New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-16
THE RUSSIAN FAMINE.

There is. unhappily. no reason to think the
reports of the Russian famine are exaggerated.
One writer saws there Is likely to be whole
sale emigration of administration peasants.
Another reckops that several millions of people
are in imminent danger of death from starva-
ton. A third tells Of the ravages of typhus
and typhoid fcvers and other pestlences when
arise as results of improper and insufficient
food Scarcely a day passes without some
grewsome detail. 1t has often been COM
planned and with not little reason. mat
Russia and Russian affairs are msrepresented.
The Russian language being unfamiliar TO most
neople outside that Empire the world at large
has been compelled to rely upon the corre-
spondence from Russia printed in the British,
German and other press. This has doubtless
often been unjust. partly because Of interna-
tional jealouses and animosites. and partly
because of the lack Of sympathy between
Europeans and the great Northern nation which
is more Aslatic than European. We should be
glad TO believe that in the present case CORE
spondents have misrepresented the state OF
affairs but unfortunately II does not seem pos
sible The conviction is strengthened day by
day that If they have erred at all it is in the
direction of not revealing the whole dreadful
truth.
For their tales are confirmed by the most
unimpeachable Russian authorities. The
"Viedomosti." Of ST. Petersburg. Is an emf
nently respectable newspaper. Its proprietor
and editor, Prince Ukhtomsky. Is a man OF
high social rank and one particularly persona
grata at the Imperial Court. He is most
LOYAL Russian, the last man who would malgn
his country: and he is able, as perhaps no other
Russian journalist Is. through his social and
Court standing TO disregard the censorship
and print almost whatever he sees At If his
paper therefore. says tho famine Is bad, we
must believe IL Is And the "Viedomosti'' does
say so. 1t makes the great province Of Samara
as ADMINISTRATOR. and other adjacent regions
as similarly suffering. The failure of crops Is
the most complete ever known. The people
are living on roots. weeds, acorns. chopped
straw. bran and the like. and are drinking
decocton Of raspberry leaves for tea. Now
Samara Is one Of the most pOpulous provinces
In the Empire. containing more than 2.60O00O
inhabitants. Trustworthy authorities tell that
the famine Is general also In Perm. Tfa
Vyatka. Kazan. Simblrsk. Saratoff, Voronezh
Tamboff, Rlazan and Tua. The total popula
ton of the affected provinces Is not less than
25,0000OO. and their area stretches In n vast
belt from Moscow to the Trails.
The Russian Empire. then, Is face to face
with state Of affairs compared with which
the great Irish famine was tri1e. and which
threatens TO be more disastrous than the recent
Indian famine and bubonic plague rolled into
one. The world does not and will not know az
much about IL as about those other horrors IL
knows little Of what is going on in the teemng
expGnses Of the Cars domain. But the facts
that are known are sufficient TO command the
widest and deepest sympathy. In such case
international animosties should disappear
There Is no special ground for consciousness
toward Russia. We may disapprove Its despot
ism and conservatism But let him cast the
first stone who Is ready to deal offhand with
the problem OF leavening an uneavened lump
OF SO,000.0OO moujks. The tasks before the
Russian Government are truly tremendous and
1t is rattle-pated folly 20 reckon that they
should he disposed OF in day. as we might
here elect new city administration. II is not
merely political revolution that Russia needs
II Is above all else education and industrial de-
veopment. In the latter respect M any rate
the Government is doing all II can. II Is build
Ing railroads and other means Of communica-
ton and transportation ct q rate scarcely