Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-12-28
suffsrings Of the Usually Humane People
Are Rendering Them Brutal.
CHILDREN AND WIVES ARE BEING SOLD
soouudrels Haunt the Villages on Lookout
for Friendless Girls.
WORK ANIMALS DYING OF STARVATION
Problem of Government IL Not Only
How 60 Provide for Temporary
Wants, hut to Enable Farmers
90 Put In Spring Crops.

Copyright, 1902, by Press Publishing Coz
ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. 27.-(New York
World Cablegram-Special Telegram THE
Russian government Is face to face with the
grave question Of how best to feed 15. .O00, 600
hungry peasants. These distressed peasants
are scattered over numerous provinces in
central and eastern Russia and, partly, also
in the southeast and along the Volga. In
the greatest hurry the government has sent
commissioners into the famine districts y
make inquiries and report.
On the suggestion OF Finance Minister
White. the government forwarded 81 900 900
worth Of rye to the threatened districts, but
there is an uneasy feeling that Il will not
reach the right hands. The government also
bought f500,O00 worth of rye and wheat to
be forwarded after the reports are re-
oeived
The villagers are not only suffering them
selves, but the cattle are dying by the tens
of thousands and their horses have to be
sold, as they cannot feed them. The out
look for the spring plowing seems hope
less. Untold millions will be needed for
relief II the peasants are to keep their
lands in cultivation.
The usual consequences OF a famine al
ready are In striking evidence. The
humane and merclful traits in the peas
ants character are disappearing under the
stress Of hunger. Those with large
families are in a deplorable state. The
girls are leaving for the big towns. where
they come to grief II they fail to get i'm
mediate employment. In too many cases
they already have fallen victims to scoun
drels on the lookout for friendless and
homeless girls.
Selling Their Children.
The worst feature OF the horrible stu
alton is that some fathers Of families are
seeking people who will buy their chill
dren. 1t seldom happens that boy is
sold, but cases are becoming alarmingly
numerous Of men selling their women
relatives for money enough to buy yoke
OF oxen for the spring plowing. In most
cases the girls are only too willing TO 20.
for il means warmth and plenty for them.
The purchasers are doubtful persons. who
have been haunting tho villages for
months.
What becomes of the purchased girls Is
not known. but It is feared that most OF
them become white slaves in the villages
OF the provinces of Damara, Senator and
Perm. The police are on the track of the
dealers but In Russia offenders of this
class know how to square" the police.
Another shocking thing is the infant
mortality Typhoid fever. hunger, scrofula
and measles are cutting them down by tho
thousand Not every village has a doc
tor and II the wretohed parents take any
interest at all in saving their ichlldreu
they have recourse to the dangerous sim.
pies or incantations OF the "wise woman.
Finance Minister Witte. a many sided
man, Is working hard lately establishinl
temperance committees throughout Rus.
sia. The more temperance. the less reve.
nue., but Mr.. Witte himself is a tetotallei
and he wants temperance spread amons
the people. He Induced the czar to decor.
ate the men and women who are the mos
active In temperance work. He makes nj
secret of his preference for tetotaIlers ir
the various Offices OF the department h,
controls.