The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-01-13
ToLSToI,s SAD STORY


or tho State Of Affairs In Russin's Famine
Districts.
LONDON, Jan. PA long article by
Count Tolstoi, on tho subject Of the
famine in Russia, appeared in this
mornings Daily Telegraph.
In this article tho Count says that tho
reproaches against tho Russian Gov
crumcnt and its official representatives
are exaggerated and the charges OF
apathy in many cases unfounded.
"All," he says, " are doing their best to
stavo of the impending calamity. 1t
results arc meagre, IL is less
from lack OF good will than from
the condition OF tho relations
subslsting between the succorors and
the succorcd. The initial mistake was
made in not supplying peasants sulli-
cicnt seed corn and fuel. Tho permis-
sion to take fuel from tho royal forests
was practically useless because tho pco-
pie have no means for the conveyance
OF wood over long distances. Then tho
friction between the government, which
il doubtful whether tho famine is as
acute and extensive rs represented,
and the provincial assemblies, which
in their anxiety ovcrrate the extent OF
the prevailing destitution, further in
creases tho difficulties and delays.
While both are wrangling the peasants
are starving"
Count Toistoi then proceeds to pic
ture the destitute condition OF his own
district. He admits that much drunk
enness prevails, and also that in many
cases well.to-do and thrifty people eGt
the bread intended for the famine suffer-
ers. Yet in the krapivyinsk, Begoro-
ditsk, Ephremoff and Epiphansk dis
tricts from 80 to 90 per cent Of the peo-
Pile will have nothing to cat in week
or two. They already consuming bread
SO bad that it acts like violent emetic
when taken into the stomach, and the
beverages which these unfortunates
drink make them crazy.
Count Tolstoi also gave heart-rcnd-
ing pictures Of wives, with their little
children ill clad, starving, cold and
i'll, anXiously waiting fortho return OF
their husbands, who have gone to seek
aid for their furnishing families. He
declares thai this state OF things, in
n Somewhat less degree, has already ex-
listed in certain districts and is part and
parcel OF the national existence. The
cause, Count Tolstoi says, is assuredly
not the failure OF the crops.
Advices received here from St. Peters
burg show that though the car may de-
clare that there is no famine in his do
minions, and though he may believe
the futierings among the peasants is due
entirely to slight shortage in the crops
which the government can easily rec
tify, it will be found that in making
such rectifcation the treasury OF the
empire will be subjected to q very heavy
drain.
Already the sum of 65,000,00O roubles
has been appropriated b. the imperial
treasury for the purpose OF providing
the absolute necessarie5 OF life to be dis
tributed among the suffering poor.
All OF this money has been ex-
pended, in addition to the large sums
spent through the Central Famine
Commission and through private in
dividuals, and yet the wants OF the dis
tressed peasants have been supplied to
only limited number.
The imperial treasury has now as
signed further sum OF 6, 900, 900 roubles
which will be devoted to relief work.
There is hardly any doubt that further
and larger sums will be necessary to
tide peop,e over the long winter season,
and judging from reports that are con-
tinually being received, the govern
ment will be compelled TO support the
inhabitants OF tn, iamine stricken pro-
vinces through the summer as well.