New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-07-24
FOREIGN CITIZENS

A new complication has lately arisen no.
tween England and her Indian possessions in
the matter of taxes The London Spectator de.
clares the difficulty to lie in the vehement de-
sire of the Government to worry India into
civilization. Having the HindoO secure in the
palm of his hand, as it were, John Bull, with
a sort of purblind honest consciousness,
means to make the puppet dance after his
own enlightened and Christian fashion, lie
must have railroads, sewerage, public schools,
rational medical system. AS long as these
benefits were gifts free as sun or rain, the In.
dian was content to receive them in bis own
lazy fashion, as Indifferent and as thankless as
he would be for warmth or rain but when
he is compelled to pay for them, the matter
assumes different footing. Each new Vice.
roy wishes to distinguish his rule by new
reform; hence follows q new excuse for taxa.
ton, which the native has come to regard as
sheer robbery. The murmur OF discomfort
grows more threatening with every month,
Men even in England says Tie Spectator
"would fret under new rule year, and in
"India those who fret fight
The truth is, England is just now experien.
cling how much easier it is to conquer new
domnions than to assimlate and keep them.
Her hares have all been more easily caught
than cooked, to use her old homely adagc.
Perhaps, too, no people under heaven are so
untitled as the English to comprehend and
govern other nations alien from them in creed
blood, and habit. John Bull, whose god Is
precedent, stiff-necked in his logged bravery
and honesty, understands and atflliates with
John Bull and him only. The slow, sinuous,
sensuOus nature of the IIindOo, who does not
want civilization, is an incredible thing to him.
Given, he thinks, man With braip, blood, and
digestive Organs, and that man must exuIt III
steam-engines, shops, schools, work, and hurry.
lie may prefer rice to beef or chops, owing
to faulty education, but that is the only az
normal trait to be allowed him. After all bic
ages Of experience John Ball has not overcome
his perpetual surprise and indignation that the
ends OF the world do not produce other JOHN
Bulls precisely like himself.
There is good deal OF CHS English intoler.
ance among OurselSes-tOo much when we re-
member that our national health ald life de-
pend upon our having none of it. 1t is an easy
thing to be, as we boast ourselves, the City OF
Refuge for all people, a haven Ior " the Op.
pressed of every nation" But when the op-
pressed are here there is curious lack OF
charity for their pecularities, an utter forget
fulness of the fact that only subtle powerful
influences Of education and familiarity can
bring them into harmony with rs Or our civil
ization. No legislation will convert the Nor.
mon into Puritan, and no Iegaiized butche-
Iies make Christians Of the savage. There is
a wider difference between the races brought
here under one government than even between
the HindOO and Yorkshire peasant; but we
have here the all-powerfHl assimilating strength
OF contact to help us. The force OF cohesion
is weighty in mind as in matter. Still, this
very problem of government, which has proved
too much for England, from her lack OF phi
losophical foresight, is the rock ahead which
more than any other threatens our unity 1t
is worth our while to take warning by her
pyamDp.