The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-28
The Indian Famine.

A passing traveller from Bombay con-
firms what has already been told many
times. that India is suffering from an
awful famine. The demand for gov
eminent assistance Is unparalleled, and
in many districts 40 per cent. . of the
Inhabitants are dependent upon charity
for bread. Repeated crop failures have
afflicted the country with what is al
| most human devastation, and it IS
thought that no fewer than 5000 900 I'M
fortunate people are compelled to look
to the state for the simplest necessarics
of life. II is a repetition Of the dis
tress OF former years only in an ag-
gravated form.
This calamity is the more appalling
because 1t is recurren.. The British
government has done much to ward off
starvation from many stricken districts,
but the task is gigantic. 1t involves ele-
ments so far-reaching that the assist
ance given can afford only partial re-
lief. The land is overpopulated. The
people are strictly agricultural in their
habits. They are hampered in their ac-
tions by stern religious doctrines and
infexible rules of caste Left alone
they are helpless. and at the same time
they are prejudiced against many OF
the measures taken for their relief
The failure of the crops is a periodical
ly expected evil caused, 1t is thought, by
the peculiar geographical surroundings
of the Indian peninsula. With almost
every community dependent upon the
soil for sustenance, with no great indus
trial enterprises from which millions
might gain livelihood instead of trust
ing to agriculture, a crop failure inev-
thousands. For the means to sustain
life they look to the land and when
that is treacherous and brings forth
nothing, all that is left for the unhappy
| people is starvation or relief from a
government that Is always heavily
taxed to give succor
| 1t would seem that the only solution
| of the problem lies in some change that
| will make it not always necessary for
| the people to rely upon the land There
must be a change of the population
from an agricultural to an Industrial
basis. This. however. means the re-
making of India. and its accomplish
ment would probably be the matter of
a century. Some slight success along
! this line has been achieved, but in view
| of the fact that enormous numbers OF
| people have to be taken into consldera-
ton the work done is insignificant.
| 1t Is a mighty responsibility that Bri-
tain has to face, Charity win save
many lives. organized relief work win
make the distress less acute. But the
task Is likely to be one that Is never
| finished unless the whole character OF
| the people undergoes a change. To
| bring this about means the destruction
| OF all the doctrines. habits and pref
udioes OF centuries. Whether il will be
! done is something that cannot be an
| swered In the day OF this genera ton.
| and until IT is. the white man must
/ tear his burden as best he may.
| Washington dispatches say that II is
| doubtful IL any Pacific cable bill becomes
law at this session OF congress. When
the bill comes up at future session It is
| probable that the advantages Of the
| Northern cable route will be better un-
! derstood and some provisions may be
made for beginning work on H.
| The Helena Independent takes a COL
umn in which To deny with scorn the
1 report that there are 30 many unem-
| ployed domestics in that town that a
| few can be spared TO Seattle. Senators
/ are the only form of help" OF which
Montana has an embarrassing super
! flulty.
/ There do not appear to be half as
/ many carpet baggers in Cuba as there
are men in this country that think
there are carpet baggers there.
II is reported that ex-Gov Bradley
Of Kentucky is TO move to New York