Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1897-11-19
ASIA'S GROSS OF GOLD.
BEING CRUCEFfED BY THE
BANKERS OF LONDON.N>
The Commerce and Industrles-Wholc
Continent Gradually Passing Into the
Hands of the Money Lcndsrs-Ruin
and Des0lation Everywhere.

The government OF India has under
taken the negotiation OF loan OF
three crores of rupees at 3h per cent,
and 1t was declared at the outset that
the money should be raised in India,
and without the interference Of Lon
don capital. Now a crore of rupees
consists of 100 laos, and lac is 1O0,-
600 rupees, so that the loan calls for
100000 rupees, or nominally some
thing less than half that sum in Ameri-
can dollars. It does not appear what
success attended the effort to thus fur
Their mortgage the resources OF the
country, but that part of 1t need not
be in doubt a moment, for there Is
abundant capital seeking investment
on such security, despite the starving
of hundreds of thousands of impover-
ished natives. But the volume of this
loan Is a mere bagatelle to what is
coming as result of the existing
troubles on the northern frontier OF
that rich and productive but unhappy
land. There will be fines, heavy en-
ough in all conscience, imposed upon
the rebellious tribesmen just as soon
as they are properly subdued, and their
territory occupied by British soldiery.
The bulk of the expenses of the cam
paign, however, will have to be paid
by the people of India, and inasmuch
as the revenue of the government is
already inadequate the necessity OF ad-
ditional taxation will furnish the next
pretext needed for Disgusting the ex-
tortion by the imposition OF gold
standard coinage. Taxation has reach
ed such pass in India that to i'm
pose more of it directly on the people
would be as dangerous to British SUI
premacy there as were the creased car
tridges at the opening of the Sepoy
rebellion forty years ago. The expedi-
ent required is one that will add to
the revenues of the horde of English
office holders in India, and at the same
time blind the eyes of the Hindus to
the real cause of the hard times, which
must ensue when the producer has to
give more and ever more of his pro-
auctions for the same number of ru-
PEGS. Many able English economists
fear the effect Of the gold standard In
India, but inasmuch as it has been
worked off on a much more intelligent
people commercially, the people OF the
United States, the men in charge of
affairs governmentally are confident
that with caution the same gold brick
can be palmed off on the Hindus with
out melting a rebellion. To be sure
when Lord Herschell's commission was
discussing this matter in London a
year or two ago one member of the
commission remarked that he washed
his hands of the Ubiquitous proposal
because, as he put the case, ut looks
too much like setting fire to your
neighbours house to roast your own
sucking pig" But conscientious scru-
pies of this kind are in minority, and
the new India loan may therefore be
reasonably regarded as part and par
eel of the scheme which is to make
larger Ireland out Of the fairest section
of all India. By systematically depres-
sing the price in gold of silver the
London bullionists have already driven
China into the market for another
loan to enable her to pay her war in
demnity, and keep her governmental
head above water This is but the be-
ginning of the end there, too. Already
the English Straits Settlements dollar
is finding its way into the innermost
provinces of North China, and the lat
est consular reports from the interior
are to the effect that ninety per cent
of the trading junks on the rivers now
fly the flag of British ownership. All
this is going on, the economic enslave-
ment of Asia for the benefit of the
luxurious few in London and one or
two minor financial centers is being
visibly accomplished, while an army of
political party hacks in the United
States are trying to barter honor and
intellect for few paltry offices by do
ing to their native land what England
is doing to her conquered provinces.
Usury caused the downfall of ancient
Rome, but the modern form of usury is
more subtle and difficult to detect. for
while nominally reducing the rate of
interest it bleeds the debtor of more
and ever more of his productions.
Just how long it will take the great
majority to fully appreciate the enor-
nifty OF the swindle is the same ques-
tion as is asked by those who inquire
how long government by bribery and
corruption can stand. 1t is the one
basic problem upon which the stability
of modern civilization as exemplified
in the policy of the English speaking,
and no one living can tell the out
come.