Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-07-29
THE RUSSIAN FAMINE,
The Terrible InnictiOn Drawing TO an
End.

yield this year. The reports which are re-
ceived daily here from the famine districts
are very encouraging and though the fam
inc is still raging the backbone of the de-
mon of Russian starvation WILL it is be-
leved, be broken 10y the first of Septem-
Der, when the harvest will have been gath
cred. Great want and much suffering.
however, must continue to exist for the
next year or so in many sections, and a
drought this summer may precipitate a
second famine equally as terrible as the
present one.
Notwithstanding all that has been pub
lished concerning the famine we in the
United States have but little idea of its
terrible extent and the wonderful manner
in which the Russians have handled it.
No country in the world, with perhaps the
exception of the United States, could with
stand such a strain as Russia is now under
going, and there is no nation in the world,
except perhaps one, that would rise to
the emergency and do so much for its peo-
pie as Russia is doing.
The contributions America has made
have been of great good, and they are
most thankfully, and [ might almost say,
tearfully received, but they are only drop
in the bucket to what Russia herself is do
ing. Our and other outside gifts amount,
all told, to perhaps three quarters of mil
lion dollars. The donations of the gov
eminent and the people represent in the
neighborhood of $3.50, 100000, and the
Gar himself has given about Sl0,OO0,OO0
out of his private fund. The government
loans to the famine villages amount to
more than 500, 900, and these loans no
one ever expects that the peasants will re-
pay. 1t is a physical impossibility for
them to do so, and as one of the chief Off
cials of the government said to me recent
ly, the Gar does not expect repayment.
He always gives a present to the people
upon certain occasions, such as the coro-
nation of grand duke, and at the next
such event one of his presents will proba
bly, be the forgiving of this debt.
This 500 100000 was given almost out
right by the government, but in addition
to it numerous schemes have been favored
and authorized by the Car to get money
for the sufferers. and the bulk of the gifts
have come from the people. one of these
schemes was by lottery under the treas
ury department, the prizes of which were
guaranteed by the Imperial bank and the
profits of which went to the famine. Rus
STA has no lotteries as a rule. and such
things are ordinarily against the law. This
lottery brought in about SO. OOO. coo and
all classes patronizpd il. many OF the
wealthy buyinr thousands of tickets. |
know one man here who bought SO. 900
worth of tickets. choosing scattering mum
beers. and he did not get a single prize. He
was twitted ON his bad ucll and replied;
81 don't care have the satisfaction of
knowing that my %. 600 ruhles have zone
to help the famine
St. PETERSBURG is a CITY of many rich peo-
ple. and many rich people and many of the
mobiles here took from $1,000 to 5000
worth of these lottery tickets. but the
great majority were sold 10 the neopIe OF
small means. and the buving of them was.
So to sneak the fad
Consul General Crawford estimates that
the Gifts of nrivate citizens to this famine
have been not less than $50. 600 600 rubles.
or the enormous sum of s175. 600 600.
The Gifts almost surpass comprehension.
and all told. notwithstanding the vast pop-
ulation of Russia they amount includino
those Of the government to ~ for each
man. woman and child in the whole Rms
sian empire. or to S15 rer family. When
YOU remember that of the twenty odd mil
lion families that make ND the Russian peo-
pie not many more than 900 600 of them
probably has ever had SD at one time in
its possession YOU get some idea of the
mighty strain this has been on those who
could give and have given. The nobility
have in all cases led the list. and hun
dreds of wel-educated Girls and women of
the best families of this and other Russian
cities are now in the famine districts fight
ing the demons of starvation. typhus fever
and the smallpox in behalf of the peas
ants. A number of these ladies have
caught The diseases of the peasants. and a
Russian countess who went from ST. Pc
tersburg was among those who took the
SMALLPOX.
Almost all of the great landed proprietors
in the famine districts are doing what they
can to help their people. hear of men