Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-01-12
10000 HAVE Persisted.
One Province in India Loses that Number from
100000 Population.

London, Jan. 11.-Eng,and has awak-
ened from her apathy regarding the In
dian famine sufferers. and measures
will be taken to alleviate the distress.
notwithstanding the attitude of the In
dian government, which does not or will
not seen that the situation is one of the
worst it has ever had to confront. The
official reports from the famine dis
to conceal the terrible perspective of
suffering which lies before the natives.
The government of India and the In
dian office are doing what they can to
prevent information from independent
sources from reaching the public, and
in response to inquiries as to the truth
of statements appearing in the native
newspapers of India simply declare
them to be exaggerations or perver-
sions of fact.
The ,official aim in attempting to
minimize the calamity can only be sup
posed to be due to anxiety to escape
censure for a lamentable want of fore
sight. But the truth is now leaking
out. and all the advices received here
fuzzy confirm the summary of the situ-
alton cabled exclusively to the United
Associated Presses last week. Private
and independent advices concur in stat
ing that thousands of persons are dy-
ing from starvation or from weakness
that prevents them from assimilating
the little food they can obtain
1t is known that in the districts of
Jabalpur alone a district which ad a
population of 100000, $1,000 persons
have died. Thousands of others will
have to perish despite any efforts that
may be made to succor them. There
are people living in remote districts.
far from the railroads and other lines
of communication, to whom it will be
impossible to carry food until death
lists are enormously swollen.
Large as the existing Indian relief
system is it is entirely unable to meet
a famine Period which. it is estimated
will extend over the whole of 1897. Ca
Diagrams from the Viceroy of India
have been received here telling cheer
fully of rains that have fallen in sew
eral parts of the country, but of what
possible use are rains to people with
starvation staring them in the face.
They can not sit down and wait for
crops to grow, rpen and be harvested.
but it appears that the Indian govern
ment. with incomprehensible faulty,
has acted on the belief that rain and
not food was wanting. OF course. rain
vii prevent recurrence of the famine:
but what is wanted now is food. and
that right speedily, to save thousands
upon thousands of men, women and
children from a torturing death.
The India office authorities, acting
on the entirely unfounded assumption
that no aid was required aside from
that which would be given by the In
dian government. checked the Lord
Mayor of London from starting fam
inc fund.- but. as the advices now at
hand show that the arrangements for
fighting the famine are entirely mad
equate. the Lord Mayor, at the request
of Lord George Hamilton, secretary OF
state for India has opened a fund that
promises to reach a large figure.
The Indifference hitherto displayed
by the British people to the sufferings
of their fellow subjects in India has
undoubtedly been due to the attitude
of the authorities. The appeals that
are now being made to them are meet
ing with a ready response, and large
contributions have already been re-
ceived at the Mansion House. the Off
cial residence of the Lord Mayor. The
fact that Russia long ago saw and
acted upon the necessity of quickly
extending aid to the sufferers will no
doubt cause the charitable here to en-
ulate and surpass the generosity of the
Russians
The question of national relief
grant will be raised in Parliament.
The business aspect of the famine is
depressing. A bad budget.
declining trade and dear money en-
barrass and will embarrass the Indian
government. The official value of
money called for two months at 10 per
cent. has been fictitious value. The
Bank of Bombay has refused to lend
at even II per cent.