We have been asked what the Viceroys, Governors and higher officials in the; distressed districts are doing for the' relief of the poor and hungry beyond collecting and distributing alms? Have they employed large numbers of men and women on public works, such as would be undertaken at such a crisis in any other country in the world? These desired to diminish the flow of charity, questions were not asked by one who
which is so much needed at the present time, but to draw attention to practical measures, by the adoption of which the people.who are now suffering famine and the country would be benefited. Possibly new public works might be allowed to Stand over until the extra business which the famine has thrown on the mandarins has been got rid of, but such things as roads, canals, bridges in China always stand in need of extensive repairs. Yet we have not heard of anything being done to give employment to thousands and thousands of men and women on these. 'I'he distress is peculiarly sharp in Shantung, as several correspondents have informed us, and in the very parts of that province which are most afflicted the roads are in the worst condition. The roads in the districts we refer to, and very likely in others, if not in all the province, were originally fine broad cart-roads, but neglect has reduced them to a very bad condition, as bad perhaps as they are in any part of the empire. The repairs of these could now be commenced, and made economically, and would be of great service to all kinds of people. The works would give employment to thousands in the distressed "districts, and relief of this kind would preserve the morale of the people, which subsistence on charity, no matter from whom it comes, cannot fail to injure. This, however, is a view of the case with which the officials are nat likely to trouble their heads, all they care for is to get through the winter somehow, and with as little trouble to themselves as possible. But as a matter of business the employment of the people on public works is the best course that could be adopted. Labour of all kinds must now be abundant and unable to find its ordinary employment in those districts of Shantung, so that the much wanted repairs could be very cheaply effected, and, the same in the other provinces which require help. It is quite true that' at this time and for a month or a little more, the snow and frost will probably prevent any road making or canal repairing being undertaken, but in the meantime the people should be employed on preparing the materials to be used when more genial weather comes. The amount of work done in this way would perhaps not be up to the average, but still it would be something, and of a very beneficial and useful nature.
Our readers will remember that when subscriptions for the relief of the suf-forers by the floods in the Yellow River districts were called for some fourteen months ago, a correspondent urged that the money raised for that purpose should be withheld until the igh Mandarins gave a pledge that a} proper survey of the river would be undertaken. That was a practical suggestion, but we do not propose that anything like it should be employed at the present time to induce the Mandarins to do their duty to their provinces and to the poor within them. But where there are foreigners in the districts in which relief is given, they should bring to the notice of the officials the wisdom of undertaking those other public works to which we have referred. If thi done at once a portion of the contributions which are expected from home might be used in this way, at all events after supplies of food and those things which they want most have been given to the poor. Further funds will be needed, but surely the Provincial high officials would be able to supply them, either from their treasuries or by loans or contributions from the gentry and the well-to-do class, and assistance might be got from Peking. The ways of Chinese finance are mysterious to foreigners, and though it may be taken fur granted that all the high officials are in want of money for some purpose or other, they not infrequently shew themselves to be in possession of unsuspected funds, with which they meet emerges The Peking Gazette which we pul to-day shews that the Viceroy of this province was able to find a considerable sum for the Emperor's marriage, althoussh the money did not come from that particular department of his treasury where in better times it might have been. If His Excellency adopts the suggestion we now offer, we have little doubt that he will be able to find money to carry it out, with the help of his subordinates Such funds vould be applied to the and the rich people of the Liang-kiang, formation of public works during this coming spring. In Western countries the money so expended would be recovered by some public taxes or tolls which would within a given time reimburse either the community which guaranteed the loans or the lenders. jut unless the Imperial Government found the money, and thereby put itself in the position of Jender, the way in which office is given and held in China will prevent the provincial authorities adopting any such plan. Those who are now administering public affairs have to recoup themselves for the money they paid for their places, and to enrich themselves as much as possible, and they will be out of place, or removed to some other part of the Empire, long before any considerable portion of suc a loan would be repaid. Just as we required, on the part of the community, afew months ago that accounts of the subscriptions for the relief of the Yellow [River districts should be furnished jby the Chinese who distributed the money, so the foreign public will demand before long that some such system of relieving distress by employing labour as we have indicated shall be used by the officials; otherwise they will withhold their charity. At present a great and wide-spread distress is to be relieved, and no doubt foreigners will liberally subscribe to alleviate it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.