Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-12-24
Royal Tomb Near Delhi.


CeylOn and other portion of India,
while this wind blows, the percipita-
tion, perhaps, exceeding that Of any
other coast in the world. The north
western monsoon, commencing about
the third week in October, brings rain
from the Bay Of Bengal along the east
coast of India, and during this season
the opposite, or west coast, has fair
weather and agreeable temperature.
There is little rain from December till
June, and during this time the heat is
excessive, the uplands are parched,
and the soil baked to the hardness Of
stone. The mOnsOOns are, therefore,
the salvation of India, but when these
winds fail, as sometimes they do, from
meteOroligal causes as yet little un-
derstood, the farmer is unable to plant.
or, If he does the seed lies in the soil
without terminating, and the distress
for food becomes general.
The horrors of Il famine, when so
many millions are involved, can hardly
be imagined; but terrible as they are,
they were much worse before the Eng
fish occupation than they are to-day.
Before the coming Of the English the
country was divided into many states,
under petty rulers, who, with genuine
Oriental severity, cared for their peO-
pie only to the extent of forcing FROM
them the last possible pie" or quar-
ter Of a cent. When the time of plenty
came, a considerable part of the poor
peoples substance was exhausted in
the payment Of taxes; when the mon
fOfloH on1 famine inipnI hn do
with pestilence to stalk across the
land, the rulers made no provisions
whatever indeed, did not attempt to
make any, for the succor Of their peO-
pie. Their fatalists creed, whether
or HindoO, taught them
and their people alike that such vista.
lions were the work of a malign pow.
er not to be resisted, and, consequent
ly, they made no effort. India has al
ways been 4 country Of sharp contrasts.
Before the English domination, the
kings and mobiles were enormously
wealthy, while the most aggravated
poverty prevailed among the masses Of
the people. Splendid palaces, gorgeous
temples, noble tombs, stand side by
side with the grass huts of a starving
in no country is the line be-
tween rich and poor, splendor and
want, drawn so sharply. No country
has temples so magnificent. The no
blest fanes of Christendom are con-
tembtible when compared with the
gorgeous temples Of India. Benares,
the sacred CITY, is a collection Of mag
lificent structures, each devoted to the
service and worship Of a hideous idol.
Over thousand HindoO temples are in
he city, while the Mohammedan pOpu- /
alton, equally ignorant, equally fanati- |
,al, worship in about 800 mosques. |
Millions upon Millions Of dollars have |
been spent in the erection Of these
;hrines of the two religions. 1t is esti-
mated that $500, 100000 has been spent
IN the temples and mosques of Be
lares, every cent of it wrung by merci-
ess rulers from a starving population.
or Pooree, like Benares, Is
/ city of temples, and, although the
amOus shrinrs in this city have in
ate years lost much Of their pOpulari-
v, still thousands annually flock to the
'ity. The temples of the city Of jug
ernaut are wealthy beyond belief. The
Teat idol has two huge diamonds for
yes, and gold and jewels are layishly
displayed in all parts Of the sacred
fractures. The annual festival ut Jug
ernaut is no longer what it once was;
n fact. since 1878 the festival has been
onsidered a failure. and the chariot of
uggernaut has not even been drawn
rom the temple. Worshipers can no
Dnger be found to drag the car or to
brow themselves beneath the wheels;
nut still the contrast between the
plendid shrines and starving people is
ainfully apparent. Palaces and tombs
the kings are often as splendid as
he mosques and temples; figures can
i've no idea Of the cost Of these struct-
res. The Tai ahal is mosaicked with
ewels, every gem known to the lapi-
airy being found i'm its walls and cell
lgs and every rupee Of the cost hav-
lg been collected in taxes.
The people of America have no con.
option Of the terrible taxation to
Thich the natives Of Hindoostan were