no
f, l4hrn,~h xv;th tha Chinese n raina