The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-04-10
Enxli.h Rule In India.

IL is u nOtOrlOuS TACT tn;tt tne eNpeuSe vi
British rule in India is something enorm-
Gus, and forms a crushing incubus on the
country. The population is roughly esti-
mated at a hundred and ninety millions,
and the average taxation last year in vari-
Gus ways amounted to three and three
fourth shillings English) per head. The
gross production of India for the same
time averaged tbirty-one and half shill-
ings per head, SO that the taxes took twelve
per cent of the product. These figures
alone are enormous; and when we add the
opium impost and the local and municipal
taxes, there is an aggregate of nearly fifty
million pounds, or two hundred and fifty
million dollars. In 1857 the total was
only about half the above amount; there
has been no increase of population, and
though the railways have caused a
development in many parts of the
country, it has net kept pace with
the expenditure. According to high au-
thorities, India is every year poorer and
poorer. The land tax is a burden so great
that the cultivation of the soil does not
always enable cultivator to Optain the
commonest necessities for himself and
family, and the condition of the day Ia
borer is pitiful in the extreme. The great
mass of the people are in a condition of
the most wretched poverty, want in all its
forms stares you constantly in the face,
and the only way for u traveller in India
to escape the sight of ii is to sail away
to some other lend. OF all the countries
on the globe l have ever visited, India is
the one least care to see again and largely
for the reason given in the preceding SEN
tence. In two widely separated parts Of
the great peninsula l saw people dying
of famine, and their gaunt and haggard
forms rise before me all too often to make
-, T1,.,S
India has reached the highest point of
taxs ton is loudly proclaimed by both ma
tive and English residents, and not few
Englishmen predict her bankruptcy be-
fore many years shall have rolled away.
A great portion of the natives are in
different to the foreign rule, and some are
warmly in favor of it, especially those
who hold offices of greater or less import
ance, and receive revenue from them.
On the other hand, think there can be
no question that there is great hostility TO
the British authority, and if the way were
open TO a revolt, with a promise Of sue
cess, it would be speedily forthcoming.
Several of the native princes, still occupy
inS their thrones, maintain armies of their
own. which are regarded with no friendly
| eye by the government. Numerically, at
| least on paper, these armies are stronger
| than the whole British force, native and
foreign, but their equipment, organization
and discipline are far inferior, so that they
are not considered formidable. Tie
most important of these native forces
are those of Sindia and the Nizan: both
these rulers are on the best of terms, fOI
the present at any rate, with the British
Sindia, who holds the rank of general, has
offered his army To the government for d
Russian or an Afghan war. Many OF
the smaller rulers are not so well disposed
and are only held in checks because they
know that insubordination would take
away what little power they possess. Thai
there is an under-currento of hostility had
various opportunities of knowing. Sev
eral times l had conversations with na
tive gentlemen-some of them the resul,
of introductions by English residents
the rulers of the land. In these instances
which i can not specify without
violation of confidence, either asked
or tacitly implied. the list of griev
ances included the enormous taxation
arbitrary enactments of an oppressive
character, national and individual AFRO
gance, together with other things NOR
sentimental than practical. The English
in India leave no doubt TO exist that they
are the ruling race, and the meanest tramI
among them considers himself of mort
importance and better by blood and birth
that the highest native prince. 1t is nC
wonder that the natives should chafe un
der the yoke, especially when they in turr
consider themselves the superiors in poin
of race and religion, and boast an antiqui
ty far beyond that of the invader. You
servant who will not touch, through feal
of pollution, the food you eat, can not hold
you in great respect.-[ Harper's Maya
zine.