The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-01-23
THE FAMINE IN INDIA
THAT COUNTRY NOT ABLE TO COPE
WITH THE CALAMITY.

-ussia Ia Doing More Than Great Britain
to Relieve the Starving MuItitudes-Ths
Plague at Bombay Adds It's Terrors.
British Aid VIII he Necessary.
The letter Of ex-Judge Goodridge,
published in The Englishman Of Cal
cutta. points out that the means
adopted by the government Of India to
check the famine are entirely made
Quate, declares that thousands Of per-
sons 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 tele-
gram to the viceroy of India expressing
sympathy for the sufferers and promis
ing 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
calamities that has ever threatened In
dia
Comparisons are made IN the matter
| between the attitude Of Great Britain
| and Russia which do not rebound great
ly to the credit of Eng land. 1t is
known that the czar has several TIMES
| expressed himself as being deeply con-
cerned in the outcome of the famine,
and his interest has taken a practical
turn. One Of the means adopted by the
czar to secure aid for the sufferers was
grand concert, which produced large
sum of money. All the artists who ap-
peared volunteered their services and
all the receipts were devoted to the fund
for the victims. AS the affair was under
the direct patronage Of the czar and
czarina almost the entire court was pres
ent, as were also the civic and military
officials in st. Petersburg.
! The newspapers of Moscow and st.
Petersburg continue their earnest ap-
peals for help for the famine sufferers.
and in other directions steps are being
taken to aid the victims. In some Eng
lish 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 i'll 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
a source should not be accepted. But
they do not urge the government to ex-
tend aid to the sufferers, and in the
meantime thousands of the natives are
dying.
There is 10 question in the minds of
these who are not blinded by hatred OF
> Russia that the Russian movement had
, its origin entirely i'll charitable motives
, and that it was intended as u response
to the foreign aid & iven at the time OF
the great Russian famine some five
years ago. The Russian newspapers
point out in their appeals for subscrip
tions that had it not been for the aiC
l extended to the Russian sufferers by
Great Britain and the United States tht
Y death roll would have been much large
=. than it actually was. Quantities O
r grain have been purchased with th'
money raised by public subscriptions il
, Russia, and the Russian government
n has undertaken to forwa the grain t.
. India free Of cost.
4 The Indian government is not able t
Y cope with the situation, and unless i'm
g perial aid is extended the famine viii
n prove one OF the most calamitous vista
$ tions of the kind that has ever affected
.s India.
II Advices from Bombay show that tn
e bubonic plague, which is supposed t
i have been imported into that city from
A Hongkong, where it ragged with grea
"a violence about year ago, is rapidly ex
!. tending among the natives, who thu
far have been the principal sufferers
n Thousands of the residents have f1e
h from the city, but their exodus is NOR
A than cOunterbalanced by the arrival {
Il large numbers of victims of the famin
n who are pouring into the city in tn
ts hope Of either obtaining work or Of q
10 least finding among the charitable relic
from the pangs of starvation. These
a weakened by want of food. quickly ia
70 victims to the disease, which thus ia
ID has baf1ied the efforts Of the physician
Is to control it.
a The sanitary condition of the natiy
Of quarters also tends to the spread of til
e. disease, but the natives. with the
er usual fatalism, are not to be Taught til
ne benefits of cleanliness in their habit;
20 tions and accept the plague as q visit,
tion from their gods 1t is thought tina
unless the sanitary regulations can
enforced by the civil authorities, it wi
ts be necessary to call upon the militia,
he for assistance in compelling the nativ
-. to observe the health laws-Londc
,f Gable to New York Sun.
ed
,s Emblem For Christian Churches.