INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

RECENT FAJ!INES.
work for t.he destitute people, yet "gratuitous "
charity was discountenanced, as involving a
policy which the Government could neither
beneficially nor generally pursue. The support
of the helpless, it was argued, was incumbent on
private and not on public benevolence." 1(. European
influence was now at work, however, and
would not leave the destitute wretches to perish
without some effort to alleviate the distress.
We have no record in any of the previous
famines of any organised system of public
charity; or for the matter of that, beyond a few
isolated statements that some rich men "fed
the poor," have we any record whatever that
the principle was recognised in any shape.
We have, at all events, in this famine the
dawning recognition of a public duty. It may
be that it was solely engendered by the force of
moral persuasion and example on the part of
the English residents in the country j but however
that may be, it remains a fact that the
principle was at this time originated. Mr Rose
reported, as noted by Girdlestone, that "the
native officials, following the example of
• Girdlestone.