Los Angeles daily herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1873-1876, 1874-04-04
Suffering Humanity.

Constant reports reach us of the
strikes among the laboring classes of
the United States and of Europe. The
cry of capital expressing labor is made
to resound through the land. The
public look upon the matter and SYM
pathize, and believe there is great suf-
fering. A perusal of the facts relating
to the famine in India force upon us a
feeling of thankfulness for the pros
perity of our own land. The number
of persons suffering is about 5000, 200.
1t is expected that there may be
slight distress in other districts, tut
none of importance. The vice-regal
telegram to Lord Salisbury goes on
thus:
Orders of Government rice amount
to 100000 tons, of which $1,000 are
from beyond sea. OF this quantity
100000 arrived. We have been keep
ing up for some time constant stream
of from 1000 to $500 tons a day into
the distressed districts.
Private trade is bringing in grain
from the Northwest and Punjaub at
the rate of 1000 tons day. Loca
transport, which has been the main
difficulty, is now fairly organized.
Over fifty thousand carts are now en-
ployed in the districts north of the
Ganges, under contracts, in bringing
in Government grain, and the number
will shortly be increased to seventy
thousand.
In the worst districts the distribu-
ton of relief is being given by circles
of moderate area, each village being
visited and dealt with.
Two deaths from starvation are re-
ported in Monghyr. None elsewhere
yet, but in parts the lowest classes are
gradually becoming pinched, and
without Government measures severe
and extensive famine would have al
ready begun.
Cannot, as yet, speak with certainty
of some parts, such as Rungpore, which
Sir Richard Temple is about to visit,
but on the whole my present impress
sion is that the difficulties of supply,
transport, and local organization, al
| though very great, have been or will
| be overcome.
Great difficulty occurs from the dis
inclination of people to apply for re-
lief; therefore, although stringent
tests will be carefully avoided in the
worst districts, and every means taken
to supply the people with food, cam
not guarantee, in dealing with pop
ulatiOn SO numerous and scattered
over an area so large and difficult of
access, that cases of starvation may
not occur.
The estimated famine expenditure
to the end of February is rather over
G2,500,000.
Subscriptions from private sources
are flowing in rapidly. The Indian
Government has advanced G3,000,000
sterling. A subscription at Calcutta
has already reached 100000, which is
as much as England sent to Chicago,
and all the principal cities in the
United Kingdom, except Manchester,
Birmingham and Liverpool, they say,
are doing great deal.
The gratitude of the native Indians
for what the Government has done for
them is warmly expressed. They are
deep in wonder and thankfulness at
the kindness of the "great Sarkar'
and the "good Empress Queen of In
dia," and regard the action of the
Government as such as "no king be-
fore them ever did, While acknow-
Lodging the magnitude of the calam-
ity, there is, therefore, much reason
for hope.
What are our dry years in their eff
feet compared with the above, or what
is the suffering of our laboring classes?