The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-26

r. Marion Crawford Gives an Account OF
His Life in India.

One Of Rudyard Kipling's best stories
is 1.-THE Man Who Would Be King" and
one OF the best passages in that story
is his description OF himself as the man
| aging editor bending over the forms OF
| his newspaper in the thick. damp heat
| of an Indian morning when the mutilated
tramp from Pamir staggers in and tells
his tale. In many others of kipiing's
stories are illusions to Journalism In
India, though they are merely incidental
touches. effective in their places. but
not telling much about the profession.
F. Marion Crawford, who has been Civ
ing authors readings recently at Days
| Theatre, is another writer whose lite
rary fame was established by descrip-
lions Of Indian life. and, singularly
| enough. he, as well as Kipling. gathered
the material for his early work while
running a newspaper in what the younger
| writer has termed with more truth and
force than elegance Hell with the lid
off"
Crawford, as we'll as Kipling. has not
told hitherto much of his journalistic
experience in India. Before he had writ
ten MI ~Isaacs' and become famous,
he was tempted by the offer Of good pay
to go out TO Aliahabad. the sacred city
Of India, and take charge OF a new jour
nal Just founded by a number Of English
Liberals who differed i'm politics from
Lord Lytton. then the Viceroy of India.
They wished to have a newspaper in
which to express their own opinions, and
the young American was to help them
make IL a success.
Journalism in India and In this coun-
try are not the same thing" said Mr..
Crawford the other day. Such a news
service as you ave here, or anything
remotely comparing with IL. is unknown.
The newspapers there follow the English
model, though. Of course, they are very
feeble limitations. About the only things
they care for are the political news and
news from Europe. They watch especial
ly for the latter, which comes In chiefly
by mail. The mail from England is
and they use as much as they
can in the newspapers.
1.-The political news Is given out by the
Government. and the journals dare not
publish any more than is given to them.
Formerly there was a kind OF a press
censor. / do not know whether or not
he has been abolished.
but to get a good idea OF English jour
nalism in the smaller Indian cities you
must picture II as II is In some Of the
frontier towns in this country. without
mechanical appliances, conveniences for
iA6 ~ ohS hA@ NtC "ANN
ever.
When / arrived at Allahabad I found
the newspaper in charge of two or three
half castles, who were marvels Of igno-
rance and ~incapacity. OF course, / got
rid Of them as soon as possible. | had
a hand press at first. but l struggled on
as hest 1 could. l worked like a slave
twelve or fourteen hours a day"
Mr.. Crawford's paper did not succeed.
-. " H. 4 $780,
for him. as he gathered there the mate
his literary reputation.
at is a very difficult thing to establish
a newspaper In India" he said. 1.-THE
English like their old journals, those
that they already know. They stick to
their ~favorites and look upon a newcomer
with fear and distrust. Some of those
that have been established a long time
make considerable money"
Mr.. Crawford says that Kipling's pic
lures OF the desolation. the monotony
and the despair Of life in India are not
overdrawn.
'It is not a country for white men"
he said. In the majority Of cases they
are cut off from what they value most.
and the unhealthy climate is added TO
their other burdens. The heat Is terrific.
In my Office at Allahabad the mercury
has stood at lis degrees. though the
heat was shut out at the windows by mat
tings kept constantly damp and fans were
kept going all the time. Yet coming into
Il from the open air that room. with its
temperature of lis degrees, seemed cold.
From that you can imagine what the
heat in India is"
MIR. Crawford agrees with kipling In
his opinion of the educated native.
1.-The educated native as you see him
in Bengal" he said. "is a monstrosity.
I regard II as impossible to graft the
civilization OF the West upon the East.
They are not adapted TO 1t there, and
the attempt TO make Europeans out OF
the Hlndoos has been a failure. The Hin
docs are not a very admirable race. The
Mohammedans In India are very differ
ent. They are a fine, manly people. and
hold up their heads. The Hindoo nature
is sly and cunning. but not so the Mo-
hammedan."
Mr.. Crawford has written novels OF
Indian, Persian. German and Italian
life, and his pen may yet complete the
circle of the earth. But he says that In
dia has impressed his imagination the
most OF all countries. Nowhere else
Is the sense of vagueness. mystery and
the vast age of the world so great.-New
York World.