The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-04


- Transcript, contributed by
n the Rev. j. +. Abbott, of
New York, a man thorough
ly familiar with the conditions he de-
scribes, an idea may be obtained of
the existing famine in India much more
vivid than has been impaired by the
fragmentary news reports which have
been published from time to time.
THE area of famine" writes Mr..
Abbott, "is Western India, covering
about 100000 square miles, inhabited
by about 5OOJJ,000 people, of whom A.
100000 are now on the relief works,
with the number increasing 100000 a
week. Those on the relief works are
those who would actually die of star
walton We're it not for this help. OF
the condition of the 45,OOO0OO not on
the relief works, there are no statis-
tics. There are a certain number OF
millions to whom the famine is only
hard times; larger number who are
| pinched, and perhaps 20,000000 who are
keeping themselves alive with difficulty
| by selling and pawning all they have
| and on reduced food somehow holding
on to life. This number is arrived at
| by the fact that the government has
recently reduced the daily wages on
! the relief works from cents day TO
| > cents. in order to prevent one-half
! the population of the famine area
focking to their care in overwhelm-
! ing numbers; and from the fact that
| in some districts % per cent. and 9TH
| ers 40 per cent. are actually receiving
relief. 1t is in this 20,000000 that the
| greatest distress is to be found. 1t is
from them that the 100000 week, re-
duced to the lowest possible destitu-
! ton. leave home for the hard toll of
, the relief camp. Some die on the way,
some arrive at the camp only to die of
disease, to which they easily fall a
prey. Those too weak to work are/gra-
tuitously fed in the kitchens until pro-
nounced fit to work; but many of this
2O,O0O,0OO put off going TO a relief camp
! until too late, and die in their villages.
The aged and infirm and children who
cannot go die. This 20OO0,O people
are great field of trouble, of desti-
tuition, of emaciation and death. in
| which private benevolence has its
| place. But the best that can be done
for them is but little, and for three
months more at least they must wait
for the rain and the October harvest"
1t has been charged that these re-
curing famines constitute an awful in
dictment of the inefficiency Of British
administration in India; that if proper
government We're given to the multi
tudes and India not used by Great Bri-
tain as an orange to be squeezed. the
great disproportion between population
and production and the large inequali.
ties in the distribution of material
prosperity throughout the Anglo-In.
dian domain would gradually disap,
pear. Critics of the British colonia
system and even anti-eXpansionists In
tho United States take pleasure ir
famines, as an international "horriblC
example," This, also taken from the
Boston paper. is the opposite side
"Before British rule in India, the
people would have been permitted t,
die like flies. Thus, in the famine O
1869, fully 100000 persons perished
But now, whenever unfavorabl'
weather makes food scarce and the in
habitants begin to starve, the treasur!
is opened for their relief. 1t is not tht
} policy to give aims. Instead the gov
! ernment undertakes vast public works
and thus gives the famine-strickeI
J people employment which enables