The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-10-27
ALMOST FAMINE
Some Information as to the Con.
ditiOn of Affairs in
India.
The Stocks of Wheat Not Ex-
hausted, but Dealers Do
Not Wish to Sell.
Suggestion That lmportations
of Wheat Should Be Made
by the Government.

LONDON, Oct. 27.-The wheat market
and the prospects of a famine in India
still attracts much attention here and
elsewhere, although some of the most in.
fuential newspapers do not share in the
feeling of alarm which prevails in some
quarters.
The Bombay Gazette of Sept. 10 said
The prospects are bad as possible, both
for grain and cotton. A leading ex.
porter has informed his clients in Eng.
land that the crop of cotton will not ex.
ceed 90 or 80 per cent on an average.
In Southern India the outlook is more
hopeful. The supply of fodder is ample,
and If the worst comes there is no fear
OF recurrence of the horrors of 1876,
owing to the improved railway com.
munications Native astrologers, bas.
ing their theories on the traditional OBJ
servations Cf the heavens, state that il
it rains within five days famine will
be averted, but that the later rains will
not avail
The Englishman of Calcutta, of Sept
7, pointing out that scarcity is not the
same as famine, says:
While number of deaths have &C.
Cured in Bundeikhan, it cannot be
stated that a famine is actually prevail.
ing, as the stocks are not yet exhausted
the difficulty being to compel dealers tc
sell. But a pathetic convoy of starving
children, which the bishop of Nagpu,
brought from Nagpur, proves that the
resources of the district are pcrilously
near exhaustion
The Lucknow Hindustani said: THE
question now is whether the famine
will last only four months or year
The autumn crop is sure of almost ell.
tire failure. No amount of rain car
save it, and the fate Of the spring har
vest depends upon rainfall by Oct. T."
The Calcutta Englishman also pub
fishes letter referring to the wheat
shipped from California, during which
the writer said:
THE import should not be left t
private enterprise, which, stimulated
by purely commercial motive, cannot bt
expected to be Influenced by philan
thropy, and therefore is not likely II
provide the needy with cheap wheat
Even if the Importers are satisfied with
moderate profit. it is probable tina,
the wheat will be purchased by few
wealthy natives, who will not scruplt
to keep the prices at famine rates"
The VIZ of the letter referred t.
then proposed that the government
should undertake to provide wheat BY
buying in the cheapest market, after
consulting London, Odessa, Americs
and Australia, and then distribute i
through European agents to the needy
provinces.
The Mark Lane Express SAYS that til,
rise in the price Of wheat is unwarrant
ed by the situation, adding lit is an
other speculative bear raid ON foot. TIL,
English crop, which certainly does no
exceed 1890, 900 quarters, is stated to b.
100000, and there are other signs tina
outsiders are directed to accomplish
reaction"
Continuing, The Mark Lane Express
urges English farmers not to rush t.
the wheat market, but to send, between
now and Christmas, the same qaanti
ties as sent during November and De
cember, 1895, stating that the American
and Russian farmers are strong holders
owing to both crops being smaller thar
in 1895.
The Mark Lane Express also says
Argentine is prevented by heavy fal
in the gold premium from selling q
1895 prices, even if she wished to do 30
and India and Australia do not posses
the corn to sell. only two farmers hav
ing more wheat in 1895, the English
men and Frenchmen. The latter Cal
place all his wheat in France at fai
price and the Englishman cannot feet
his countrymen for six months; but i
he presses the wheat market whel
wheat is scare. 1t will keep prices down
California wheat will be arriving freel,
in February and Argentine wheat il
March and April"
The Marx Lane Express further ex
presses the belief that the advance i,
the price Of wheat is due entirely to tn,
lhortage in America and Russia.
In conclusion, The Mark Lane Ex
press says:
1.-THE situation generally is healthy