The broad ax., 1897-12-11

Come oL the ing
lisa papers appear TO be inclined to az
agssrats things. 20 mix up the Poona
murders and the Calcutta riots. % n
they were both caused by the same peo-
PIE. No one who has any knowledge
o. India today thinks that there was
any real connection between these
events. Both were brought about by
purely local causes. stin less has the
shooting Of an old sentry or two IN the
Tochi valley anything TO do with the
Disturbances IN India proper, although
have sssn that some London papers
have Jumped them all together a. II
they were part and parcel Of the same
conspiracy. But, though the causes Of
the Calcutta riots and the Poona muir
ders were purely local, there was one
point o. resemblance between them and
between al the serious breaches Of the
peace that have taken place during 10
cent years. I mean that there 10 q
widespread idee that the government,
no matter whether It IN that Of Bengal
or Bombay or any other part Of India,
10 AFRAID TO take severe measures In
queliing disturbances. There o. an
idea that the authorities win allow
their district officers no sort Of dIscre-
erection IN dealing with riots and the
like, and that & ID perfectly safe to
embark In the pronounced outrages
and breaches Of the peace, because the
government II either unwilling or un-
aba A erxunra~u &ha- IT,. .s.,.
press has so encroached on the tolsra-
ton Of the government, 30 freely
passed the line which divides liberty
from license. has INDUCED with impun-
tty with such outrageous ISLANDERS and
libeis on the ofacers of the government,
even the very highest, that there ID no
wonder that belief has spread abroad
that the government Ia afraid TO exer-
else its full powers and that it will not
extend 20 its officers any sort OF pro-
lection when they are assailsd with
the abuse and reviling Of the native
press. In fact, In Bengal II has been q
custom Of recent years to positively en-
courage the attacks Of the native press
On the Indian civilians who administer
that province. Similarly, We have seen
how nothing was done to protect Mr..
Rand from the ISLANDERS Of the Nah
rata press. All this. and many other
things dating from recent years have
resulted In . loss Of prestige which 1t
win take years to remedy. On every
side there are rumors of disaffection;
u II said that Brahman emissaries are
attempting to tamper with the men of
the native corps containing Hindoos.
md % long as the government shows
. weak front to the seditious attacks of
disanected persons In the press and
elsewhere, 20 long may we expect to
zee this spirit of unrest, which IN no
marked . characteristic Of the India |
Of today, Increasing and multiplying on
svery side. II IL hardly necessary 10 |
add that the news of the frontier disas-
iers and murders Of isolated British
omcers which have been coming In 20 |
frequently Of late only tend to encour-
Ne and strengthen this spirit of un-
rest Already the ignorant peasantry
n various parts Of the country fully
beIisEe that the British raj must surs-
b b coming 70 IN end. Evil disposed
persons 90 freely among them telling
low the famine. the earthquake, the
want OF rain. and every other evil an
lirsctty attributable 10 the alien rulers
lg1tnst whom Mr.. Dadabhai Nsoroii
md his followers are % fond Of IN
'eishins. Whist We want in India now
lre strong men- This 10 no time for
h dissemination Of radical 6oetrines
n congrss remsdiss II we are %
cur positioa IN ths eorntry
- nnst assume moro detsrninsa at
zkude tkan ne have anne ~ l.xs