The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-05-23
Help Needed at Once.
. Deplorable Condition on the
Coast.
A Pitifm Appeal from White People
to Governor FWman-1hey are Dis
criminated against By the Red Gross
Society.
Columbia Register. May 10.

so much from the storm of last August,
are still being made. Strange as it may
seem the majority Of those complaints
are from white people. The colored
people appear to have been we'll provided
for. At any rate white people are
suffering in that section from the lack.
of the necessities Of life aud the situa-
ton is made more terrible by the state
meut that there is no way for them to
help themselves.
Grave charges have been made that
the Red Cross Society has Disseminated
in favor Of colored people in its distribu-
ton of charity. These charges have
been whisped for some time but have
been given little publicity because there
was appreciation Of what Miss Barton
and her society were doing. eveu if
there was Partially to colored people.
Governor Tillman has received numer-
Gus letters making bitter complaint
against Miss Barton's management,
but he has not said anything about it.
He has just received an appeal from the
coast section for aid which he. feels
should meet an early response. The
writer of the letter is said to be a man of
standing and ~veracity and HE picture of
affairs can be depended on as correct.
The Governor will be glad to receive
subscriptions from charitably disposed
and will do anything be can to aid in
the relief appealed for. The following
is the letter and does not need to be
read a second time to see that help is
wanted and oeeded quickly:
'.Blufton, s. c., May IL.
"Governor B. R. Tillman, Columbia,
s. G.
"Dear Sir: On or about April Goth
the citizens (white) Of our township,
that is Bluftoo, held a meeting and
resolutions expressing their restitution
aud need were passed. Although not
personally present at the meeting l
understand from the committee that
copies of these resolutions were sent to
you /; also to the New York World,
Charleston News and Courier, The
State, to the Savannah Board of Trade
and Cotton Exchange. As a resident
of this township for years l am, | think,
fully acquainted with the condition of
it's people. The response made to the
cry Of our people for aid has been so
lukewarm that I take the liberty Of writ
ing you. The situation as it exists now
in this community is worse, if possible,
than it was just after the August
cyclone. Your appeal then to people of
our country brought it's reward. That
the white people Of this community did
not receive the help and assistance from
the shousands Of dollars and provisions
sent to our coast is not their fault, but
the fault of those who were charged
With it's proper distribution. It is not
my purpose here to array the officers Of
the Red Cross Society. That has been
done by those who WELD a better pen
than l do. Still the fact is known to
every one here and has been known for
months that the Red Cross authorities
had disgracefully misused their author
ity and that they were more than partial
in the distribution Of the charity. 1
am we'll within the limits when | state
that the white citizens of this community
have not up to date received $500 in
supplies, while thousands have been
issued out to negroes, many Of them 10
nowise needy, for they hold pensions
from the United States government.
And now, sir, the situation as it exists
here to-day is simply this as near as |
can get at it: There are 100 white
families in the township, carrying over
600 souls aud that to-day they are
without meaps-means to feed the
women and children or the farm ami
mails. The farmers of this community
have struggled as few people have ever
been called upon to struggle.
The cyclone destroyed their cotton and
left them with little corn and that
damaged met with rebufs BY the Red
Cross they have bore their suferings as
best they could, using every means
they had trading what little they had
until now it is all gone and starvation
and no farm animals faces them. I'm
less they can get food for themselves
and for their animals the result will be
fearful. Crushed as the farmers we're BY
the cyclope they set to work in good
heart to prepare for the crop Of this
year and the larger portion of it is nov
planted. How they are to work the
crop without feed for animals is what
faces them now as much as feed for
themselves. am we'll aware that with
your many ties you are doubtless har-
raised beyond measure. but. sir. We
must ask your aid. How the help is to
come must be left to your judgment.
but come it must and quickly. l could
cite to you, if necessary, dozens of