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AS UKOXD-CI.AM XATTtt
PUBLISHED EVERT 8ATTTSDAT
TK 6MRIER PRIIITIIfG All PIILISUN ft
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W. MORTOS SMITH
SARAH B. HARRIS
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The world has not forgotten the fear
ful Russian famine of 1891-2. '-The
poorest dog which hangs about the
streets of America can pick up better
food than the Russian peasant clamors
for,' said the Northwestern Miller in
November, 1891, in an article describing
the condition of the Russian peasants
and calling for contributions for the
relief of the stricken people. "Day af
ter day, we read of the Russian famine
in tho daily papers, but we really do not
half believe the tales therein tolJ. We
imagine that there is something behind
it all which cannot be discovered. That
human beings can sink so low as to eat
hunger bread,' made of tree bark,
powdered peas and goose foot, passes
our comprehension. We talk about our
own poor, and we think we know some
thing about poverty, but the absolute
want of food, which causes a man to
tight for bread which even an animal
would disdain this, thank God. is un
heard of here. Vet that it is true, to a
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I OBSERVATIONS
H "IBkJvVYvv5siR "'r'i''ssjsw'ss H
LINCOLN NEB., SATURDAY. AUGUST 29. 1896
certain extent, in Russia.is undeniable."
The people of the United States were
quick to respo.d to the despairing ap.
peal of starving humanity in a less
favored country, and the record of that
response, as contained in a little book
by W. C. Edgar, entitled "The Russian
Famine of 1891 and 1892: Some Partic
ulars of the Relief Sent to the Destitute
Peasants by the Millers of America is
a splendid commentary on the benevo
lence of the people of this nation. In
the light of Mr. Bryan's oft-repeated
protestations of sympathy for the un
fortunate and distressed, the part taken
in this generous movement by the men
who is now the popocratic candidate
for president is not easy to understand,
and it is not surprising that the thou
sands of Russians and affiliated foreign
ers and their American born children in
Mr. Bryan's own state, and in all parts
of the country, should take a stand of
unalterable opposition to the man who
stood in the way of this country s great
gift of nearly G.000,000 pounds of Hour
and corn meal to the starving peasants
of Russia.
Largely through the efforts of the
Northwestern Miller of Minneapolis,
seconded by proclamations by the gov
ernors of Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska,
Massachusetts and other states, there
was raisec: an amount of food supplies
sufficient to till one of the largest ocean
steamers. Mr. Edgar, in his book, says:
"After the contributions secured for the
cargo amounted to several million
pounds, it was suggested by Senator
Washburn of Minnesota that the flour,
having been given bj American millers
and transported by American railtoads,
it would be in keepiug with the spirit
of the undertaking to have an American
vessel carry it to its destination. To
this end he consulted with Secretary
Tracy, and immediately on the assem
bling of congress, offered fn the senati a
Joint resolution authorizing the secre
tary of the navy to charter a steamship
in which to forward the flour to Russia.
This resolution passed the senate by a
heavy vote, but when it came into the
house it was defeated. The action of
the house was wholly unexpected, and
surprised even the partisan members,
who yoted aga'nst the resolution more
with a mistaken idea of going on record
in favor of retrenchment and reform
than with any serious objection to the
measure. Many others were evidently
ashamed of their action, being spurred
to a realization of their mistake by the
unanimous censure of their constituents
and the press, irrespective of party."
Mr. Bryan's opposition, as the Con
gressional Record shows, was based on
serious objection to the measure, and if
he was ever ashamed of his action there
is no public record of it. The measure
was supported in the house by such
men as Breckinridge. Blount and Bou-
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ESTABLISHED IN 133G
telle. Mr. Blount, in the course of his
remarks on the resolution, said: "It is
a simple proposition. Liberal donations
have been made by the American people
for the relief of the starving people of
Russia, and there is no proposition here
to take money out of the treasury for
that purpose. It is simply proposed to
lend certain vessels of the United
States, or, if that cannot be done, to
make an appropriation of 100.000 to
procure vessels to transport these sup
plies to sufferers in Russia. Now, what
precedente have there been for this ac
tion? In 1847 the congress of the United
States provided ships for the convey
ance of relief to the suffering Irish
people. In 1880 the two houses of con
gress provided, just as this joint resolu
tion doe , for the chartering of ships of
the uavy department to transport sup
plies for the relief of the Irish people,
with the difference that in 1SS0. so eager
was the American congress to answer
the call which came from distressed
Ireland, that the proposition wa voted
that there should be an indefinite ap
propriation, so that there should be no
possible obstacle in the way of the con
summation of the national wish."
