, 1866-10-05

IFOU1 tl6IT usual CUuES0 Lldy tnICdtCuS
In this country private foresight, energy,
and enterprise may be confidently trust
ed to discern betimes, and to prevent, as
far as it may be prevented, coming evil.
But in India this policy is inapplicable.
The Government must initiate, construct,
and superintend all public works required
for the steady development of It's natural
our and must devise and execute
all exceptional plans called for by the
occasional exigencies of the people.
The connection between supply and de-
mand does not invariably hold good with
Orientals, and self-regulative principles
are too much in advance Of their condi-
ton to be securely rested upon. We do
not place children under the same dis
ciplinary system as adults, nor can we
reasonably throw upon the former the
responsibilities which we feel bound TO
devolve upon the latter. In India it is
necessary that the ruling authority should
be, in many economical respects, the
eye, the hand, and the brain Of the COM
munity. A p%aternal despotism-and no
higher form of Government can yet be
established there's hampered by fewer
restrictions, but is also charged with
more and weightier obligations than a
constitutional aud representative regime;
and, to a very considerable extent, must
recognise itself as answerabIe for the
prosperity and progress of its subjects.
1t is necessary to insist upon this princi-
pie in passing judgment on Indian affairs,
otherwise we shall be very apt to shift
to the helpless multitude, or TO attribute
TO an inscrutabIe Providence, the blame
which more properly belongs to a careless
administration of public affairs.
The famine which is now sweeping off
its thousands a week affects the south
western portion Of Bengal and the north
ernmost district of the Madras Presidency,
which is contentious with it. Midna-
pore, Balasore, and Cuttack seem TO be
the districts of Orissa most fatally RAJ
vaged by the terrible scourge. 1t is
spreading, however, in all directions, and
may be said 10 have its vedetteS in the
city of Madras and TO be pushing south
ward with great rapidity. 1t is now
nearly twelve months since its march
commenced, and, with the exception of a
temporary check in December last, it has
been advancing up to the present time.
The failure of the last autumn crop, the
Suuueu uepIeClutAOH III INC value OF Tue
precious metals, and the enormous rise in
the price of food, warned the authorities
of the suffering that might be expected.
The December crop fell far below the
average and, although it mitigated dis
tress for a month or two, the prospect in
February was as gloomy as ever. Local
pressure was put upon the Government of
Bengal, bat to little purpose. The pub
lie at Calcutta began to subscribe with
their wonted liberality. The Chamber
of Commerce held itself ready to form a
great central committee of relief. There
remained an unspent balance of 962,5OO
of the Northwest Famine Fund, collect
ed in 1901. There was no lack of
money. There was no lack of rice, in
other parts of the peninsula. There
needed nothing but organisation to con-
vey food from one quarter to another,
and to distribute it among the starving
people at lis ordinary cost. But, unhap-
PLY, the Bengal Government took ano-
Their view of the nature of the crisis, and
of the ~pecuniary steps it demanded. It
discouraged the further exercise of liber-
ality on the part of the public it threw