Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1893-12-29
VICEROY OF INDIA.
His Position Surpassed in Gran
deur by Few Rulers.
How the Indian Empire Is Governed-A
Task Requiring Rare Tact and Cool
!, Judgment-LordL ansdowne's
, Successor

: It was no easy matter for Mr.. Glad
stone to find an acceptable successor
to the marquis of Lansdowne as viceroy
of India. Custom requires that the
governor general shall be member of
the house of lords of high rank; and it
is the practice of English premiers to
appoint one of their own party.
1t happens that the question of Irish
home rule has driven from Mr.. Glad
stones support almost every peer of
the realm except those who were
created peers by him, and those who
hold Office in his government. The
earl of Elgin, upon whom the vice
royalty has been conferred, is one of
eight lords only whom the London
Times enumerated as having voted for
home rule who were under no obliga-
ton to Mr.. Gladstone.
The position was first offered to Sir
Henry Norman, a soldier of great ex-
perience, and accepted by him. But
the appointment was not well received,
and as the health of Sir Henry was
really not good he assigned that--one
true reason, no doubt-for changing
his mind and declining the office.
Little interest is felt in this country
in the government of India. Yet, says
the Youths Companion, the viceroy
rules over one-fifth of the human race,
subject to a certain control by the
home government, and occupies po-
sition surpassed in grandeur by only
four rulers, the queen of England, the
emperors of Germany and Russia and
the president of the United States.
The task of governing India is one Of
great difficulty, owing to the vast eX
tent of territory, the number of lately
independent and still mutually hostile
states which make up the empire, an6
the difference of race and religion o.
the people.
How are these three hundred mil
lions governed? Roughly speaking
by fifteen hundred English gentlemen
dred officers who constitute the i'm
perial service, or in other words are
the empire. Behind them is an army
of two hundred and fifty Thousand
men, of whom two-thirds are native
troops-se thousand only be
ing English soldiers.
With this force they have held il
check the turbulent races SO well that
as a native prince said, not long ago
ga shot has not been fired in India TO
five and thirty years" 1t takes twelve
millions of armed men to keep the ma
lions of Christian Europe from flying
at each others Threats. If the stand
ing army of heather India was a
large in proportion, there would b
forty soldiers where now there is one
1t would be a mistake, however, t,
suppose that all governing powers ar
absorbed by these fifteen hundred for
eigners with the viceroy at their head
They constitute the supreme control
ling body, but practically the admins
trat1on of India is in the hands of tn
natives of the country.
The clerkships exclusively and tn
great majority of revenue and judicia
offices are held by them, while nearl
third of the peninsula consists G
semi-independent states in which th
whole machinery of the government
in the hands of native princes, unde
the guidance of a single British res
dent.
It is the proud and truthful boast c
England, amply confirmed by nativ
testimony, that her Indian empire
ruled by men absolutely free from COZ
ruption, the bane of oriental ruler!
never willfully oppressive and VIII
rarely blunder. Their marvellous SUI
cess is shown by the prosperity of tn
country which they govern.
During the last decade the popul;
ton has increased greatly, and tn
wealth and commerce of the countr
still more. Railroads., canals, schoo-
and other accomplishments of wester
civilization have been introduced on
large scale.
Upon the new viceroy it will rest, E
much as it can upon any enc man,
carry on this grand civilizing work, t
maintain this pdr Britannica by whic
the sum of human happiness within
generations life has been so largel