The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-26
It Is a Reality and a Serious
One.
Deaths From Lack of Food Be-
coming Frequent.
WHEAT is "GONE UP"
This Says London Newspapers
Fully Accounts
For the Rise In Prices In Amer
lea.

London, Oct 26-The wheat market
and the prospects of a famine ia india
still attract much attention here and
elsewhere, although some OF the most
influential newspapers do not share In
the feeling of alarm which prevails in
some quarters.
The Bombay Gazette of September 10
said: The prospects are bad as pos
sible, both for grain and cotton. A
leading exporter has informed his Gle
ents in England that the crop of cotton
viii not exceed so or so per cent on an
average.
In southern India the outlook is
more hopeful The supply of fodder 50
ample and if the worst comes there is
no fear Of a recurrence of the horrors
of 1876 owing to the improved railway
communications.
Native astrOlogers basing their the
ories on the traditional observations Of
the heavens, state that if it rains with
in five days a famine viii be ayerted.
but that later rains will not avail"
The ~Englishman Of Calcutta of Sep
tember 10 pointing out that scarcity is
not the same as a famine said;
While a number of deaths have Oc-
CURED in Bundelkhand it cannot be
stated that a famine is actually prevail
ing, as the stocks are not yet exhaust
ed, the difficulty being to compel dea-
lers to sell. But pathetic convoy Of
starving children which the bishop of
Naghpur has brought from Jubbul Pur,
proves that the resources of that dis
trict are perilOusly near exhaustion. For
been selling in the bazaars of Calcutta
at 8 ennas per ser and rice at rupees
5-4 to SIS per maund, rates not dreamed
of since the last famine"
The Lucknow Hindustani said: THE
question now is whether the famine
will last only four months or a year
The autumn crop is sure of almost en-
tire failure. No amount of rain can save
it, and the fate of the spring harvest
depends upon rainfall by October q
The Calcutta Englishman also pub
lished a letter referring to the wheat
shipped from California during which
the writer said: THE import should
not be left to private enterprise,
which stimulated by purely commercial
motives cannot be expected to be inhu-
enced by philanthropy and therefore is
not likely to provide the needy with
cheap wheat Even if the importers are
satisfied with a moderate profit it is
probable that the wheat viii be pur-
chased by a few wealthy natives who
VIII not scruple to keep the price at
famine rates"
The writer of the letter referred to
then proposed that the government
chouId undertake to provide wheat by
buying in the cheapest market after
London, Odessa, America and
Australia and then di, tribute il through
Euopean agents to the needy provin-
The Mark Lane Express today says
that the rise in the price of wheat is
warranted by the situation, adding cit
is not speculative. On the contrary a
speculative bear rise is on foot The
English crop which certainly does not
exceed 1850, 600 quarters is stated to be
], ,000 600 and there are other signs that
outside influence is directed to accomp-
ish a reaction.
Continuing the Mark Lane Express
urges English farmers not to rush to
he wheat market but to send between
low and Christmas the same quantities
IS sent during November and Deecm-
Der, 1895. stating that the American
and Russian farmers are strong hold
srs owing to both crops being smaller
han in 1895