The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-23


SOMETHING OF THE OTHER SIDE.
The attention of the civilized world is
largely monopolized this week by the fes-
tivities going on in London. The event
which they celebrate is notable one, and
they are being conducted on a scale of mag
nificence scarcely equaled in the worlds
history. All that is most impressive and
suspicious in British power and in the
reign of the present sovereign is brought to
the front. and no discordant note or UNI
seemly suggestion is permitted to mar the
harmonies of the great occasion. But there
is another side TO the picture not so pleas
ant to contemplate. There are skeletons in
the British closet which the Lord High
Keeper of the Keys would do well TO keep
out of sight this week as never before. If
the power and possessions of Great Britain
have made great progress during Victoria's
reign the truth of history requires it to be
said that much of this extension of power
has been made by unjust wars. by the sub
jugation of weak and innocent peoples, by
the wholesale robbery of lands belonging
to others, and by all the forms of force
and fraud which aggressive governments
use to extend their power. One of Queen
victoria's titles is Empress of India. The
British empire in India was founded in
force, fraud and blood, and it's existence is
a continuing reminder of British rapacity.
Beginning with the organization of an
East India Company for trading purposes
it has ended in the establishment by force
of British rule over 260, 000, 900 of people to
whom the Empress of India is a political
myth represented only by British force. The
early wars on which this empire was based
were as unjust as were ever waged by any
nation. OF one of them Macaulay says:
In this particular war scarcely one ag-
grayating circumstance was wanting.
Then the horrors of Indian war We're
let loose on the fair valleys and cities of
Rohilcund. The whole country was In
blaze. More than a hundred thousand peo-
pie fled from their homes to pestilential jun
giles, preferring famine and fever and the
haunts of tigers to the tyranny of him to
whom an English and Christian govern
ment had, for shameful lucre, sold their
substance and their blood and the honor of
their wives and daughters. Mr..
Hastings had only TO put down by main
force the brave struggles of innocent men
fighting for liberty. Their military resist
ance crushed, his duties ended; and he
while their villages were burned, their chill
dren butchered, and their women violated.
One of the greatest of the founders of
the British empire in India was Warren
Hastings, who went there as an employe of
the East India Company and became a
conqueror and tyrant. In presenting articles
of impeachment against him in 1888, Sher-
idan said:
1 impeach him in the name of the Eng
Iish nation whose honor he has sulied. /
impeach him in the name of the people of
India, whose rights he has trodden under
foot whose country he has turned into
desert; lastly in the name OF human ma
ture itself, in the name of both sexes, IN
the name of every age, in the name or eV-
cry rank l impeach the common enemy and
oppreSSor or all.
Such are the foundations of British rule
in India, and it's maintenance even during
Victoria's reign has been continued reign
of force tyranny and blood. During this
period war has succeeded war mutiny has
followed mutiny, and rivers of blood have
flowed to cement British rule and make
good Victoras title as Empress of India
The establishment and maintenance of
British power in China has been marked by
the same general characteristics, with the
added one of having forced opium and the
opium trade on the people. An attempt to
exclude 1t by Chinese imperial edict led
to the war with Great Britain known as
the opium war; which terminated in 1872
during the reign of the good Queen-by a
treaty which allowed opium TO enter Chin
csc ports British rule in other parts of
Asia and in Egypt and other portions of
Africa has been established and extended
by similar means Every foot of territory
that has been added to the British domain
during Victoria's golden reign has been ac-
CURED by force or fraud, and if the blood
of loyal British soldiers has been poured
out freely to accomplish these results that
of other peoples has been shed far more
freely in vain defense of their ancestral
homes and rights against superior power.
The British closets are full of skeletons
which, if they could talk. could tell another
story of Queen Victoria's reign than that
which is being recounted in London this
week 1t is well for the success of the fes-
tivities that the skeletons are kept out OF
view 1t would not be polite for the rest
of the world to insist on their having a
place in the festivities of the week, but
they exist all the same