The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-19
Trades~nntonisin m India.
II, ni1 La ia. Rn,rinxx l n


believe that among no people on the
face OF the earth does combination e3ist
so universally and in such strength az is
exists among the races which inhabit
Hindustan. The peculiar social system
known as caste is huge series of extra
ordinarily powerful combinations. Caste
IS often spoken of in this country as
though 1t were an exclusively religions
phase of Hinduism. Even if it were 10.
it would still be evidence of strong CON
bination, because the system which en-
ables each section of the community.
though Of the same race and the SAM
religion as the other sections of the sam6
community, to maintain customs different
from theirs, to regulate social intercourse
in the minutest details, and to so far dis
regard passion and its impulses as to sucv
cessfully prohibit marriages out of it,
own section, shows from whatever eauses)S
a unity of purpose and an obedience TO-
some influence, compared with which the
power exerted by the best organized
trades-union in England is as nothing.
The combination that exists in India,
however, is not one which affects exclu-
sively folk and faith, kinship and worship.
As recommended by Menoo, professiona
and trades have become hereditary; and
thus also castes have been formed. There
are, therefore, trade castles, profcssionS
castles, and calling castes. Take, as an
instance, the coppersmith caste. | do
not propose to discuss here the peculiar
habits and customs of this estate. That
is foreign to my subject, but it is relevant
to point out that by the powerful combi-
nation which exists among the copper
smiths they are able to command
higher price for their commodities than
they could obtain without such reliance
on their customs. They are able to do
more than this; they are able to do what
an English trades-union seldom, if ever,
accomplishes-they are able to get Il
higher price for their commodities than
they could obtain in what is called
free market. Any one who has been in
the habit of making purchases in the
coppersmiths' bazars in Bombay, Be.
mares, or other Indian city, knows very
well that the traders are able to
maintain two prices for the same
article; one which they ask and
receive from the poorly-paid native
another, higher price, which they de.
mand from the well-paid European.
This plan is not adopted and pursued
surreptitiously. 1t is openly acknowl.
edged, confessed, and defended with
charming naivete. 1t is true that some
Europeans long resident in India are, by
patronizing nonchalance, able to pere
suade the coppersmith to sell to them
and their friends at native prices;. but
such transactions are regarded on both
sides as favors, and not unfrequently
some additional consideration other
than money is expected from the buyer
by the salesman. Sometimes, too, there
are what Trades Unionists would call
black sheep, who will sell secretly to
Europeans at native prices in order to
force sale; but the instances are COM
paratively rare, and do not affect any
general observation. The essential prin-
ciples of caste may often be deviated
from, both in trade and religion, Gas the
essential principles of Christianity and
fair dealing are often neglected in this
country, but the fact that the system I
have mentioned is the fiction or tradition
of the caste, establishes, rather than
otherwise, what have written.