Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-09-04
A FEARFUL INDICTMENT.
Florence Nightingale Denounces Brit
ish Misrule MS the Cause Of Famine
and Death in India.

anu Dtutu Ill luUIus
Florence Nightingale, in the Nine
tenth Century for August, dispels the
glamor which is in6ustriously spread
over British rule in India. She gives
the number Of those who have died
from famine in that country within a
single year, apparently 1874, at 6,0OO,-
600. The official figures for the year
1878 are l,S50,OO0. The evils which
she cites as the causes of the terrible
ravages of death are: The lack of IT.
rigation, which the local administration
has engaged to provide; the monstrous
taxation, which brushes out manufac-
lures, and the usury which is permitted
by the laws. The famine has been
warded Oft from the provinces of Tan
jore, and Kistna, where irrigation has
been provided. In other provinces one
person out Of four Of the total popula-
ton has been starved to death. The
cry of the land and of the people is for
the water which the government has
the power tosecure. Of taxation Miss
Nightingale cites the duty levied on
salt Of IL q ton upon a cost of lbs. Cd.
This is tax of more than 100 per
cent on a chief necessity of life. Our
indignant author declares that manu-
features are strangled by the tax on
salt" Yet this is the chief dominion
of the government which claims to be
the leading champion of free trade for
all the world. She has reason for call
ing the authorities to account for their
grievous extortions upon these suffer
ing provinces.
The taxes are rendered more
burdensome by the fact that they are
payable in money and not in kind as in
the olden times. AS a consequence
the people must get money for this
purpose at every risk. Whether they
lave crops or not, whether their pro-
ducts are salable or not, the taxes must
be paid. The producer often has to
borrow money to satisfy the taxgath-
erer. For this he has to pay common
ly 80 per cent, and often more, even
up to 100 per cent. The money-lender
is shrewd here as elsewhere; the ryot
is often ignorant and he signs for his
loan the bond which is presented to
him. The costs of the foreclosure of
the claim are fearful. Miss Nightin-
gale cites one case where upon a debt
Of ga the costs were ZIG, or 400 per
cent. All these things occur under
English law. The consequence is that
the title Of the land is going to the
usurers, and India is starving to death.
Terrible as is the picture it is sketched
by the hand of woman who by her de-
votion in the Crimea has proven her de-
votion to Britain and its highest in
terests. Surely British rulers cannot
neglect such evils in the provinces
which give to the sovereign her proud
est title. Let us add only single para
graph of incidents which she relates
from the life:
Sin the Madras famine (1S73-1S74)
children Of 7 to 10 years used to bring
poor living naked living skeletons of 9
and and years to the government
relief centers, feeding the babes day
after day for weeks with the daily dole,
asking for nothing for themselves. till
the little foster-mothers would them
selves, sink at the gates. They were
often OF no kin, sometimes even of a
different caste or religion. Hundreds
Of fathers and mothers going to other
parts of the country to get food and
work, left children to die in their vii
lagos. Little ones who had no little
foster-mothers, wandered about to get
a dole of food from any one who would
give, then lay down and died with
pass me the word-the heroic agony Of
childish patience. For example, one
missionary from Cuddapah met one
day over 100 (children) who had no
nc one in the world to care for them"
Ii Is Worth Il Trial.