The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-27
INDIAN FAMINE RELIEF FUND.

Seattle, March 2s. 1897.
To the Editor: With reference 10 Mr..
Ktbbes letter in today's issue. inclose an
article from the London Times. showing
how necessary IL Is for state aid TO be sup
plemented by private charity. II would be
well IL you could print IL in full.
do not think Mr.. Kibbe is warranted IN
assuming that to the extent that relief is
sent TO India home charities suffer: and
even IL they do TO q certain extent, IL must
be admitted that nothing like the same
condition of affairs exists in this country
as in India. Moreover. those who support
home CHARITIES are usually they who. at a
special time OF need. extend their contri-
buttons to meet that need without dimin-
ishing them In other directions. Yours
truly, E. SHORROCk.
The question is frequently asked as TO
the precise part which private charity viii
play In the Indian famine. Il is a reason
able question. On the one hand, pariIa-
ment Is assured that the government has
taken the needful steps to prevent deaths
from starvation: as a matter of fact, the
Indian government is distributing every
morning al Its relief works q larger sum
than the whole state expenditure through
out the long and terrible famine OF 1870
On the other hand. the British public are
appealed TO for subscriptions on vast
u
zation. by city or county authorities and
religious bodies, seldom seen in England.
II Is hoped that the response viii exceed
half a million sterling. What exactly is TO
be done with these subscriptions? How
far will they merely tend 10 relieve the In
dian government OF responsibility which
Ii has accepted In express terms? How
far win they have a distinct field OF USE
fulness outside the scope OF state aid, and
Independently Of 1t?
IL Is to take the place OF the native
charity which has been thus depleted, and
to tide over a period OF intense suffering.
that the charity OF Great Britain Is invok-
ed. Our poor laws In England would be
cruelty inadquate IL they were not sup
plemented by private relief. charity organ
izations, friendly societies, and benevolent
institutions OF many kinds. But India in
ordinary circumstances depends entirely
for the relief Of the destitute. on private
aid and caste Institutions. The whole ap-
paratus of the normal system OF relief has
been thrown out OF gear. in the severely
afflicted tracts II has broken down, under
the strain OF famine. No suddenly organ
ICED system OF state aid. however wisely
ordered, can altogether take Its place For
the people are unaccustomsd to state aid,
the beet OF them are reluctan. to seek II.
and numbers prefer TO perish rather than
necessary to prevent the waste OF public
money. British charity VIII supplement
state aid ar each OF the critical stages or
starvation. disease and desertion caused
by famine. 1t viii enable the committees
and subcommittee Of Jealous private
workers, now distributed over the stricken
tracts. I'd bring relief TO thousands who are
struggling TO hold on 10 the next harvest
without state aid, but who. unless helped.
will pay a heavy tribute 10 death before
the harvest comes. II will give new
chance to thousands suffering from the
diseases incidental 20 famine, who would
rather die than go to pubic
hospital and whose recovery Is
often not so much question or
medical treatment as Of food. II Will as
sist thousands of widows and orphans left
destitute by the dea.h OF thar bread-win-
uers or unable 20 accompany husband
or a father In his quest for relief. II VIII
enable thousands OF families who Rave
eaten their seed grain 10 SOW their fields
when the rains come.-London Times.