The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-28
SOME CURIOUS CUSTOMS |.
INDIA.
(Sir Edwin Arnold in North American
Review


| (Sir Edwin Arnold in North American
Review
Civilized citizens, accustomed to an
elaborate and expensive system Of poor
relief, have perhaps never asked them
selves what is the ordinary social and
civic manner in India Of providing for
the paupcr population. | remember be-
ny asked by newly appointed president
of the POOR law board in one of Mr..
, Gladstouc's cabinets to talk with him
about his new portfolio. why not be-
gin" Isaid 'by examining the methods
pursued in such - land MS India? With
Il subject population of 200 millions, and
/. 20 or 80 millions more, practically de-
pendent upon Britain, the lessons Of
such field ought to teach you much!'
Bless my soul, yes he calculated, Il
must look into that. What is the poor
law system of India?' And nightly
astonishcd was the able minister when |
replied. There is none at am Yet so,
indeed, it is: and the reasons of this, inn
mcasurably crcaditable morally and So
cially to the Hindu people, are well worth
grasping by such rs would comprehend
the inner aspects Of Indian famines.
First Of ALL India is the home of the
idcal-religion, metaphysics and dOmes-
tic-to an extent which makes those RI
diculous who speak Of her crceds as ig-
norant or her inhabitants as 'heathen.
You never see any but the most wretched
women begging aims there. Why?
The explanation proves how elevated,
even if mistaken, the average moral
seuse is Of the people. Every woman
not dcformed, or an Outcast, or insane
at least in the highest castes-has been
botrothed at an early age to a boy, whose
household thenceforward adopts her Ell
tirely II the little husband dies, before
or during marriage. the disaster is re-
gardpd universally rs the penalty for
sins committed by the female i'll a pre-
yious life The widow must submit, and
will submit not marrying again, but
hoping by patience. 10 rejoin her lord
after death, and his family will. until her
demise, Loyalty support her, for his sake.
Practically These views obtain all over
the land, and as every female child be-
comes betrothed all women definitely
provided for. If the rash ardor of GER
tain crude reformers could have its will,
and alter this. so as to promote the mar
riage Of Hindu widows, all these who
became wives for a second time would
find neither of the two allied families will
ling to sustain n wife belonging in the
next world to two husbands, or to none
~ AL Besides this, the sentiment OF
the Bhao-bnd, or blood relationship, is
all powerful in the land, and never repu-
dated. AS also in Japan, where there are
no poor laws and no paupers, the ties OF
kinship are everywhere acknowledged,
discharged and repaid; and the household
cakes will be distributed to all VINO put
forth the claim of poverty, hunger and
relationship. Add to all this, that chart
ty is not SO mach a virtue in India as a
habit. a religious necessity, an indispensa-
bic passport to further prosperous exis-
fences, and it will be seen why India, III
a most tender and effective manner, full
fills the law which Christians only, or
principally, talk about.