The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-15
HELP By GOVERNMENT,

1t has been said that mans extremity Is
Gods opportunity. When humanity gets be-
You'd its depth and feels that it is helplessly
sinking, it is natural among all peoples, civil
lied and uncivilized to cry out to some power
above themselves. The individual in peril
cries to his neighbor for help, and if both be
unable to meet the danger, organized society
is appealed to to come to the rescue. In
these later days of civilization and
catholic charitableness it has come to
be understood that when calamities fall upon
communities they may with confidence turn
to others who have suffered less or who have
escaped altogether. 1t is pleasing thought
that the strong army Of sympathy may be re-
lied on in the hour of extreme need But
while sympathy springs up instantly in the
hearts of men, demand of magnitude such
as now comes from the Ohio valley calls for
sums that are difficult to realize at once. The
machinery of committees must be put in
motion and canvass made even where charity
is ready and anxious to respond. In such an ex-
igency it is a grand thing to have government
of some kind step into the gap and come to the
rescue. The principle is sound. Upon the
government that has the right to lay It's hands
on the property and lives of its citizens de-
wolves the duty of protecting them and com
ing to their help, when overwhelmed by natu
raj calamities of magnitude sufficient to cause
widespread suffering beyond the power of other
relief. 1t is matter of small importance to
the federal government with its tens Of mill
ions of revenue and to the State govern
ments with their accumulated revenues, to
expend a few thousands in help
of those in the grip of misfortunes like the
present deluge sweeping down the Ohio valley
with such destructive force The govern
ment, nor anyone, can undertake to make
good the well-nigh incalculable losses result
ing from the food. But the government and
people can feed the hungry, shelter the home
less and minister to the distressed until such
perature shall permit the victims of this
great disaster to undertake the serious
work of rebuilding their shattered and
scattered fortunes. There is no need of at
tempting to sum up the extent of the ruin
wrought 1t is literally true that thousands of
homes have been swept away, leaving the in
mates with no place in which to take refuge
when the waters shall have receded. 1t is
true too, that tens of thousands of the people
inhabiting the Ohio valley will be obliged to
occupy the meanest shelter for weeks to come,
and this vast army of people must be fed I'M
til they can maintain themselves. In such
emergency it is well to live under govern
ments that can put their hands down
in the treasure they have collected
from the people and give portion of it back
to those whose sudden needs compel help from
other sources than their own ability to help
themselves. No other power could come to
the rescue with such prompttude and effect
iveness. Once determined upon, it is mat
ter of but an hour or two, by aid of telegraph,
to have the needed articles on the way to the
rescue from the nearest source of supplies.
Objections based only on technical constitu-
tional grounds cannot stand before such emer-
gencies as now and then come, and govern
ment in this country is in the
people, and under certain re-
strictions is theirs at command. 1t is quite
safe to say that not one among the hundred
thousand people rendered homeless by this
unprecedented flood will find any cause to re-
fuse the food and clothing and shelter paid for
out of the public treasures, filled with their
and the publics money. For anybody to OBJ
ject to any reasonable help indicates very
inadequate conception of the plans and pur-
poses of government