New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-02
ABOUT TIE RUSSIAN FAMINE.
A REPORT FROM MINISTER SMITH.
CONDITION OF TIE rAM1xEsrRIcKES DISTRICTS

Washington, Feb LIN response to many sym
pathetic inquiries and prOfcrs OF MD received from
friends in the United States, the Department Of state
has received from Minister smith. ut st. Petersburg
Interesting report Of the actual condition Of the
stricken districts of Russia prepared from evidence
OF eyewitness and from other trustworthy sourccs.
The report is In substance a. follows
The territory afflicted by the GrJuth comprises
! thirteen provinces of European Russia. where the
famine is general In five ether provinces ;hc famine
prevails in part. one or two others have suffered T.
some extent. but are not included IN official reports
The first thirteen provinces in are oncthiri ec
than all Germany. They area equal to
states of Maine New Hampshire. Vermont. Ma>slcl,
sets Rhode Island. Connecticut, New York. New Jersey
Pennsylvania Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West VII
gina, North Carolina, south Carolina Georgia ana
Kentucky all together. The population is about
equal l. ,OOO, 900 The five provinces In which the
famine prevails in part, if included in the comparison
would equal the combined area OF Indiana, Iowa.
Michigan Wisconsin. Minnesota Illinois. North ana
south Dakota. Nebraska. Kansas and half Of Ohio
The total population in these last five provinces Is
nearly double that OF the eleven States
For three years the crops have fallen short Of the
average and the deficiency Of the last season leit
the storchouses well nigh empty. Tie peasants make no
savings generally. but live wholly dependent upon
yearly crops. hence long continued and widespread
dIouth leaves them subject 10 outside relief.
The scarcity Of provisions is not the only misery
of this people The crops the foundation Of Their
whole economic structure. When thcir crops iMi
various evils follow. The Government loses fevcnnc
and the peasants lack all the nccesSaries 81 lfr
Cold as well hunger causes terrible sIncilhS ha'
have been torn down and the boards used for irewo'i
Even thachcd roofs torn oil and the straw Is MADE
Z, feed the diving cmbcIS. Clothing is given away
for bread horses and cattle are sacrificed at uihc
Of their value fodder is scarce as human food
During the winter there is no work. ana iTrqueh"y
fathers have left their wives and children because tcS
could do nothing and their absence would leave fewer
mouths u feed at home. The bread which many are
eating IS composed Of wild aTOck, potatoes, chai ana
leaves and these terrible conditions neVaby piVluco
disease Within the radius of ono mile there are l-o
cases OF typhus fever. Pestilcncc and hunger are
daily gaining ground.
Through January February and March The roads
will be good and all energies should be directed -
pourinc provisions into the suffering provinces. INC
rivers are frozen TWO three railroads run mo
the famine stricken region, but there are no brahch
If these railroads, and all provisions must be chicu
for long distances sicdGcs. The problem j. no"
70 carry enough during the next three months, not
only for immediate u,a, but also O tide over the period
until the next harvest shall be realized which should
be- in July. In the middle Of March, or by th" hfst
Of Aplil tho winter will break up, AID The roads WI"
become heavy or difficult The horses now available
for transportation Will be needed for spring iarmnr
This vast region is agricultural, AID ia the richest
ud,
dcsttuton is not universal. there are those wh'-i
accommodations have saved them from want and thcic
are some spot, preserved from blight by irrigation. but
at the best estimate the proportion Of suffering Is
enormou. An official estimate of the number OF
persons without food mean, OF support VINO require
aid i, given a. l4.Ooo,ooo and this i, probably below
the tue total.
Time i an important factor in the work Of relief
One hundred and eighty million pounds OF fooh are
ssary. Fifty carloads should arrive every DAY III
these stricken provinces, but only eleven carloads
day were received In Christmas week Inc IhpeIlai
Government ha,, up T. the pre- sent tImc appropriate"
50 900 900 rouble, (s42 100000 from the pubic
treasury for the work OF relief But the work must
.tlll 20 on and the expenditure must amount to
much higher sum. The Russian Emperor has personally
given an enormous sum- and all ciaa'e' are e'lhS
according TO their The los, 10 the government
revenue will be at least 2OOoo0.o0O roubles about
500 O0G COO. while conservative estimate OF the
Io,s 10 Russia places ii less than 1.OOOOooooo
r,ubles $500 0CO OOO Up 10 the present there iavs
becn few contributions from abroad, but the "'NcTN
mcnt and the people Of Russia are deeply sensible "i
the spontaneous offers that have been made in various
parts Of the United states.
London. Feb IA correspondent travelling In
pu.sa ha, written description Of the situation III me
Govelnmcn, of Tambov, enc Of the smallest oi the
faminc stricken districts. Tailbov has an area Of
about 20 900 square miles and population Of nearly
- 900 COO is resource, entirely agricultural
That distress 1aS not been more Hculc J. H'i"'
attributable to the prompt and energetic action OF the
2costvo which not only TO It that the fields "cFo
.oyyn in due season, but made arrangements Tor
mc,aI distribution Of relief. Already 70OO0Oo ouoe'
have Lccn appended I'm provisioning The province.
Cautinnng the correspondent say: Il lav" just
returned from a short visit to Icm,I Natch''lnIn'
resident about forty mil IS from the CITY Of fambov
The villages through. which u, passed wo:c an ap-
,or.nce of ,omi ut ana CLEANLINESS auch rs certainly
dd mot claractcriz, those in In, provinces
If No,puczh. Ria1an and Iula The pca>'ntS H''
,rora fine ,rapping fellows; the women plamp, rosy
checked and cayly dressed
4rhc nemsh Natchalnk, 10 whom had "A letter
of Introduction, haG been jn,tc; Of the peace
From, AN economic point of view, according TO III
,,l.r belief the emancipation of the scrfs la' bc'n
,bc cur.c Of tn country. Nothing has coItrDu'cd
uorc 10 the impoveri,h i,hmeht OF '"'
country than The unscientihc use VINE"
has bccn made Of the railway }''e"'
4, r,c,,tu.ist Of authority told me that he h"d ''h
Win hs own eyes how the south EG'sian pea Hn'Iy
lc loon GRADUALLY sniing under TIE influence oi Inc
alvey Unable 70 compete with the large farmer
,o came down from The north and exploited 'h'
I.ud on Il la?ge scale, the native peasant was o""
uod 40 sell his and ms surplus IInd. ihl W."
-, has only miserable little horses. too weak ior l'c
r,oncon rlougi 80 be is obliged to content hiHs'f
',,n . evs.,m of cultivation whic! amounts to It'ic
,, cro,cIIng the surface OF the earth.
,rto yonsld Natchalnik discussed the situation wit1
ma in the frankcst possible manner You see nc ''c'
i ~ " Il, rlcuIt 10 know how To help these peas
lit cTirs%Gy ne c be- no doubt that they really in great
ntn 'chc harv.,t ha, been 20 per cent OF the aver
Wr" II follows therefore. that the hrtlc,S pca'Hno
asf f. want ~ But there numerous peasants who are
o in want For insuncs' thc ctne' day - On te In him.
me- fell ON hIs knee. aJu etroiicd me 10 hop "a his
ne ne % h" had not tasted food for three day ara is
children were sarvGg when his cas- cane ored 20 IL r, w
vnstcated IT was discovered that he had Dnr'ou 'N
store, Of -four under his hui. ,, ,, c,,,dc .lc
Let us 60 to the village priest said ny ynegumpiyc,
looking Young man. n restless canniaf Mn esS1 sSaed
aonresy. TScy are selfidulgent. vain ana iO0'''''