The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-17
- oNr.Y EN NAmE.
rho IEaharajahs Of The Far East
bLcreIy OfhciaI Figureheads.

From the san francisco Chronicle.
An Indian maharajah is a peculiar com
bfrati5n of the most astounding exhibition
n wealth and poverty. When arrayed
FIR 81 levee or other important function he
il the most brilliant thing in the human
aa,h imaginable. He is glittering body
Gems fash from his turban, and their
rabts dance from his shoes. He is stolid
ansthetic, Indifferent to admiration and
c,nfenDtuous of his surroundings. He
n,vs his obeisance to the viceroy with
with punctilious politeness, and carries
himself as high-bred gentlemen should.
bui he bears in his heart little love for
fine EnCliShman, regarding with hatred
The man whom he acknowledges as
sy-crain because he is u very powerful
check on his rapacity and cruelty.
The late maharajah Of JaipUr was, per
hans. the most enlightened of all midas
rulers. but dark stories are told of the
essy way he eliminated from his path men
whose existence became a bOre-not to
themselves, but to him. He was, how
ever. a great friend to the Brahmins, and,
as they extOlled his generosity he
was very generous to the priests-he died
in the odor of sanctity. The maharajah
today is an heir to q large property under
an inexorable guardian. A political agent
whom he has to pay is practically the real
ruler. and so long as the maharaiah con-
tents himself with petty vices he is abso-
lutely free, but when he undertakes a
little wholesale Strengthening, such as
noisoning all his wives or sons or taxing
his subjects unduly, he is
very plainly made to understand
that the agent is responsible for the well
fare of his people and also for the maha-
Tsiah himself Not unnaturally the ma
haraiah objects to this kind of surveil-
lance. for in the good old days wives
were sewed up in sacks and thrown down
wells, entire families were butchered ana
men and women were put to exquisite
torture iii order to satisfy the maharaiah's
knowledge as to the power of human en-
durance Some times the agent, gener-
ally a militaryman, taxes the maharajah's
patience too severely and, like all maha-
raiahs, there is retaliation. The gaelzwar
of Baroda undertook to poison Col.
Edwards with powdered glass in the
colonel's matutinal sherbet The colonel
was warned and the gaelxwar had to
stand his trial for attempt to murder and
was defended by the famous Sergeant
Ballantyne.
NOT VENERATED BY WHITES.
The Indian maharaiah is not regarded
with veneration by the white residents of
India With the exception of the Maha-
rajah of Gwahor and the Nizam of Hy-
derabad they are rather objects OF ridi-
Cule. The Maharajah of GwaliOr was a
most warlike person, and was regarded
by all the petty potentates of Raiputana
as their leader 1t was said that he could
bring into the field 100000 men superbly
drilled and equipped He has still in his
employ an Italian family called the
Eiloses, who have served his ancestors
for many generations. GwaliOr was an
ardent admirer of the French nation and
fashioned the clothing of his troops after
that army, but Sedan wrought a change
in mis- mind and young Filos was dis
patched to Germany to study the art of
war from Teutonic point of view.
The wealthiest of the Rajputana royal
persOnages have houses in the city of
Agra, which was always a favorite with
the grand moguls. The Maharajah of
Bhurtpore keeps up handsome estab-
ljSnment there, and his arrival in Akber's
home is always announced with a salute
Il a maharaiah could be induced to leave
India and visit America the very first
question he would probably put would be,
how many guns Will they give meR' If
the enterprislng residents of Chicago
would make an offer to the ruler of Kash
mir, whose Jewels are marvelously beauti
1ul Of q salute Of tWenty-one guns when
he arrived in Chicago and twenty-one
guns each time he visited the exposition
grounds there is no doubt the people of
the United States would see u most alb
surd collection of human beings.
The jealousy of one maharajah for an
other is astounding, and had IL not been
for the knowledge that summary steps
would have been taken il blood had been
spilled nothing could have prevented these
potly kings from cutting each others
thloats when they were summoned to
meet the Prince OF Wales at Agra. The
maharajah of Kashmir sullzed for several
days III ms quarters when he learned that
Ehartpur, who was only a third-ratc chief,
had larger retinue than he had, and
IL was with considerable difficulty he was
prevailed upon TO stay. Every cent the
mdilaI1a COUld conveniently lay hands
upon was taken in order to make a
formidable presence at the Prince of
Wales levee. The train that follows
n@haraiah's person is astonishing. kash-
MI IhUSJ nave brought at leGSt 500 men
ana women TO Agra from his distant CAPT
ga4 OF SlrinaGar. His bOdyguard would
nave put 10 shame Falstaff's regiment.
Inc horses were so weak from their long
march that they could hardly stand, and
I4elr riders were dressed in the most
Qlzarro fashion. 1t was not to be won
oered az that the Kashmirian king felt
Jealous Of the spick-and-span look of his
brothers household troops; but there
was immense consolation in the sound of
an extra gun or so booming in his honor
FOND OF OUTWARD DISPLAY.
Lord Lawrence well understood this
Phase OF Hindustan character. During
Ile indian mutiny he was sent to the
Punl9ub and given carte blanche to
promise everything and anything to the
ruilng spirit there in order to keep the
province loyal He bought their adhesion
cheaply with the offers of an additional
gun. Probably there are no people who
are more devoted 10 outward display than
1nGSe kings. 1t is nataral it should be 50.
Inc English have stripped them of their
prestige and have fashioned them into
Vhelr playthings. They are brought out on
grand otHcial occasions, guns are fired
N tnelr honor when they enter British
territory soldiers present arms all this is
Gone to make them believe they are yet
Kings in actuality; but here the semb-
lance ceases-beyond that they have no
power. Little sympathy is felt, however,
ny Jne Englishman for the native who
HVes imam alleged independent kingdom.
ne Is an insolent rascal and he plainly
iels you understand the white man is not
ms slrkar, though when his sirkar plum
uers his home and strips him of his orna-
menCs he Is ready to fly to British terri
loiY and lmplore the strength of the good
ana Just white man against the rapaciOus
c Ton 4.