The Labor enquirer., 1885-04-18
lNDIA,s BLOOD.
] The English Government me s Suck
4 ing the Substance ofithe
b9ls91sta Indian Workers N aee
English Workmen Called Upon
to Fight for the Privilege Of
difH 3sm Class Plunder. gqg|sH
The Same Selfish Glass Starves and
Crushss the People of India and
d I9filt the Workers Of England. iaad /

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From ustice.H 9Gf 10 bag sdt IS bHit5d
In my last article showed how thor.
oughly the upper and middle classes are
bound over to retain India by their
own interests and therefore how impos-
sibIe 1t is for them to regard the ques-
ton Of withdrawal OF the granting of
largely increased power to the natives
over 9theird own country except from q
selfish point Of view Ifiany attempt is
made to lessen the amount of the tribute
which we exact from India they must
bear the loss; if fewer posts Of profit are
left for Europeans, they have so many
outlets the less for their sons ifnatives
are allowed to arrange the tariff they may
be deprived of rdarke for their cheap
{and nasty cottons.a CensequentlyiIt is
hopeless to hopelessto to expect any JUS
tice to India from the dominant class at
home o.. 10 "'-'. ,n' y .-'..+."
Bnt what does this mean? At present,
and it cannot be too often repeated, we
take out of India, year by year, without
any commercial return whatsoever, agri-
cultural and other produce to the
amount of nearly ego, 100000 a year.
The most optimist of finance ministers
admitted that the draft did not amount
to less than E20000,000 year. This
vast sum represents interest on rail-
WAYS and other ublic works, home
charges including pensions and salaries,
and private profits on trade, manufac-
ture, and agriculture in India carried ON
by Englishmen, ~
Now if India were rich country this
would be a severe strain upon its re-
sources going on, year in and year out
in bad seasons and good seasons alike
But India is very poor country and its
people are taxed in proportion to their
income more heavily than in any Euro,
pean country. When Mr.. J. K. Cross
SAYS that India is lightly taxed, he
either ignorantly misrepresents or will
fully falsifes the facts. The average in,
come of an Indian family of FIVE person
does not exceed e7 10 or eS year. Out
of this pittance not less than e1 to FL IS
is taken for purposes of government
And of the amount so taken three-fifths
is sent away out of the country. What
would be said if one-seventh Of the en-
tire income of England (more than the
total agricultural and municipal rent Of
Great Britain as that would mean), were
taken and sent over to France; if be
sides there were French prefects In
every English county and city anc
French officials on all the railways
Undoubtedly we should not stand i
quietly for a month. There would bt
insurrection after insurrection, no mat
ter at what risk of defeat. In India in
surrection has been hopeless of lat.
years; but is that any reason why WI
should continue this remorseless rob
berry? I say no. and appeal to th'
workers to say no with infinitely create
effect. For the result is that the people
for whose welfare we are responsible
are being ground to the dust. Starva
ton and famine have become chronic
throughout our great territory, the sol
is being utterly exhausted, and fearfu
econ omlcal catastrophe threatens. Il
=. India the very poorest class pays tn
bulk of the taxation, and that taxation
as have said, is grievous to be borne.
Nowif our countrymen at home wer
benefited by all this cold economics
cruelty We might perhaps hesitate to in
lure them for thesake of helping Indif
immoral though such view would reall
be. But let any man go to the town
which supply the Indian market wit
cotton goods. WhatswiH he find? Tha
our own workers are cut down to tn
lowest possible wages, that their wiVe
die young, their, children suffer fror
disease and degeneration. Read the IT
ports of the certifying surgeons in tn
Blue Books, and, then understand whs
our working cotton spinners and weaver
gain by the Indian trade. The sam
selfish class which starves and crushe
the people of India, starves and crushe
then our own working countrymen 6
: home.
y And now, you, the workingmen
England, are called upon to fight for th
: privilege of class plunder, and to mair
tain for the bureaucrat and the adultel
3 ating profthonger the right to enslav
f; in the name of freedom at home an
abroad. And you will have to pay fc
7 it too. For India is now made bankruf
by this ceaseless depletion Of her wealth
: Even the present finance minister, 81
81 Auckland 7Goluin, a man whose famil
has preYed upon India for three geners
: tions, isobligedG to confess that the ou
r Hook is gloomy all round and thas th
: bankruptcy is close at hand. Are syo
r prepared then to pay,cI ask you men I
r England, in order that the class whic
s rob you shall continue to rob them
Q Are you prepared also to fight that tn
8 class which spurns you should oppre:
!, them 2t.a3 n .3u ,r&ne7 set@ a.r.. =
ID i Fight Russia yes in good cause, an
1toooyefthrow a shameful tyranny, bt
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