The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-04-08
sCOURGE.sTRICKEN INDIA,
A Dark Picture Of the Conditions That
Prevail in Densely Populated Por.
tiOn Of the Globe.

ical missionary in India, is Of special
interest because of the insight it gives
into the deplorable condition that pre-.
walls in that country through famine and
pestilence:
ALLAHABAD, India, February, 8, '97.
Although we have had the famine
and the plague with us for several
months, have hesitated to write home
reports of it or its progress until the gov.
ernment Of India should look upon these
calamities as we'll established facts and
take some part in the work of relieving
suffering. The Viceroy and his Council
we're disposed from the first to take too
conservative view of the famished con.
dition of the people, and neglected for
some time to lay the true condition of
the country before the home govern
ment, until forced to do 30 by the press
and public opinion. This delay has
been the cause of much suffering and
many deaths, and the Viceroy and his
Lieutenant Governors have been much
censured.
During the Christmas season of '95
when what we call the winter rains were
expected, when the zimandars, or farm.
ers, SOW their winter crops, no rain ap.
peared, and when our usual rainy sea.
son of July and August turned out to be
such failure, and the ground was crack.
ed and dry, it was known then that there
would be no crops. That was the time
when relief should have been started.
The price OF food stuffs Immediately
went up. The rice, grain, and corn,
which form the greater part of the ma.
tion's food, fell in few weeks from
eighteen and twenty seers for the rupee
to eight and nine seers for the rupee,
and in some places was even less. Early
in November my servants came to me
and begged for an increase in salary, as,
owing to the high price of grain, they
were no longer able to live on the pres
ent salary. The highest priced servant
in my employ is my cook, who receives
Rs 9, or about So so q month, which
feeds and clothes himself and wife, and
a brother, his wife and three children.
The poorest paid is the sweeper, who
gets Rs 4, or little over dollar, which
feeds and clothes himself, daughter,
and son. One can imagine how these
people live from "hand to mouth" and
one does not wonder that one has q
heartache often when she can count the
ribs on the bodies of most of her SER
wants. Yet am giving as much, if moi
more, than most people in the same pos
ition and circumstances.
The trouble began with the banniahl
or merchants. They were shrewd enough
to foresee what would happen, and they
went about from place to place buying
up grain by the car loads and storing il
until the price should rise. Prices wen
up so quickly the whole country wa
stunned. Grain was to be obtained only
from the banniahs and at their owl
prices. In some places the natives be
came so aroused that they united as I
body, broke open these grain shops ant
stole all they could. One could scarcel.
blame the poor, starving soul! Every
!. body wondered why the governmen
was not acting. The Vicroy scenes
asleep. He was going about from plac
to place holding magnificent reception
here and there, costing thousands Q
t rupees, all of which came from tn
peoples pockets. Finally he did wax
= up, and found the country in dreadful
condition. Committees in India wer
formed; home aid was asked the Lieu
!. tenant Governors went about peerin
here and there discovering what most G
us had seen or foreseen months before
relief works were started; poorhouse
established, but many soul had gon
to his last account long before.
: And what is the condition of thing
today? Beggars by the hundred.thor
sands! Deaths each week by the thor
o sands Children sold by their parent
for few annas to satisfy the craving
!. of hunger for few hours. Childre
mOrQorou ny tueii Poioh'o poSouoo VI
!. latter could not bear to hear their erie
d for food and see their sufferings. Lal
:, week a woman brought me her littl
daughter and sold her for about te
cents, because she could not feed th
child and because she herself was star
ing, Dozens of missionaries have star
ed temporary orphanges for the chi
dren brought or sold, and these orphan
ages are maintained at the missionary
!" own expense. Scarcely one OF us who
= not supporting several of these litt
bundles of skin and bones. Murde
and suicides are so common as to pa
= notice. Thieving naturally is on tt
: increase and vices of all sorts fiouris
3 | MI . L.,,t c,rouo o;ok and the hrQin prOy