The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-03-25
Highest of all in Leavening PowerLaest u Govt Report
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ABSOLUTELY PURE
The Russian Famine.

pttScS t1ltteen PROVINCES Ot European
Russia, where the famine is general
In five other provinces the famine
prevails in part, one or two others
have suffered to some extent. but are
not included in official reports.
AREA AND POPULATION COMPARED.
The first thirteen provinces in area
are one. third greater than all Ger
many. They cover an area equal to
the States Of Maire, New Hampshire,
Vermont, Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mary
land, Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky all
together. The population is about
equal, or $4,000, 900. The five pro-
vinces above-named, il included in
the comparison would equal com
bined area of Indiana, Iowa, Mich
gan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois,
North and South Dakota, Nebraska,
Kansas and half of Ohio. The total
population of these last five provinces
is nearly double that Of the eleven
states.
CHARACTER OF Soil AND PEoPLE.-
This vast area is agricultural, and the
richest and ordinarily the most fruitful
part of Russia. The destitution is
not universal, as there are those
whose accumulations have saved them
from want, and there are some
spots preserved from blight by irri-
cation, where good harvest was
reaped, but at the best estimate the
proportion of suffering is enormous.
An official estimate of the number of
those without food or means of sup
port who require aid is given as ID,
900, 900 persons, and this is probably
below the true number.
For three years the crops have
fallen short of the average and the
deficiency of the past season left the
storehouses well-nigh empty, and with
the increased failure Of this year it is
evident, and, Minister Smith adds,
positive, that unless adequate reliet
can be supplied, the great present
destitution and suffering will grow
worse as the season continues. The
greater portion of the peasantry is not
improvident. The peasants make on
savings generally, but live wholly de-
pendent upon yearly crops, hence the
long continued and widespread
drought leaves them subject to out
side relief
! The RAvAGES OF DRoUTH.-The
scarcity of provisions is not the only
misery of this people. The crops are
the foundation of their whole econo-
mic structure. When their crops fail,
various evils follow. The Govern
mcnt loses revenue and the peasants
| lack all the necessaries of life, fire
wood, farming implements, subsis-
tence of horses and cattle, all depend
upon this one resource the crops.
Taxes and rental continue, and it is as
difficult to get fuel as food in some
sections.
Cold as well as hunger causes terrible
suffering. In some nei eighborhood
large numbtrs of persons huddle to
gether in some houses most conducive
to warmth. Barns have been torn
down and the boards used for fire
wood. Even thatched roofs are torn
off and the straw made to feed the
dying embers; clothing is given away
for bread; horses and cattle are sacri-
| feed at a tithe of their value; fodder
| is as scarce as human food; and in
some cases horse flesh has been sac
rficed for sustenance. During the
winter there is no work, and frequently
fathers have left their wives and child
rem to fight the battle of want alone
because they could do nothing anc
their absence would leave fewel
/ mouths to feed at home. The breac
which many are eating is composed o
wild arrock, potatoes, chaff and leaves
and these terrible conditions newt
ably produce disease. Within the
radius of one mile there are Iao case!
of typhus fever. Pestilence and hun
ger are daily gaining ground and deci
mating the people.
d How TO RENDER AID.-Througf
January, February and March the
roads are good, and all energies should
be directed to pouring provisions into
the suffering provinces. The river'
are frozen. Two or three railroads
run into the famine stricken region
but there are no branches of these
railroads, and all provisions must be
: carried for long distances on slelghs
The problem is, how to carry enough
during the nert three months, not
only for immediate use, but also to
= tide over the period until the next
harvest shall be realized, which should
be in July. In the middle of March,
or first of April, the winter will break
up, the roads will become heavy or
difficult. The horses now available
for transportation will be needed for
spring farming.
OopoprIrNvry EOp OIIcY ACTION--