Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-02
4 LRrrER FRoN REY. Dr.. Drown.
One HuBdrcd Thousand Bushels Of Seed
wheat asked Tor the Drought Sufferers.

noomt 80 broadway, New 1orE Cly ,
To the Editor OF the Gazette. Al
lam told the papers in Texas are
charging me- with exAggeration when pre-.
senting the claims Of the poor farmers Of
Northwest Texas. Well, shall be glad
to learn authoritA;iveiy that am. II VIII
afford. me great pleasure 70 know that
thero 10 TO suffering or deetitution 70
speak Of Ia that region. / was under the
impression from what saw and heard
that there was suffering and distress Of 8
very severe character. When asked a. q
minister's meeting in Chicago how many
required Aid, | said that perhsps a hun
bred thousand families throughout the
North and Northwest would require sid,
more or less, before next summer. / did
not say they were all in present distress
Perhaps We had better not be too rash In
either denying OF affirming this number.
We will see what we will See. II you re-
port what say here and elsewhere, as
published 10 the papers, you will probs-
bly, mlsrepr, sent me. II is rarely that
am quoted lust right. The main facts,
however, are generally correct. / am
sorry that was forced 70 defend myself
and the cause represented as soon as /
struck Chicago. There found cattle
men throwing cold wat. on the efforts
made 20 relieve the distressed tlllers OF
the soil. they did not deny but that
tee was suffering among them, but they
claimed, II properly reported, and be-
lieve they were, that they ought TO be left
alone 10 starye that they we're too lazy
and trining 10 live. and that the sooner
they died the better for all concerned.
Now, this talk did mischief, and com
rgatfaA ma IN - \
generally followed when pleading for the
needy, drought-strioken farmers. / was
ever glsd 20 announce that sill cattlemen
we're not alike, and that the committee OF
relief Of Albany, which paid my expenses,
WAS composed almost altogether Of cattle.
men. Bat | did not spare the inhnmAn
crew, If they are rich, who were apparent
~ 80 lost 10 the nooler instincts of the
soul, 80 10 advocate the starvation OF
thousands Of poor people who toiled hard
last fall and this spring to no purpose
Then, again, | was compelled TO explain
about the conflicting reports from Texas
- 70 the severity Of the drought. Pa
pers were sent up and placed in the
hands Of business men, giving the lie to
ali reports about the drought and the
suffering OF the destitute. Is IL not a
pity that men, for the sake of inducing
others TO 20 TO the state, will publish
what they know, or ought to know at
least, 10 not truey Better z thousand
times 10 let II be known abroad when
iamiAe or distress Of any sort visits PEG.
pie than 10 try 10 hide IL. II was anus
ing 10 see how some papers-county pa.
pers--tried to make believe that oil was
lovely In their county last summer, while
~ their door people were not half fed.
When there was hunger aud misery re.
ported, II WAS never In their county, but
In some other. The managers, or editors,
OF those papers, too, thought, or pretend
ed TO think, that they were working for
the interest OF their county.
IL Is no dlsgrace TO any place TO appeal
for outside aid In the time of need. and
the American people are the most gener-
GUS people In the world In presence OF
real trouble. II Is not creditable, there.
lore, 10 the state of Texas that the want
and hunger OF manV Of her toiling citizens
was not made known sooner. Every
Gay people say TO me, "Whatl a drought
OF fifteen months, and the country did
not know itf" found only very few nil
the way from Chicago TO this CITY, that
knew anything OF our trouble. They
were amazed that they were
not asked to give long ere
now. Look how Charleston asks. and
how she receivesi Nearly sl00, 900 have
gone TO her from this city alone. Look
at Kansas, for three consecutive years
AIDED by the generous East TO replant her
barren Fields; just come up and see Kans.
as to-day. The North aud Northeast are
perfectly a0le, and perfectly willing, too,
10 replant every barren field In the
drought district OF Texas. Everywhere | (
go there Is the kindllest feeling and sym.
pathy expressed for In SO who tried. lint
reaped no crop this season, and IL | can
Dut get the matter properly before them |
know that they will give ali that Is asked |
The earthquake, however. and |
the selfish interests at WORK
opposing me, make my mission |
anything but pleasant, though undertaken
with the best of motives. Ii is hard work |
70 ask money for q cause that Is either ne. |
Tie known or known in such way thst |
you are compelled to explain great
mary why's and whereiors. However. |
am here In the interests If the impoyer-
lshed farmers Of Northwest Texas, and | |
shall do my best for them. Up til now
money collected was sent TO the relief
committee OF Albany, Shackelford
county, for the purpose of purchasing /
sSNu "neat iuI tuht county, and few of |
nose auloining. have taken the advice
oi my friends here, and, therefore, labor
70 dement, Gil who are needy, as far a.
possible, throughout the whole drought
region. All money sent In is received
by the secretaries Of our Home Mission
BOARD, and will be held by them for future
disposal, Other parties, too, who are in
puolie life, viii open subscription lists;
and when all Ia done that can be done
tnen there Will be Just distribution
among me various counties who ask for
reneI. Ia the meantime let the various
committees arrange for united action
sm calling for 100, 600 bushels Of wheat
- that too much, or too little? Let ali
VINO need help 10 sow their fields this fan
And next sprlng make application 70 their
respective relief committees, and let said
committees correspond with me at the
AooFe auuress- JoHN Brown.