Page:Arthur Cotton - The Madras Famine - 1898.djvu/17

 very assuring and abundance of Cholum straw will be obtained. As the inevitable loss of the cattle from want of grass or straw is the worst feature of the Famine, that which we save below the Canal will be a very great boon to the country. It is probable that the ryots under the Canal will save most of their cattle, and thus be able to resume work on the first appearance of rain; elsewhere in the district it is probable that much land will lie idle, as nearly all the cattle will be dead.” Again; “there is little doubt that the Canal water affects the health of the people considerably. When procurable, Canal water is always preferred to well water; some villagers are in the habit of going two miles for it. While in camp I was unable to find a well in any village containing water fit to drink. In Canagoodoor, though greatly in want of a drink, I was compelled to abstain from drinking the water from three wells as the taste of each was filthy.” Think of all this in the midst of an utter desert, solely from the Irrigation works, and not a word about it in any one of the speeches on the Famine! How can we possibly mistake in concluding that there is something wrong, where such a monstrous absurdity is met with as this? What can it mean that in these so called discussions, the one vital point of the whole matter is omitted? I must insist upon this because it is really the essential point. Here is positive proof of an intense anxiety to lead the public away from the one clue to the solution of the question. Only omit the word Water, and the whole subject is entirely falsified. Only omit the fact that in the midst of this desert there are several districts in the very highest state of prosperity, revelling in abundance of food, and in wealth, by far the most prosperous districts in all India, paying enormous revenue, £600,000 a year each, three times what the other districts throughout India are paying, only omit these things and the public are completely deceived. And this is the real state of the case. One terrible feature of the time is that the leading journals are in the conspiracy. I have sent letters containing these facts to the Times, The Daily News, The