The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-10
midas NEED STILL URGENT.
Justin Abbott Says Poverty Is the
Cause OF Suffering.

Cause OF Suffering.
NEW YORK, Aug 1e.-Justin Z. Abbott,
an American, who has lived in Bombay tef
eighteen years, and has had large ezpe-
rience in famine RELIEF work, has issued
letter through The Committee of One Hun
dred on India Famine Relief in which ne
gives the official estimates of this years
food grain crops in India, and says;
In certain parts OF india, especially in
the Gauges Valley. there have been unusu-
ally heavy crops, thus making market
near at hand from which food grain can be
imported into the famine area according to
demand
After pointing c.: hat the railroads are
doing four times Il cir Usual business moy-
ing grain the letter continues:
For an explanation of the distress and
starvation attending this famine, there
fore it is not to the impossibility of pro-
curing insufficient food per capita 10 which
one must look but TO the poverty OF GER
! tain classes The worst sufferers have
! been the Bills and other wild tribes. Then
/ come the classes dependent on the farm
! ers. as Iaborers and artisans. The farmer
having no crops, ceases to give employ
rnent and stops the purchase of everything
/ but food Finally there are the poorest
! OF the 1diiISfS mo nave Io MAJ SIN ~
yond their years crop
1 These classes with others Of q miScel-
: laneous nature. have no money and little
property. II they could command so cents
d month they could defy the famine. But
from six 10 ten millions of people have not
that much. and hence are availinS them
selves of Government relief As for mil
lions of others they are enduring every
, degree of suffering that extreme poverty
ear hiring y such Z, tir.fp Ern2rlafiOn OF
body and starvation 10 death have been
true of many thousands, in forms too hid
eous and awful for tbs eye TO look upon.
But the explanation does not lie in the
idea that sufficient food per capita cannot
be procured by importation, but because
millions have not the means 10 purchase
it though 1t may be sold at moderate
price at their very door.
THE effort OF the Government Of India
which has already expended more thaH
S55, 000. 900 on this famine, IS therefore IN
essence a noble attempt TO pat into The
hands of the suffering millions. without
demoTaliZILg them The money WIFI which
they can buy food and live
The difficulties under which The Gov
eminent works are beyond the coBprehef.-
sion of those not on the spot. or who have
ne actual experience Of famine RELIEF. IN
hostile criticisms that are floating more o
> less freely in the American press agains
the famine relief measures OF the Indial
Government have stamped upon them mis-
information and Interpretation OF tn
problems that have 10 be dealt with. y
one claims. least of all the Government it
: self that il has reached perfection ii deal
ing with an unprecedented famine. Tn
! constant revision of the famine cede Is eY
jdencc OF fnality in methods OF relief.
What can b. Sail with absolute truth /
that Indie is seeing an heroic effort by III
Angio-Saxon race. through government
and private agencies. TO save millions 0
T lives FROM an awful death. ard succesdin
10 all extent never before attained in III
! history OF the world Less criticism
5 therefore, OF Government trying 10 say
, life and more money 10 meet the gFea
: cry t,om suffering humanity. are what III
2 present hour demands from the humane G
: every Land.