THE oneness of the human rice—the touch of nature that makes all men kin—is never so strikingly exhibited as in times of great national calamity and distress. Men who in times of politic ex-cement and unrest sre called upon to do their utmost to oppose and destroy their fellow-men against whom they are arrayed; in times of famine, plague and accident, do not hesitate to come forward with Arnit 20, 1906. - The W.2C. herald and S. C. & C. Gazette.
117 their sympathy and liberal gifts to help there upon whom the calamity has fallen, irrespective of their creed and nationality, And well that it is so, for by such actions 'a gleam is thrown athwart the dark pictures of human suffering and calamity which come before us with distressing frequency.
The spectacle of a brave nation, [just rifter the conclusion of a long and exhaustive war, avd when recuperation is so much needed, being called upon to meet sugh serious famine as has befallen Northern Japan, has appealed to the civilised world and has elicited prompt and liberal na sistance from many quarters, Our telegrams have recorded the sympathetic assistance which has come from England, not only through the Mansion House Fund, but in other ways such us the spontaneous contributions made by British sailors thoughout the world. By the last two or three Amwrican mails to hand we learn that the que-tion has been discussed and referred to very fully by papers of all shades of opinion in Canada as well as in the United States, nnd the sympathy shown and the desire to help to nmelivrate the distress caused by the famine, is universal, Presiden: Roosevelt's appeal for aid elicited an immediate response from the newspapers of the country; subscription lists were opened and money began to pour in, This was only what was to be expected, for the American people have always been ready to help the unfortunate in other lands. Phey were in he sty sympathy with the Japanese in their mighty strugyle with " powerful enemy, and they are now taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by the famine of giving practical express sion to their sympathy. and regard. The Cleveland " Plain Dealer" refers to this nspect of the case as follows:—""They are a people for whom most Americans feel a sincere liking and admiration, This country recently rendered them a grent service in making possible for Japan an honourable ata time when continuation of the struggle might have teen only less disastrous to Japan than it has proved to her antagonist, There are many reasons why the hearts of Americans should
Japanese, and by no ile woul be moved by the distress of ihe the friendly aid charitable act which the President purposes be more highly appreciated than by those of Japan."
The "Kansas City Journal" makes the following remarks on the subject:—"The Japanese are a proud, self. reliant, reticent race, and the famine must be widespread and the suffering very great to cause them to appeal to other nations for help. They are also a frugal people, accustomed to hardships and self-denial, living on the simplest and cheapest foods, but the normal poverty of the masses has doubtless teen greatly aggravated by the enormous drains of men and money in carrying on the war with Russia, It is probable that. behind this quiet appeal for succour there lies a far more ghastly story of hunger and want than the secretive Japanese are willing to lay bare to the world,"
In the opinion of the Milwaukee "S-ntinel" not only sympathy but policy should prompt the American people to come to the aid of the Japanese, us is evidenced by the subjoined short extract from its colimns:—"In point of policy a golden opportunity now offers to str-ngthen the bond and tradition of friendship between our country and victorious and advancing Japan that may well prove of incalouluble value for us in our Far Eastern relations. There is also the opportunity to show these islanders that the religion which apostles of Christianity are pressing on their acceptance means something more than theological doctrine and dogma; that it means also a great moral apse and force making for practical recognition of the claims of our common humanity,"
Awan indication of the hearty way in which the matter was taken up we reproduce alton portion of a leading article which appeared in the "Seattle Post-Intelligencer" under the heading, astern Washington Respond-g:—" Newspapers from allover Eastern Washington record the organisation of committees for the purpose of collecting supplies to be forwarded to the Japanese famine sufferers, and the record of the firat contributions made is a good one. The amount of these contributions has not yet been reported to the committee in charge of the matter in S-attic, doubtless because is the purpose to send the contributions on in bulk when collected- The reports come from nearly every portion of the when belt of this State and indicate that the people are alive to the duty which rests upon them, and prepared to respond liberally to the call on them for aid."
The same paper, in opening a subscription list in its columns, makes a stirring and pathetic appeal for prompt and liberal response reminding its readers how the American people once sent potatoes and corn to Ireland, and corn to Russia. We extract the following paragraph from this appeal "Starving to death to-day are nearly one million people among our next door neighbours, the gallant, the industrious, the thrifty, the moral, riginal fro
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.