Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1897-05-06


From that continent of interesting folk,
from that continent that gave the Christ,
from that continent which has been en-
deared by SO many missionary heroics,
there comes a groan Of $4,000, 600 people
in hunger. More people are in danger of
starving to death in India today than the
entire population Of the United States. In
the famine in India in the year 1877 about
5000, 900 people starved to death. That is
more than all the people of Washington,
Of New York, of Philadelphia, of Chicago
put together. But that famine was not a
tenth part as awful as the one there now
raging. Twenty thousand are dying there
of famine every day. Whole villages and
towns have died-every man, woman and
child; none lett to bury the dead. The
| vultures and the jaokals are the only pail
bearers. Though some help has been sent,
before full relief can reach them suppose
there will be at least 100000 dead.
Starvation, even for one person, is an aw-
full process. No food, the vitals gnaw up
on themselves, and faintness and languor
and pangs from head to foot, and horror
and despair and insanity take full posses
sion. One handful Of wheat or corn or
rice per day would keep life going, but
they cannot get handful The crops
failed and the millions are dying. Oh, it
is hard to be hungry in world wherl
there are enough grain and fruit and meat
to fill all the hungry mouths on the
rlanet But, alas, that the sufferer and the
supply cannot be brought together. There
stands India today. Look at her. Her
face dusky from the hot suns of many CEN
tuires. Under her turban such achings of
brow as only dying nation feels; her eyes
hollow with unutterable woe; the tears
rolling down her sunken cheek; her back
bent with more agonies than she knows
how to carry; her ovens containing moth
ing but ashes. Gaunt, CHASTITY, wasted,
the dew of death upon her forehead and a
pallor such as the last hour brings, she
stretches forth her trembling hand toward
US and with hoarse whisper she says: 81
am dying! Give me bread! That is what
I want! Breadl Give it to me quick.
Give it to me now. Bread, bread, bread!"
America has heard the cry. Many thou
sands of dollars have already been contrib
uted. One ship laden with breadstuffs
has sailed from San Francisco for India.
Our senate and house of representatives in
bill signed by our sympathetic president
have authorized the secretary of the navy
to charter vessel to carry food to the
famine sufferers, and you may help I'LL
that ship. We want to send at least 600,
600 bushels of corn. That will save the
lives of at least 600, 900 people. Many will
respond in contributions of money, and the
barns and corncribs Of the entire United
States will pour forth their treasures of
food. When that ship is laden till it can
carry no more, we will ask him who holds
the winds in his fist and plants his trium.
phant foot on stormy waves to let nothing
but good happen to the ship till it anchors
in Bengal or Arabian waters. They who
help by contributions of money or bread
stuffs toward filling that relief ship will
| flavor their own food for their lifetime
, with appetizing qualities and insure theil
D own welfare through the promise of hin
who said, blessed is he that consideretf
, the poor; the lord will deliver him II
, time Of trouble"
. Something to Eat.
Oh, what relief ship that will bel II
shall not turn screw nor hoist sail un
J til we have had something to do with its
cargo. Just II years ago from these Eas
ter times ship on similar errand went ouI
from New York harbor-the old war frig
: ate Constellation. 1t had once carried
o guns of death, but there was famine il
: Ireland, and the Constellation was loaded
! with 500 tons of food. That ship, ono,
i covered with smoke of BATTLE then cover
ed with Easter hosannas That ship, con
structed to battle England, going fortl
: over the waters to carry relief to some O
= her starving subjects. Better than swort
i into plowshare, better than spear int
pruning hook, was that old war frigat,
! turned into white winged angel of resur
. rection to roll away the stone from tn
mouth of Ireland's sepulcher.
7 On like errand five years ago the shil
Leo put out with many tons Of food fo
famine struck Russia. Ono Saturday aft
ernoon, on the deck of that steamer as sh
. lay at Brooklyn wharf, a wondrous seen
!, took place. A committee of the King
Daughters had decorated the ship witt
= streamers and bunting, American ant
Russian flags INTERVIEWING Thousands 0
/ | people on the wharfs and on the deck
joined US in invoking Gods blessing ol
o the cargo, and the long meter Doxology IL
"Old Hundred" sounded grandly up amit
o the masts and ratlines. Having had th
|, joy Of seeing that ship thus consecrated
z we had the additional joy of standing OF
the docks of ST. Petersburg when tn
l. planks Of the relief ship were thrown on
Q and the representatives of the municipal
ties and of royalty went aboard her, tn
: long freight train at the same time rolling
down TO take the food to the starving, ant
0 on alternate cars of that train American
q and Russian flags floating. But now tn
hunger in India is mightier than any tina
g Ireland or Russia ever suffered. Quicke
ought to be the response and on SO vast
t scale that the one ship would become
whole flotilla-Nev York sending one
d Boston another, Philadelphia another
Charleston another, New Orleans another
Then let them all meet in some harbor o
India. What peroration of mercy for tn
nineteenth century Iwould like to stan,
S on the wharf at Calcutta or Bombay an,
e see such feet come in. With what jo
it would be Welcomed The emaciate,
would lift their heads on shriveled hand
Il and elbows and with thin lips ask, SIS /
coming to eat9" And Who'll
9 villages and towns, too weak to walk
u would crawl out on hands and knees &
get the first grain of corn they could reacl
and put it to their famished lips. May
z cry out for you and for others to those SUI
ferers: Wait little longer, bear up III
tie more, 0 dying men Of India o starv
ing women! o semaciated babesl Relic
Ia on the way and more relief will sool