The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-01-04
INDIA UNABLE TO
COPE WITH FAMINE
Thousands of UniOrtunates Are Dying
from Starvation.
INDIAN GOVERNMENT is HELPLESS
Russia Is Doing More Than Great
Britain to Relieve the Starving
Multitudes--Tho Plague at Bombay
Adds to Its Terrors British Aid
Will BE Necessary.

b'litull, Jan. Inc letter Oh cS-
Judge Goodridge, published last week
III the Englishman of Calcutta, point
ing out that the means adopted by the
government of India to check the fam
Inc were entirely inadequate, declaring
that thousands of persons are dying
from starvation, and calls attention to
the general apathy on the subject thus
far displayed in England The queen
some time ago sent u telegram to the
viceroy of India expressing sympathy
for the sufferers and promising that
they would be assisted but thus far
nothing of consequence has been done
by the imperial government to avert
the effects of one Of the greatest calam-
tiles that has ever threatened India
Comparisons are made in the mat
ter between the attitude of Great Bri-
tain and Russia, which do not rebound
greatly to the credit of this country. 1t
is known that the Car has several
times expressed himself as being deep
ly concerned in the outcome of the fam
Inc, and his interest has taken a prac-
tlcal turn. one of the means adopted
by the Car to secure aid for the suf-
fcrars was a grand concert, which pro-
duced large sum of money All the
artists who appeared volunteered their
services, and all the receipts were de-
voted to the fund for the victims. As
the affair was under the direct patron
age OF the Car and Czarina, almost the
entire court was present as were also
the civic and military officials in st.
Petersburg.
The newspapers of Moscow and st.
Petersburg continue their earnest an
pealS for help for the famine sufferers
and in other directions steps are being
taken to aid the victims. In some Eng
hsh quarters the opinion obtains that
this generous action of the Russians is
only mask hiding some deep-laid po-
litical scheme, having for its object the
raising of disaffection in India against
British rule. Some of the Tory papers
express their approval of declarations
that have appeared in certain Indian
papers to the effect that aid from such
source should not be accented. But
they do not urge the government to
extend aid to the sufferers and in the
meantime thousands Of the natives are
dying.
RUSSIA'S CHARITY.
There is no question in the minds of
those who are not blinded by hatred
of Russia that the Russian movement
had it's origin entirely in charitable
motives, and that it was intended as
response to the foreign aid given
at the time of the great Russian fam
inc some five years ago. The Russian
newspapers point out in their appeals
for subscriptions that had it not been
for the aid extended to the Russian
sufferers by Great Britain and the
United States the death roll would have
been much larger than ii actually was.
Quantities of grain have been pur-
chased with the money raised by public
subscriptions in Russia, and the Rus
sian government has undertaken to
forward the grain to India free of cost.
The Indian government is not able
to cope with the situation and unless
imperial aid is extended the famine
will prove one OF the most calamitous
visitStions of the kind that has ever
| affected India.
Advices received here from Bombay
show that the bubonic plague, which is
supposed to have been imported into
that city from Hong Kong, where it
ragged with great violence about a year
ago. is rapidly extending among the
natives, WHO, lnuS lar, nave Deen the
| principal sufferers. Thousands of the
| residents have fled from the city but
| their exodus is more than counterbal-
| anced by the arrival of large numbers
| of victims of the famine who are pour
| ing into the city in the hope of either
| obtaining work or of at least finding
| among the charitable relief from the
| pangs of starvation. These weakened
| by want of food, quickly fall victims to
| the disease, which thus far has baffled
| the efforts Of the physicians to control
| it.
The sanitary condition of the native
quarters also tends to the spread OF
the disease, but the natives, with their
| usual fatalism, are not TO be taught
| the benefits of cleanliness in their hab-
| itations, and accept the plague as a
| visitation from their gods. 1t is
| thought that unless the sanitary regu-
| lations can be enforced by the civil au-
! thorities, it will be necessary to cal
| upon the military for assistance in
compelling the natives to observe the
health laws.
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COINAGE EXECIITED IAcT VEAp