The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-07-22
The Equality Question in British India.

The Equality Question in British India.
Although the report Of Lord RIPoN's res
ignation. which was lately telegraphed from
Calcutta, has been denied, such action on the
part Of the present Viceroy OF India Is not ut
all improbable. His efforts to insure to the
natives something like equality before the
law, and to foster the habit Of local self-gov-
eminent, have met, indeed with the approval
Of the Colonial Secretary, but they have pro-
voked storm Of remonstrance on the part
Of Anglo Indians, and they are likely to be
discountenanced by the House OF Commons.
At all events, the ILBERT bill, which pro-
poses to give native magistrates jurisdiction
over Englishmen. Is certain to be rejected.
So far as the furtherance Of local sef-gov-
eminent Is concerned, Lord RIPON cannot be
said to have invented the policy, for 1t was
advocated In an emphatic way nearly twenty
years ago by Lord LAWRENCE. who had a
moro thorough knowledge Of the country he
governed than any Anglo-Indian ruler since
WARREN HASTINGS. Lord LAWRENCE pro-
nounced 1.-THE people Of India perfectly ca
pable Of administering their own local Of
fairs" and tho system Of decentralization
which he recommended was carried out, to
q considerable extent, by Lord MAYO and
Lord NORTHBRoOK. municipal councils be-
ing instituted In many OF the large cities,
and the Vice. Presideucies being made virtu
ally independent OF Calcutta authority Us re-
CARDS fiscal administration. All that Lord
RIPON has proposed to do in this direction
Is to apply more extensively plan which
thus far has worked well. by encouraging
the formation Of local governments in the
towns and village communities.
This expansion OF the scheme Of self-rule
has commended itself to all the Vice-Prcsi-
Dental Governments. and In tho central
provinces arrangements have been made
for the immediate introduction Of elective
Boards in many places intrusted with the
collection and disbursement Of money for
local purposes. But while some Of the
higher functionaries concur with Lord RIPoN
in favoring the adoption Of conscientious
view OF England's relation to her great de-
tendency, the mass OF offlceholders and Of
the Anglo-Indian residents still argue from
the assumption that India was conquered
and is retained for no other purpose than
the emolument Of impecunious British
youth. These men scoff at the notion that
the United Kingdom has assumed an awful
responsibility toward the teeming popula-
ton OF British India, and that she cannot
evade the duty Of gradually fitting her Hin
du subjects for the functions which devolve
on citizens In every enlightened land. One
Of their objections to the local government
plan is that persons capable Of performing
the duties arc not to be found; to which
the answer Ia that where the experiment
has been tried, as in the central provinces
no serious difficulty has been experienced.
Besides, 1t is not expected that efficient local
administrators will be forthcoming in India
as promptly as In countries where the habit
Of self-rule has been formed. Another
objection Is that II the local duties hitherto
discharged by Anglo-Indian collectors mag
istrates, and other officials are taken out OF
their hands, their influence and authority
will be materially impaired. Undoubtedly
the new system Is exceedingly distasteful to
the petty despots, but, according to Lord
LAWRENCE and other subsequent Viceroys,
| 1t has long been urgently requisite TO curtail
tho arbitrary powers exercised in remote
districts by local magnates.
It Is possible that the extension Of local
Enforcement might 60 on. notwithstand-
ing the retirement Of Lord RIPoN. but his
resignation would indisputably mean the
abandonment Of the offensive change in legis-
lation whereby native Judges would be given
jurisdiction over Englshmen. The ILBERT
bill, which Is before Parliament, does not, in
deed, propose that all native magistrates
should have the power to try and sentence
AnglO-I Indians, but only certain selected
ones. 1t Is said that, as a matter offact, II the
bill were carried it would at present admit
only two persons to this Jurisdiction. and that
three or four years would elapse before their
number would be increased to five. More.
over, even In the Mofussil or country dis.
tricts, In some Of which the native magis.
trates would be invested with the now pow.
ers, Ango-Indians would still retain the
right Of appeal, the right to q mixed jury
and the privileges Of the Habeas Corpus act
In these circumstances 1t seems astonishing
that q concession which Is only the logica
outcome Of the large-minded policy which
on the WHOLE has been followed for the last
twenty years, should have excited such
universal resentment and misgiving IL
Anglo-Indlan society. Indignant pro
tests against the measure have beer
expressed by the Chambers OF Com
merce at Calcutta, Madras. and Bombay
extreme bitterness and rancor have been OK
hibited at public meetings held by European
residents throughout the country. and 1t ha!
been proposed as significant proof OF pub
lie sentiment that the whole body OF voun
teers should resign. There Ia no doubt tina
the feeling OF apprehension. amounting al
most to panic, is shared by an enormous
majority Of the offlceholders, military ant
civil, as well as by the whole non-officia
English population Of India. Some militar!
authorities, for example. have asserted tina
II the Jurisdiction conferred by the ILBER
bill were exercised over one OF thei
men 1t would DO impossible to con
troll their regiments. The fever OF ex
element into which the Anglo-India
residents have been thrown by q projec
whose immediate results would be inconsid
cradle, has naturally given the native popu
lation an exaggerated idea Of the importanc
OF the privileges which the Government
wishes to bestow on them. and many OF tn
most ignorant class attribute the concession
not to love OF equity, but fear. 1t has late
ly been noticed, even at Simla, which, In he