MORE HUNAN RIOTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 815, 12 May 1910, Page 5

MORE HUNAN RIOTS.

MISSION BURNED

lly TelccraDh—Press Association—Coprrlehl ' (Koc. May 12, 0.10 a.m.)

London, May 11. Advice's received in I'cking indicate that further serious rioting has occiirral in the province of Hunan. Tho scene of the present outbreak is at Yuiinchou-fu (230 miles vest-south-west of Changsha, from which town the missionaries were recently compelled to withdraw). The China Inland Mission's station at Yuanchou-fu has been destroyed. Details have not yet been received. The telegraph lines have been cut.

THE MISSIONARY VIEWPOINT,

Tho Rev. W. A. Jlawson, M.A., who has been for some years engaged in missionary work in China, iuniish<!S some interesting statements about tin. Chuiigisha riots. ' Writing in the "Woodville Exaihiner," Mr. 'JMawson says that for great masses in China, rice, eaten with boiled vegetables and a little- salt fish, serves all the purposes of bread, meat?, and potatoes rolled into ono article oi diet.

The question of the rico supply is at all times a pressing oue in Luma. In the river valleys and along the coast every acre that will grow rice is pressed into cultivation, ana two crops of rice, ono ill' July, and one in November, arc taken each year from the fertile soil. Even then there may not be enough to meet' tho needs of the population, and supplies have to be sought from other provinces or from Siam. If there has been a good crop food is usually plentiful iii the latter half of the,year, hut in tho iirst half, and especially on from April till the new crop comes iii in July, the stock of rice is falling low, and this gives the opportunity forthe rice merchants to create an artificial shortage by hoarding up available rice in their stores. "Corners ' in rice have long beeen known in commercial circles in China.

It is' here that tho duty of the Chinese official comes in. According to their scholastic ideas, he is tho father and protector of tho people, and a good rnagistrato will keep a rigorous scrutiny over the stocks of rico in the stores and compel the merchants by fines to keep tlie market well supplied. Tho Viceroy Shun at Canton a tew years ago attained great popularity among the people by the strictness with which ho forbade exportation of rice and by the firm hand he , kept over the merchants, thus ensuring a plentiful food supply at reasonable prices. Fiiies,. however, are a precarious source of revenue. The official treasury is generally in an inipccunious state, and tho official is easily tempted by the hope of unjust gain to forget his duty as tho protector of tho people. An alliance with the merchant monopolist may bring in a rich harvest to both, the official simply refraining from preventing tho /'corner" being formed. Something like this seems to havo happened at Changsha, where the officials are stated to have been implicated in the rice monopoly. t -. '

When tiio masses find that tho officials instead of protecting their interests are waxing fat upon their misery, is it any great wonder .that' they rise up iu their wrath to wreak vengeance, upon their oppressors? In tho recent, riots at Changsha, the first attack was upon the official residence of tho Governor, who was implicated in the monopoly of.their food. In'the present case. Hunan has been the most bitterly anti-foreign of all tiio provinces, and it has been only in recent years that .business people and lr.insionarres have been able to reside at Changsha. Chinese prejudice is not easily dissipated even by a decado of intercourse,- and oaco the mob had commenced deeds of vioienco, it was easy to turn to the old object of prejudice and work ruin upon the residences and, business establishments of tho foreigners. Moreover, tho Chinese imagination is nauily roused, and wild reports aro iir/Jieitly believed, in tiiiies of excitement. - ' .

At Chnngsha' (Mr. Maroon adds) the disturbance in its first stage seems to have been anti-official; its second stage, anti-foreign, in. which both business places and mission buildings suffered alike. The.only loss of life, amongst tlie Europeans reported seems to have been-caused by a boaV collision in tho flight of the- residents down tho river during the darkness. Noiio suffered directly at the hands of the rioters. Troops have been sent in, but probably long ere they reach Shangsha tho -city life will have resumed its wonted course nnd the- rioters will have disappeared in the busy stream of Chinoso everyday life. The unlucky speculating Sfficial will bo cashiered, and tho consular body/will bo involved in weary negotiations as to compensation for building losses. One good result will bo that officials and merchant's will hesitate before again attemptinc to force up the price of the necessaries of life, and officials will be careful not to let 'their greed of gain overstep the limit; of patience of the masses they rule.