The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1900-06-22
The India Famine
YiYidly Described
Ry Rev. Wheeler Boggess in a
Contribution Published Below.
That our People May Know for
What they are Giving.

OOUIIto0SlOI
That our People May Know tor
What they are Giving.
The question most frequently asked
Is. what is the cause Of these famines?
Is there no way to avoid them? What
ever may be the opinion as TO the trst
great cause, the Immediate cause is al
WAYS failure of the rains. Anything
short Of full crop entails suffering on
some classes or people. midas vast
population needs the whole produce OF
the land to safely carry them from one
crop to the next. We may get some
idea OF how densely that country Is
populated by comparing it with our
own land. To be as thickly settled as
India the United States would need a
total population Of COG, 5000, and
that number would be 100, o0o, 900 more
thanit is estimated our soil can sup
port. II our population were to ap-
proach the danger line, our govern
ment would certainly do just what
the British government is doing In In
dia-irrigate the worst lands, and then
try to keep pace with the increase In
population; by just such public works
millions of acres in India have been re-
drained and made to support the sur
plus people. The religion and caste
prejudice of the Hindu forbid emigra-
ton, else those teeming millions might
find ample room to support themselves
in other and sparsley settled portions
of the earth.
The present famine affects more
than 10000, 900 Of India's population
and Of these at least 10000, 900 are In
danger of starvation.
Some persons think the British gov
eminent is doing nothing to save these
starving millions, and SO will be sur
prised to know that 1t is now support
ing in famine relief works over 5000,
600 of them. In the famine of 1886 81
she had on similar works 4, 800, GOO, and
the London Times estimates that the
total cost of that famine was the enor
nous sum of EGO, 100000. The exper'
fence Of many such times has led to
the enactment of special Famine
Code, and by this relief measures are
governed in scientific way. Not
withstanding the great sums the gov
eminent is spending, thousands are
dying every day.
In the district Of Ahmadabad, in
Gugart, the death rate has risen from
forty to seven hundred and forty-fout
per thousand per year.
Letters from missionaries who are In
closest touch with the stricken people
give us horrible details Of the suffer
ings they witness each day. Let me
give you few quotations: one mis-
sionary, Thomas A. Bailey, "Bombay
Guardian" April 24,) writes: "It isf
gruesome sight to see thenaked bodies
of the dead piled up at night to b.
burned. These poor creature!
have no friends to take their bodies
away to be buried with the usua
Hindu ceremony" Another, f. F
Frease, NJ. E. Union, Baroda Comp.
April oath, I'VE have an epidemic al
the Famine Camp now; have just
been there. The people are dying like
flies, two hundred this morning"
Such details as the foregoing viii
surely open our eyes to the situation
and atfordus abundant reason for Civ
ing largely to save these distressed
ones. II this terrible death rate con
tinues long it will not take many
months to reach the fearful figures Of
the famine Of '96'ss, when 5,25O,0ot
persisted.
During the next few weeks 1t Ii
hoped that every one in the county vii
be approached by duly authorized col
lector and each given the privilege o.
saving Those who are dying for lack o.
what we Can give. hoped thatnont
will give less than one days income fol
this worthy cause. Every two OF three
cents will feed man, every two dol
lars will save life till harvest time.
II any should desire to send his con
tribution without waiting for the col
lector, he may send it to c. Sprige
Sands, Treasurer of Famine Funds
Clarksburg, w. Va. The pastors Of
churches and Sunday School Superin'
tendents, and any other responsible
persons may get circulars and collec'
ton cards from B. B. Mcdaniel, Score
tary of the Famine Relief organiza'
ton in Clarksburg. All money receiv'
ed will be forwarded every day or two
to the treasurer of the Committee Of
One Hundred in New York, who
sends it by cable to India, SO that
there may be no delay in reaching the
dying.
no Fooled The Surgeons.