Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-03-26
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THE FAMINE

4 study of the question leads The
thinking to believe that the govern
ment can be held largely responsible
for the terrible famine which is at
present devastating the Russian land.
Let us go back to emancipation of
the serfs in 1861. At that time 3
small portion of land was allotted to
each peasant, barely sufficient for
the sustenance of himself and family,
but no provision was made for the
probably increase of population. As
the years went by and the peasants
increased in numbers, the surplus
thousands of souls drifted to the
towns and cities and formed an i'm
mense proletariat which in time be-
came menace to the empire. Those
left to till the land found themselves
h ndicapped with taxes, imposed
not SO much by the government it
self as by the tchiuo0nsks (officials)
who we're sent into the rural dis
tricts to administer justice and to
collect the taxes imposed by the
greater power. The brutal officials
levied heavily on the slender re-
sources of the peasant, and as re-
suit his humble home was IN time
swept away.
There is always more or less fam
inc throughout the Russian land,
but last year, provinces heretofore
fertile refused to reward the husband
mans labors. To-day no less than
forty millions OF the Cars subjects
are suffering the pangs of hunger,
and the misery is indeseribable.
Thousands of people are dying by
the wsyside, while others are subsist-
ing ON roots and other food unfit for
dogs. Mothers are subjecting their
little ones to exposure to contagious
diseases, believing that form OF death
to be preferable to the slow one OF
starvation. In some of the famine
districts the scenes witnessed are be-
You'd description. Troops OF peas
ants wander from village to village
begging piteously and crying, "Give
US bread! Bread-for Christ's sake. ;
This appeal is always in vain, fol
each peasant family seems to be
in greater distress than its neighbor
The Gar and his ministers at first
turned deaf ear to the peoples
pleadings, but at last they have been
brought to a realization of the true
state of affairs. 1t is estimated. that
it will require three hundred million
dollars to tide over the famine sea
son, while barely one-third of this
amount has as yet been subscribed
In conclusion, on behalf Of the
myriads of the Russian peasantry
who are suffering for the very nee
essaries of life, appeal to the warm
hearted American public for aid ir
this dire extremity,-that some o.
the surplus of this years bouDtifu
harvest may be devoted to their re
lief, as was done in the case of The
famine in Ireland some years since
On behalf also of that great anC
growing army of Liberalists, many
of whose ablest men and womer
have found homes in Siberian mines
and prisons or have suffered an ig
nominious death, / invoke the mora
people of the United States, wht
know what it is to enjoy the bless
ings OF freedom and self-government
The dawn of a brighter era for th'
Russian people is already in sight
for it is believed that the presen
year the spectre of Nihilism will as
sumo, to the Roman of dynasty, {
more formidable aspect than ever be
fore. 1t has been a terrible awak
ening, but the great heart of tn
Russian nation is at last aroused
from that lethargy of despair whicl
has resulted from the many centurie
of oppression which it has endured
Countess Norraikoao, an april LIP
pincott's.