The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-07-10
THE FAMINE in INDIA.


A returned missionary from India
visited Minneapolis the other day and
made a pathetic appeal in behalf of the
starving and plague-stricken subjects of
Queen Victoria in India. In an address
last Sunday at Plymouth church he de-
clAred that up to the present some three
and half million Of human beings have
died from starvation and the plague
in the Queens oriental possessions, and
that the terrible visitation was likely
to continue for eighteen months longer.
He touched the hearts of the sympa-
thetic Christians who listened to him,
and they at once responded to the cry
OF distress from the far-off East by talk
ing up subscription and perfecting an
organization to alleviate the sutferings
Of the afflicted people of India. The
Americans can always be depended on
to help the distressed of every cline,
be they heather or Christian.
The missionary, whose name Is Rev.
Earnest Bell, told the Indian sympa-
thizers in this city that the terrible Attic
ton which has befallen the natives of
India was probably due to the fact that
the wrath of God has fallen upon them
because of their worship of idols, ami
mails and devils. The government of
India, he said, was providing for 4,OOO,-
600 out of the 8O,OO0OOO affected by
pestience and famine, leaving the rest
to die OF take care of themselves as
best they might; and yet he had not
one word to say against the govern
ment which rules those unhappy peo-
pie. About 100000 have already died
land their bones are to be found every
where, on the highway and in the
fields" said the missionary.
We do not agree with Rev. Bell that
the wrath Of God has fallen on the
Hindoos because of their idolatry: and
granting that it has, the British govern
ment alone is responsible for Gods VEN
geance. The missionary must be aware
that English manufacturers are indus
trfously engaged in making idols to be
sold for pounds, shillings and pence,
or their equivalent in rupees, to the be-
ntghted people of the Orient British
missionaries and wooden and clay idols
leave British ports together on the same
boats to civilize aud Christianize the
heather Hindoos. The idols are sold
to them for cash and then the mis-
sionaries try to prevent them from wor-
Shipping what they have bought with
their money. The wrath Of God Is
more likely to fall upon England for
its double dealing than upon the Hin
docs, and we have no hesitation in
saying that British disagreement and
that alone is solely responsible for all
the plaques and famines that have ush-
cred millions Of the queens subjects
In India into untimaly graves No Won
der there is an impending revolt in
India, and that tho native press o.
that country is squirting the people into
an insurrection. Better for them die
fighting like men than t. famlsh ara
starve like dogs on the highways and
in the fields.
The Peoria Journal In a recent Issue
gives moro satisfactory reasons for the
famine in India than this returned mis-
sionary does. Our wide~awake contem-
poray says that in relation to England's
governmental policy. to cheat. rob, beg
gar and improvish the Hindoos the
charge can be proved a hundred times
over out of the official records of the
British government itself, and then it
says:
In 1873 the Anglo-Indian authorities
proceeded cautiously to tamper with
the currency OF India with a view to
increasing the tribute paid by that fruit
full land into the golfers of tho inl-
peralist exchequcr. The minis OF India
wcr" closed to the coinage of silver on
private account for that purpose. A
committee, OF which Lord Herschcil,
now one OF the Venezuelan arbiters,
experts versed in Indian affairs with a
v!sw to determining how far it would
bo safe to so in cheating the natives
b. manipulating the gold value OK
the silver rupee. One Of the witnesses
examined was Henry w. Bliss, first
member OF the Board OF Reviews of
Madras, as!! al expert CT the subject
OF ln''.a taxation. MI Bliss was put
upon tho stand tn tell whether. in his
Judgment, 1t would 10 safer 10 increase
the direct taxes %: raise the gold value
OF the silver r,:Dee. The qustions were
pat y" SIR THOMAS Farrar. Mr.. Dertram
Carrie and Sir Reginald Wolby. the lat
ter hoiag chairman OF the existing
Royal Cnn,.l!sslnn oi, Indian a:airs"
The Journal quotes tho questions ana
aIsweTs at considerable length from tho