The Florence tribune., 1900-04-21
THE FAMINE IN INDIA Calls Attention to Needed Relief for
 Natives of America. Friendly and Industrious Arizona Indians
 are Destitute and Starving.
tCommunicatod.J

J eo famine stricken India, and the civilized world is about to reach forth helping hand to relieve in part the misery caused through lack of rainfall. America as usual is foremost in such work, and already many subscriptions have been started and many contribu- tions received. Probably every relig- ious journal in the land is receiving money from generous Americans who have been stirred to pity by the ac- counts of the terrible want existing in the far eastern peninsula.
 Yet while those noble men aGd women who would assist the wretches of India are putting hand down into pocket for the saving of those of a far distant land, they might probably with the other hand draw forth con trihution or exert their influence in behalf of a people in our very midst who are reduced to want and starva- tion, and this, too, through the fault of the great government of the free United States.
 On the Gila Indian Reservation, at Saeaton, Arizona, live eight thousand Pima and Papago Indians, and here they are known to have lived for four hundred years, owning the land and farming it before the white man set foot in America, their annual crops of maize and vegetables assured by the waters which they diverted from the Rio Gila. Yet to-day they are robbed of tbeir natural birthright and re- duced to starvation through the rapaci- ty of the white settler in draining the Gila above the reservation, and the criminality of the American nation in negleeting to provide for them--its wards.
 1 Nor have these Indians been trouble some to the government. On the con. trary, they have always been real friends of the whites and have rendered invaluable services to our troops in their campaigns against treacherous Apaches. To-day oae thousand of the Pimas have given up their savage customs and are educated members of Christian churches. By long residence, occupation and use they have prior ghtto ths water from he Gila river
 
 wherewith they have always irrigated their little farms Does not their case appeal strongly to every American who is preparing to assist the starving of India? Have we not some duties to perform at home, as well as to assist the destitude of far lands? Is it not the part of every citizen of this republic to use his influence in the direction of making provision for these faithful h. dians? A demand by American citi- zens to see simple justice done them would be no expression of sickly sentiment bewailing the cruel treat ment of the American Indians, such as has overtaken treacherous and murder ing bands of red men; for, as stated these natives of the soil have alway: been friendly to the whites, theii boast being that their hands havt never been stained with white man'l blood.
 The destitute condition of the Pimas is no new story. Their poverty ha been increasing year by year aud thu authorities have stood by and allowed their irrigation water to be taken iron them. The Government Enginee Corps has pointed out the solution o the problem through the eonstructio of a storage reservoir on the Gila whicl will supply water not only for tn
 Pimas and the Papagos. but for thou sands of other Indians whom the gov ernment could then move to this resar
 vation and commence the process (
 education and agricultural civilization
 For years Congress has been urge to authorize the construction of tn
 reservoir, according to the official su very made, but yet no action has bee
 taken. Shonld Congress take tn 2 question up now and act cn it, the r !. lief would be immediate, for these Il dians are industrious and could be ' once employed on the work of CO z struction. The government of Indi z during famine years, provides ''reli z work" Why should not Congress , this little instance pursue a Ill ' method?
 $ The suffering in India touches u z generous Americans heart; the pitif 2 condition of the Cuban reconeentrad ! set on foot measures for their immec S ate relief. Shall the condition of u q Arizona Indians, brought abo ' through American injustice, go u S needed, or will statesmen in Congre . take rightful action?