The sun., 1897-02-07
BETTER LET THEM PERISH I?
midas DING MILLIONS TUE vIc-
TINS or NATURE.

r.mirc-N New Theory About Great Epi-
armie. -I'roG Dewar's New Discoveries.
toypoS Jan. Colt was inevitable. perhaps,
that the double scourge which has turned all
ayes Of pity toward India should also have re-
yiyed public discussion OF that pitiless topic.
"the survival OF tho httest." II is . cold and
i.ntless phosopby-bnt no moro so than nature
herself which is questioning the ultimate wis
dom Of serious interference with the natural
,alnmtics which are devastating the most
uorulous sections OF the British Empire.
Ihe debate which has begun In the English
press has been suggested by such obvious
uurtics as these: What part do these great epi-
denies and periodical famines play In tho
economy Of naiure2 Are they, after all, the
nnmttiya,,d evil which they appear to be at
c,n.e quartcrsS Was Darwin right or wrong In
making tL-s. great natural visitations the basis
al his theory Of natural selectlon-a theory
which hold, most important place In the evo-
lytlin Of the human racel
cold logic. unsoftcned by any considerations
OF human slnrnthy, has led some debaters OF
these questions 10 conclusions which are much
more creditable to their heads than to their
hearts. II is not, however iu any spirit of un-
,har.tabencss that the discussion has gone on.
Sow that the popular heart has been touched.
tAeoutpluring of English gold for tho benefit
,!thv letishiug millions of fellow subjects OF
the Queen. Empress makes one OF the sublimest
.pectac,rs in the history of humanitarian
ism. Tho English people are entitled there
fore to discuss CT the deeper
.o,.a questions involved In the calam-
iy without exposing themselves to the
charge of Sinking duty OF charity. The
,ul ,,ct has nl,o t,en forced upon their atten-
ton In another way. The anti-Brltish press In
Germany has recently attempted to hold tho
british authorities In India responsible both for
the ravagcs Of the famine In the interior and
Tor the spread Of the plague In Bombay. These
charges have been denied with good deal OF
heat and Indignation. But the defenders of
british rule have proved too much. The Times,
G. instance, said day or two ago upon this
point:
at Is due TO British rule and to nothing else
that the iamin ne has not made tsel. felt until so
late u period, and that, Notwithstanding an
immense Increase OF the population. II Is now
I,ing fought with success. 1t needs no inquiry
10 tell Us that the vast populations OF agri-
cultural India live up very closely TO the
limits o. subsistence. That follows from their
imucmorial habit, their traditions, and their
modes OF thought. In fentinR As we do the
consequences OF these things We are try
Ing gigantic experiment which own
success makes more formidable each time that
Adehcent rainfall stops the food supply. We
are insensIbly substituting prudential checks
for the natural ones which we have removed.
This is proved by the improvement In the gen.
rral condition Of the population notwithstand.
It's Increase in numbers. But the process Is
,iow one, and the future Of our Indian empire
cannot lie regarded from an economical stand
point without grave anxiety"
The population of Irdia, rs Lord George
Hamilton remarked In Parliament the other
day. has increased during the past twenty
hyp l.aa han tv mi A IN
portion OF this was by annexation. but By far
the larger part was within the old area. AT
that rate OF increase. as the Times observes, the
day Is not far distant when all the resources OF
the British Empire will not suffice to cope with
a succession OF bad seasons and a failure OF
rains over an extended area. 1t IL argued
further that the excellence OF British ru!e-the
unprecedented security to life which II has
supplied has chiefly contributed to this condI-
tion OF over population. In other words. British
government in India has been far too good. 1t
has brought about an abnormal condition
which only great double cataciysm Of nature
can set right. And now Great Britain and tho
charitable world al large are doing their utmost
to Ihwart nature In her necessary and inevita-
bic process.
This cold. blooded conclusion 10 shocking to
every human sensiblity. but how 10 II to be
escaped from, say the casuists. 1t ia n view
i,y when it includes only tho distant and i'm
personal millions OF India but how about 1t
when It is applied to the teeming thousands In
the East End OF London. on the east side in New
York and In the slums OF Chicago7
The plague. although It 10 far less serious In
The number OF victims which II has thus far
claimed than its brother curse, the famine, Just
low obtains the larger share of public attention.
Ia hvi 1. m
the world at large, and its seat Is In the coast
city OF Bombay. which is now q suburb of
Europe. instead OF being hidden In the Unknown
interior, The bacteriologists and other modern
enemies OF this once omnipotent destroyer are
rapidly bringing the resources of science to bear
against him. Encouraging. but. | fear. premA-
lure, news OF success on the side of modern
knowledge has already been sent out but in the
mean time n historical study OF the great
tcourge has suggested an interesting theory. 1t
msad In general terms that the plague is a dirt
disease. This which London writer says on
The subject, is nt all evenss interesting:
Inc dirt question In relation TO tho plague Ia
one OF the things that are still obscure. Roughly
speaking, the plagne has ravaged Europe from
the beginning Of the Christian era, at intervals
o' 700 or 300 years. II has thus had long inter
'Nsof quiescence. Was there no dirt then to
promote Its spread9 Why. OF course there was
'' VI !" ou' tho plaque came not; ana the
reason must have been that during these inter.
"s some unknown conditions requisite for II,
propagation were absent. WheL say that med
eN science still knows little that Is essential
ABOUT the plague mean that 1t knows nothing
1o'ut these mysterious conditions. There is III,
'"e OF India. for instance. The plague IL ther,
now Whywssit not there Ave years ago. wher
VII inc visible conditions. dirt included. were tn,
.'''f 1t may be said that tho plague is always
'minerlng somewhere In tho Fast. like cholera
snu agree. But why does II simmer at som,
periods, and launch out on a career of devasta
lion at others?
As TO the mysterious conditions. know jus
S"'ue as the most eminent bucteriolopist, bu
IVA" hazard aguess As TO one. which profes
''o,a' etiquette In his case might not allow hin
"'"' fancy that the principle OF vaccination
N"s sw'der application than Ia comtIouly sus
| p''''' ana that whole peoples. and even races
.'V' suffering from soWe vlrulent epidemic, be