Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-09-20
INpIA.s GREATNESS.
A Great Country whose vastness IL Und'
estimated In the West.

a Great Country whose Naatncaa - On0cf-
estimated in the West.
For eighty years at least writer's
have endeavored 10 bring homo TO the
outside world knowledge Of the vast
ness OF India, but so far as can be per-
coived have failed. The average man
reads what they say, learns up their
! figures, tries 10 understand their de-
scriptions, but falls, for all his labor,
20 realize what India is--a continent
large as Europe west OF the Vistula,
md with $4,000, 900 moro people, fuller
OF ancient nations, Of great cities, Of
varieties OF civilization, OF armies, no.
bilities, priesthoods, organizations Of
every conceivable purpose, from the
spreading OF great religions down TO
systematic murder. There are twice
as many Bengalese as there are
Frenchmen; the Hindostanese, prop
erly so called, outnumber the whites
In the United Statos; the Mahrattas
would fill Spain, the people OF the
Punjaub with Scinde are double the
population of Turkey, and / have
named four OF the more salient divisions.
Every thing is.on the same bewilder-
ing scale. The lighting peoples of In
dia, whose males are as big as our
selves, as brave as ourselves, and
more regardless OF death than our
selves, number at least 10000, 900,
equal TO Gibson's calculation Of the
population OF the Roman Empire.
There are 100000 trained brown SOL
diers in native service, OF whom we
hear perhaps nee in ten years, and
at least 1900. .00J men who think their
proper profession is arms, who would
live by arms II they could, and OF
whom we in England never hear n
word. II the Prussian conscription
were applied in India we should, with
out counting reserves or landwehr
or any force not summoned in
time OF peace, have 2,5O0,000
soldiers actually in barracks,
with 100000 recruits coming
up every year-a force with which not
only Asia but the world might be sub
dued. There are tens Of millions Of
prosperous peasants, whose hoardlngs
make India the grand absorbent Of the
precious metals, tens Of millions Of
peasants besides whose poverty fell
lahs or Sicilians or Connaught men
are rich; millions Of artisans, rang
ing from the men who build palaces
TO the men who, nearly naked and
almost without tools, do the humblest
work of the potter.
Every occupation which exists in
Europe also exists in India. The in
dustry OF the vast continuent never
ceases, for India, with population in
places packed beyond European pre-
cedent, imports nothing TO eat or
drink, and but for the Europeans
would import nothing whatever. She
IS sufficient TO herself for every thing
save silver. Amid these varied masses,
these 1000, 600, whose varied de-
scriptions would fill volumes, the tide
Of life flows as vigorously as in Eu-
rope. There is as much labor, as
much contention, as much ambition,
as much crime, as much variety Of
careers. hopes, fears and hatreds. 1t
is still possible to u moneyless Indian
TO become Vizier Of n dynasty older
than history, or Finance Minister of a
new Prince whose personal fortune in
hard cash is double that OF the late
Emperor William, or abbot OF mon
astery richer than Glastonbury ever
was, owner Of an estate that covers a
county, head OF a firm whose trans
actions may vie with those OF the
In rings or Bleichroders. One man,
Ju,e Pershad by name, fed and trans
ported the army which conquered the
Punjaub.-FOTtaightiy ReUieU.