The president of the United States
sent a special message to congress in
which he said: "The secretary of the
navy has no steam vessel at his disposal
that could be used for the transportation
of these supplies, and I therefore rec
ommend that he be authorized to
charter a suitable vessel to receive
them."
Congressman Boutelle in a speech
sad: "The quality cf mercy is not
strained. Them is no necessity in this
case for straining it through a commit
tee. We know the distress exists. We
know that some of our generous people
have come forward to vindicate our
feeling of humanity, to vindicate the
sentiment of friendliness existing be
tween these two great nations, by tend
ering timely and prompt offerings of
relief to a suffering people. Let us not
seek by technicalities to delay this gen
erous and worthy act. The Constitution
of he United States ought not to be
pleaded against a case or humanity
when the libera'ity and generosity of
our government and our citizens toward
foreign noples are involved There
was nothing in the Constitution of
France that sent Lafejette here to
tender the use of his -sword in behalf of
the young republic. There was no or
ganic provision for the tendering of the
services of Rochambeau ami DeKalb,
Von Steuben. Pulaski, and those other
heroic men who came across the sea to
mingle their young blood with that of
our defenders of liberty, and to write
their great names on the brightest pages
of our country's history."
Mr. Breckinridge sai. in part: "It is
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PRICE FIVE'CBNTi
constitutional; it is human; therefore it
is American. It we are not going to do
it, let us say so frankly. Let us say
'We have not the power,' or that 'We
have not the will, or that we do not
think that in this day we ought to fur
nhh contributions to anybody in any
national aspect. Then the country and
the world will understand that in the
int rcourse of America with foreign
people we can commit war, we can cover
our seas with ships of war, we can give
medals to sailors, we can decorate those
who have saved our ships in foreign
ports, we can thank Russia for relieving
Melt ille in the Arctic ocean, but that
we are powerless to aid out of our abun
dance, when God has blessed us with
sunshine and rain, and when out of the
fertile bosom of American soil has come
a tceminc crop, and He has given scarc
ity and famine to others."
Here is Mr Bryan's position: "It
might bo proper to suggest that if other
sections nf our country whose industries
aie Jess susceptible than the farmers to
the influence of the weather, were as
liberal, transportation for the gift of the
northwest could easily be provided
without an appeal to congress. But we
are now asked to appropriate Si 00,000 if
necessary, to charter a ship to carry the
food to Russia. Will not a precedent
be established? Will not other nations,
and those, too, more like ours in form
of government and more humane in
their treatment to their own citizens,
justly feel offended if we withhold from
them the aid which some gentlemen
seem willing to grant, without investi
gation, to one of the most despotic of
nations? I hope this bill will be re
ferred back to the committee, so that
an amendment may be reported, strik
ing out the appropriation of 8100,000."
After some delay the Atlantic Trans
port line offered the use of their steam
ship, the "Missouri," for the purpose of
transporting the donations, free of
charge, so that Mr. Bran and other
representatives notwithstanding, the
supplies went forward to Russia. .Mr.
Bryan's opposition greatiy incensed the
Russians in the northwest, who were
large contributors to the relief project,
and they have not forgotten what Mr.
Brjan said and did in the first session
of the Fifty second congress.
In the public mind Iowa is associated
with political heresies. It is true that
most of the fads and isms that have
stalked across the cjuntry in recent
years have found a hospitable welcome
in Iowa. The James B. Weaver school
of politics has flourished formanyjears.
In every congressional distiict. aye, al
most in every county, is some prominent
and more or less influential graduate,
with the Weaver diploma and the
Weaver degrees. Although Gener-"1
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