Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-06-07
The Generous Animus OF she Amer
lean People.


lean People.
Looked at from one point of view the
YOUNGSTOWN horror looms up with scarcely
any relieving circumstances. The sacri-
fee of life is almost without any parallel,
the casualties Of war being, of course, ex-
cepted. And yet the death-roll OF many
battles which figure conspicuously IN the
annals OF the world have shown many
fewer deaths than are recorded as aresult
of one effort of the elements, perhaps
complicated by the neglect of the owners
of Conemaugh lake. The fact that this
body of water, originally created for q
public purpose, had been converted into
a fish preserve for lot OF private gentle
men, obscures the matter for moment ;
and in the irritation begotten of an over
mastering calamity, the temptation is to
belittle the force of the elements. Yet,
amongst the first facts telegraphed as to
the disaster, was the statement that the
barriers of Conemaugh Lake had been
regularly inspected by the engineers oil
the Pennsylvania Railway, and had
been repeatedly, and quite re-
Gently, pronounced perfect. We are
inclined to think that the dam was per-
feet, except as to cataclysms Of nature OF
unusual vehemence.
AS we showed in previous article, since
1872 the visitations of Providence, in the
shape of unusual meteorological disturb
ances, have in the East been of an excep-
ional and tremendous character; and, in
the recent unspeakable disaster, it is
only fairly generous to refer the calamity
to what is known, in the phraseology o.
the law, as the "act of God"
Quivering with sympathy in the suf'
ferings of a great section of the people Of
the United States, it is especially agree
able to know that the same Gispensatior
which has dealt out disaster has also
shown how responsive Americans are tc
rightful demands on their generosity
By the kilograms of yesterday it appears
that fully two million five hundred thou
sand dollars had been subscribed for the
relief of the Johnstown sufferers, and il
ought to be borne in mind, in estimating
this great boon extended by the people
at large to their suffering brethren, thai
there could not be, by any possibility
a commercial proposition in it. When
as in the case of the awful visitation o.
Charleston by an earthquake, the cub
scriptions from New York, and Other
commercial centers, poured in with such
unstinted liberality, there might have
be en- a suspicion, upon the part o.
people sardonically Inclined. that the
subscribers desired to retain trade al
ready held, and to extend their hold or
region which would he heavily prQduc'
tive OF trade relations in the future. liz
all probability there was no such leaven
of the practical in the generosity of New
York and other trade centers to Charles
ton, hut there might, with uncharitable
people, have been such an i'm putation.
In the case of the imperial largesses
to the sufferers in YOUNGSTOWN,
there cannot be even suspicion
of interested motives. 1t was a popula
ton composed strictly of hard working
men and women, dependent almost ex
clusively on the iron industry, with coal
mining as an adjunct. Probably couple
OF dozen great operators controlled the
whole district. These people had thei,
stores, at which the operatives dealt
There was not at any stage Of the bust
ness anything to appeal to the sordid
element of human nature.
And yet how noble has been the re-
sponsel From all quarters of the United
States princely sums have been rained
upon Johnstown. Already the subscrip
tions amount to a donation OF 81 900 9
piece to a population of two thousand
five hundred souls, and to 800 a piece
to population Of twenty-five thousand
and doubtless the splendid benifcence il
but begun. 1t is the fashion to speah
about the good old times, but it looks as i
the real era OF generosity hinged upon
that time of "gentler manners, better
laws" celebrated by Tennyson in Locks
ley Hail." and which is doubtless upon
ue. Even from France we have notes o.
most gracious and liberal aid. Certainly
after the spontaneous response to the
call for assistance in Pennsylvania, it
will never again be possible to speak o.
the present as only the utilitarian age
Sweet charity seems to bloom out more
delightfully."-, and with far more royal
sweep, than at any stage of the worlds
hiaforu