Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-09
rHE STATE MUST ACT.

HE DISPATCH this morning puDllSnes
sharp letteron the subject of the application
of the funds for the relief of Conemaugh
Valley. We do not agree with several of
the points made by our correspondent; but
the letter has the equal merit of strikingly
setting forth the inability of the State gov
ernment SO far to comprehend its obligations,
and the imperative duty which rests upon
it of at once awakening to the proper official
action.
Briefly, the correspondent insists, and
with entire truth, that the prompt and gen.
erous contributions of the past week are
meant wholly for the use and relief of the
sufferers of the Conemaugh- Valley. The
writer protests with force against the idea
that they are intended as fund for sanitary
operations IN which the whole of Western
Pennsylvania is concerned. 1t is the duty
OF the State itself, the communication holds,
to remove distractions from the course Of
its waterways, to preserve its waters from
carrying contagion; to care for the health
of the people at large.
This is true, and expresses forcibly points
which have already been urged in these
columns. 1t is also clear that the Governor
of Pennsylvania should, long before this,
have seen and acted upon it by calling an
immediate session of the Legislature to ap-
propriate the necessary moneys. But, as it
is apparently the misfortune OF the State
that its executive head has not been able to
apprehend the scope Of his functions and
the pressing needs of the situation. The
DISPATCH holds that the active men In the
field, the citizens who organized to meet the
emergency, are not to be censured, but to be
praised for their promptness and vigor in
discharging an obvious duty, which, If left
undone, would be productive OF horrors
scarcely less than those of the original dis
aster. The debris has to be cleared away,
and the rivers protected, or there will be
pestilence. This was first duty to the sur
Yivors of the Conemaugh as well as duty to
the people of the three States through which
the waters flow. It would not wait on the
dilatory Governor of Pennsylvania, but
manlfestly had to be performed at once.
There was no other course open than the one
SO vigorously taken.
But, while dissenting distinctly from the
too narrow views of the correspondent as to
what has been done, we are sure every one
will see the timeliness of an understanding
that this money which was given for relief
of the survivors shall be surely applied to
that purpose; and that the State shall meet
the cost OF the duties which properly belong
to it. We hope that Governor Beaver has
at last awakened to the situation; that the
Legislature will soon be in session; and that
sufficient money will without delay be ap-
propriated to reimburse the Relief Commit
tee for what moneys it has paid out for work
which the State should have undertaken, as
well as to complete the task Of setting things
completely to rights.
Meanwhile it is we'll to be reasonable with
the relief committees. Their first duty is to
provide ample sustensnce for the sufferers.
They cannot be supposed to be in shape for
an equitable distribution OF funds in seven
days from the disaster. They must see,
first Of all, that no one is left hungry, un-
clothed, or unhoused. They must not leave
the debris and the dead choking the streets
of JOhnstown or spreading pestilence by air
and water. These prime necessities they
are meeting with vigor. The inaction of
the State officials leaves only public contri-
buttons to work with. These contributions
must continue-there is and there will
be urgent need for them until
public spirit drives the Governor to
call the Legislature together and make
When these are made, and
State funds become available, the very FIRST
use OF them should be to refund to the Relief \
Committee for the further use of the suffer-
ing survivors every penny expended until
then by the committee in doing the sanitary
work which the State itself should have
promptly undertaken. For long while
yet, even after the wreck in the Conemaugh
Valley is cleared away. destitution will
reign there, unless the helping hand liberal
ly applied is constantly and intelligently
to the survivors.