Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-06-14

is temporarily sojourning in that city,
from whom it learns that the charity
of the people has been greatly abused
by the benefciaries OF their bounty.
"The State Of Nebraska -has-lad a
peculiar experience" said Mr.. James.
"Her crop in the central and western
part of the State was almost q total
failure, but in response to her appeal
for aid she has been flooded with dona-
tions from all over the nation. Every
thing imaginable has been received,
from sack of potatoes to 800 checks.
It is wonderful the quantity of goods
and provisions which has been sent
there, and most OF it was unneeded
Where one cent was needed $500 has
been given.
"The State, I believe, is and has
been abundantly able to take care OF
her own poor. The State to-day is in
a prosperous condition taking it all
through. Nebraska appropriated
5000 600 for relief purposes and has
spent a couple OF hundred thousand
more. Much OF it was used in hand.
ling the donations which were con.
tributed.
"It, however, is true that the feed
has gone. There was no grain with
which to feed the hogs and the result
was the farmers shipped all their hogs
out of the State. This is where the
greatest damage was done, for Ne
braska depends on her hogs and it
will require two seasons for the State
to become we'll stocked again. Cattle
have been turned out and have done
nicely through all the drouth.
"The farmers in the destitute dis
tricts have not suffered for physical
wants as has been maintained. 1t was
reported that the children were dying
of starvation and freezing with cold.
That is all bosh. I remember one in
stance that was reported throughout
the east and aired in the papers OF .
woman and children suffering with
cold and hunger. 1t was said she was
starving because of the general disas-
ter and that her children were frozen.
1t was investigated and the facts were
found to be these: A farmer received
Q legacy of 81, 500 and went to town
to purchase some things needed to
make the home little more comfort
able. The wife and children waited
for his return; their food ran short and
one night they ran out of coal and one
child had . toe frozen. In the mean
time the farmer had been on q big
spree which lasted until he had spent
or squandered or had been robbed Of
all the N oney he had.
"There was but very little suffering
from the cold, for last winter WAS very
mild. l have seen more suffering in
Spokane because of the hard times
than ever saw in Nebraska in the
last season. In fact, the people have
been living on tho fat OF the land.
"For awhile the railroads carried
provisions and food and relief COM
mitteemen all over the State and in
fact all over the Union free of charge.
There were Car loads of provisions and
goods shipped free of charge all the
way from Maine, Texas, California
and Washington ssnt supplies. The
State was covered with trainloads OF
everything that could be used. At
one time the head Of the relief depart
ment in Lincoln had two hundred and
eighty.four cars on the track which bis
army of men had not been able to un-
load, go fast and in such quantities
did they come. The goods that were
sent were of the best kind, sent direct
from the merchants with the tags
still on-not second hand clothing and
such things. As Q result I've seen
men there wearing good gloves that
hadn't had . pair before for years.
Everybody was we'll dressed. There
we're men who had thirty-five and
forty head of cattle apiece receiving
donations.
"Such happy people I never saw.
The towns were filled with the gayest
young folks who ever grew up in the
State. With them it has been a con-
tinuous round Of pleasure. In the
country there was nothing to do and
every evening the school houses were
filled with debating societies, lycsum
clubs, Populist gatherings and dancing
young people. Such happiness l
never saw. They had nothing TO do
and everything they wanted.
al read in the Chronicle q letter
from some man who said their part
of the State had been neglected. /
wrote to friends there and found it
! was all nonsense. They had all they
needed. In many places the supplies
came so rapidly and in such quaint.
ties that they could scarcely be used.
In Livingston, where live, one day a
man drove up to my house and COM
menced unloading several sacks OF fine
seed potatoes. I asked him what he
meant. He said they were sent by
the relief committee. I told him to
take them back, that had no need ol
them, but he would not do it and left
them saying they did not know what
to do with them. Those potatoes
worried me terribly, for it was . Ions
time before 1 could fnd anyone who
ould take and plant them. And ye
of course potatoes and seed corn wer'