The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-03-14
THE FAMINE In INDIA.
Over Sixty Million People on the
Verge Of Starvation.
MANY DEATHS FROM THE PLAGUE.

The Worst Is Yet to Come-srring and
Summer Will Bring = Greater scarcit,
Crops Are a Failure and Cattle Die
-VIceroy Advocates the Use of Anti
Plague incubation.
BOMBAY (By Cabe).-The plague in
India continues virulent. With over 6l,'
OOO, 900 of people affected by tho famine
and about 1000. 300 In receipt of relief
India seems In bad plight, though the
death rate over the $50, 900 square miles Of
the famine area is decreasing. The Indian
Government has issued a resolution ap.
proving Professor Haffkin's anti-plague
incubation, and the Viceroy, Lord Curzon
is advocating it's use throughout India.
Detailed reports from the various prov
inces affected all agree in saying that never
before in the history OF the country has sc
dire calamity OF such stupendous magnt.
tude overtakenit. Not only has the pro-
longed drought been record one IN every
way, but the people themselves are far les:
prepared to face period OF distress and
scarcity than Is usually the case.
series Of bad;years and poor and indiher
ent harvests. Only three years ago the
country was afflicted by severe famine,
from which It has not yet had time to re.
cover The people are consequently i'm.
povsrished to degree and In no way pre-
pared to face the present disaster which
has overtaEen them.
There are close on four millions OF peo
ple on famine relief. The number ts grow
ing at the rate OF something like a quarter
OF million weekly. And the worst plnct
OF the famine has not yet been felt.. That
will come later, in the spring and early
summer. 1t is difficult to realize the ex.
tent OF the famine relief operations which
will be necessary in two or three months
time. They will tax the resources OF Gov
ernment, both in men and money, to an
extent never before heard Of, or even CON.
templated. = ~,
Already all available officials are working
practically continuously on famine relief IL
the affected areas. But these areas are &c
immense, the distances so great, and the
pressure of work so enormous that already
it Is apparent that there are not half enough
workers In the field. A single official may
have an area OF 10, 900 square miles, With .
population OF 1000, 900 In his Immediate
charge. Under these circumstances much
OF the minor detail has to be LETT In the
hands OF native subordinates. But, unfors
tuuately, these subordirates,, true to the
immemorial customs OF the Orient, are tc
q great extent corrupt and dishonest to an
extraordinary degree. -.E So "a
The war in South Africa affectsthe famine
Nc charitable relief can be expected from
England, the various war funds draining
all superf1uous money Into. their Golfers
In the famine OF three years ago not les:
than S2, 5O0,0 900 Was subscribed in England
for charitable relief in India. Now. With
to expect from the mother country sc
much us single dollar. .
The scarcity, on the top OF series o:
bad years, has affected the people to an>ex'
traordnary degree. They are resigned;
phleCmatic, helpless and hopeless. LORD
Sandhurst, the Governor OF Bombay, re-.
ports that the famine has affected serious
ly higher stratum OF society than hal
ever been the case before. The same
might he said with equal truth OF othei
parts Of India.
From all parts come reports OF crops
either wholly spoiled or simply non-extst.
ont. The cotton crop In some OF the most
renowned cotton districts Is said to be not
one-twentieth OF the normM yield. In
muny districts it is not worth. gathering
In. The yield of oil India is less by some
700, 900 bales than was the case last year,
The ground nut crop Is but an eighth oil
last years crop. The wheat crop will be
wretched. In many districts 1t was impos
sble to carry out sowtugs, owing to the
intense dryness OF the soil. In others the
seeds either never germlnated or the young
plants withered and dried.
Cattle are now dying by tens OF thou.
sands. In many places peasants are with
difficulty keeping their beasts alive by
means OF dried ieayes, the thatch OF houses
weeds, and similar rubbish. 1t being
against the religious principles OF the
Hindus to kill their cattle, even when
they are dying In intense agony OF thirst
and hunger, the poor beasts are turned
loose In thousands iu the desert to die mis-
erably, their ,iwretched skeletons being
speedily picked clean by jackals and vul.
tures.
Meanwhile crime, the invariable accom-.
psntment OF famine, stalks abroad. The
police are unable to cope with 1t, aud from
many quarters come reports OF assaults
shighway robbeeies, and even murders, chr
rted ont publicly and in the light OF day
Z The money lenders especially appear to be
marked down for the peoples wrath. II
one district alone dozen such have beer
robbed and beaten within the space OF 6
single month. All books, deeds, and the
like are invariably burned on these occa'
Stiyes, Is OF course immense,
g Lord Curzon, In an important speech
9has publicly admitted on behalf OF hi:
Government that the famine is the worst
which has ever anilceed India. And, as al
sready pointed out, the most severe perlof
(. is still to come. f.