The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-18
THE SUN, SUNDAY, JUNE ls, 1893.


might .ay miserable existence We. IT'S rulers are
At our wits end to devise new source, Of revenue"
Lord RIpoS. when Governor-Generals said
"Ths poverty of the people of india fact that /,
notorious"
J. SEYMOUR KEAY. In "The spoliation Of
india" says:
-Tne fsilacy that enlarged exports imply increased
production has been repeatedly exploded with regard
to India In the midst OF great fhmines in India
ports of food have not only continued but actually
more ssed in volume from the districts Affected con.
sequenty the foreign drain 10 simply met by stintins
the food OF her people more and more"
Mr.. j. GEDDEs, an experienced officer OF
the Bengal Civil Service. testified as follows
before the committee inquirlng into the
Orlssa famine. speaking OF the starving
peasants having to sell their food to meet the
land tax. which virtually Is the rent:
Increasing exports arc by no means a conclusive
test OF tho prosperity of 1niia often tho very
verse OF prosperity, because tho exports largely
compulsory. The province Of Orissa was depleted of
produce which was exported to pay the Government
taxes The increase Of crops intended for export snoh
as cotton opium. and indigo intereres with tho neces
sary production OF food for tho people
Tho enhancement OF the price flood 10 very largely
due TO the necessity of deporting great deal Of the
country produce to pay for tho loss in the Govern
ments guaranteeing the dividends Of the railways"
The late Sir JAMES CARD. one OF the Brit
ish Commission to inquire into the famine
OF 1867 that carried Off 5.25O.O0O people, in
officially reporting upon the condition OF
India subsequent to the construction OF
many thousand miles OF railways there,
said this:
q
Qndnn) external trade during part OF the time
ds7oSo) put forth as proof OF tho prosperity Of agr
culture appears to have had beneficial effect upon
the land revenue. which only increased from $685.
100000 70 sos 1000 in the ten May this not
rather show that the railways carrying OIL moro
than Is safe for the agricultural class to part wthr
AS tho rate OF the land tax Is seldom or
never lowered. but often increased. in In
dia. such an increase Of tho revenue would
indicate that the area under cultivation had
increased less than three per cent. although
population increased much more In the
period named.
In discussing the constant danger Of
famine among the Indian peoples in his
India: The Land and the People," Sir
JAMES says this:
"The people, as rule. 1.-Two close upon the edge Of
want that constant watchfuiness upon the part Of
those charged with their governnenD Is necessary"
And In speaking of the.@istrict Of Ulwar.
with its 100000 people. he tells US:
There are three classes OF people in this State.
distinguished by their food in tho proportion of four
sixteen. and eighty in each 100, Tho nrst u per
cent consume. eihow sia,. milk porrdge CHI sugar.
and good nour. The second 90 per oonL) have butter
miikporridgs little CHI. no sugar. and only coarss
grain Tho third $50 per cent) have only WATERPROOF.
ridge aud coarse grain. Coolies Qaborers earn cents
day. carpenters IL cents. and masons 10 cents"
The acknowledgements OF Bengal re-
Gently said:
-IIalt our agricultural population never know from
years end years end what 1T is their hunger
fully satisfied"
The author o." Irrigated India" remarks:
moved but tho pressure of population remainn There
arc in Madras Pesdeuoy) 10000 900 people who live
upon average OF one haifpenny per day tho earn.
ings Of a family Of i've persons amounting to but
eighteen pence per week"
India's greatest statistical authority. Sir
W. W. HUNTER. long prominently identt-
fed with the government OF that country.
says in "England's Work in India"
Fully one.hfth OF the people of India 90 through
their entire lives on insufficient food"
And in his Indian Empire" we are told
"Thc Famine Commissioners reported in 1880 that
over 100000 OF the peasant holdings of Bengal or
twothrds OF tho whole. averaged from two to three
acres apiece. Allowing only four to tho hold.
Ing fer men and children. this represents n
population of "a 100000 struggling TO live of l5ooa-
600 acres or a little over half apiece.
I'VE see therefore. in India. dense population of
husbandmen. Wherever their numbers exceed ono to
tho aero $40 the square mIe tho struggle for
tstence becomes hard AZ half an acre apiece that
struggle is terribly hard. - II all the poorer
classes OF India ate two full meals every day. the sur
plus for export would be much less than now.'
After discussing and conceding tho grad
ual and general deterioration of the soils OF
India, by reason OF continued cropping with
out fertilization. Sir w. w. HUNTER says:
wheat land In the Northwest Provinces that now
gives fourteen bushels aero yielded nineteen in
| the reign OF AKBAh"
Tho Administration for the Provinces
OF the Punjab" for 1882 reports:
"The increase OF tho under crops for exporta-
ton has caused adecrease of that under barley and
grain which the principal food OF the mass of the
population"
In the report OF the "Deccan Ryots Com
mission" is found the census Of 219 villages.
showing that In consequence OF the dimin-
ished fertility of the soil, tho number OF
cattle, sheep. and goats had decreased 19
per cent. in thirty years. and the Commits
sion tells US:
"Itwillth be that whilo increasing population
demands more from tho land than 1t yielded thirty
years ago conditions Of agriculture have not tended
| to increase its fertility"
A potent cause OF the diminishing product
| of the fields OF India Is to be found In the
| fact that the draught animals are ex-
clusively cattle. SirJAMEs CARD said there
| is not cart horse in India. and tho only
| fuel available. alike in town and rural dis
trict, outside a few largo cities. is tho drop
| ings OF cattle. This precludes tho employ
ment of the natural fertilizer. and others
| are unavailable or wholly unknown
Probably the most direct cause OF the I'M
exampled poverty Of tho Indian populations
is that practice. as old as Hindu civilization
OF dividing the property, or right OF occu'
pancy. equally among tho sons. The con-
sequence is stated by Sir JAMES CARD: