New-York tribune., 1899-01-02
MIDAS NEW VICEROT

Two hundred years ago this last year The
first English factory was established al Cal
cutta- To-day that city Is the capital Of ,he
second empire OF the world In point OF pop la
ton. with an English VicerOy on the throne
and an American Yicereine at his side. That
Is the first thought that rises 10 mind al the
announcement that Lord and Lady Cuizon have
arrived in India. greeted with much enthusi-
asm and with much intermngng Of the Stars
and Stripes with the Meteor Flag. The per
s0nal element in the scene is fascinating ana
historically impressive But the welfare y en-
;dre j. paramount. and the most serious thought
~ the occasion is that OF the tremendous To-
sponS.b.lity which this young ruler j. assum-
Ing and the lncslcuable import 10 the world
OF the manner IN which be discharges his au-
gust functions
Lord Curzons predecessor has declared on
the authority Of long and honorable experience
that no man can enter upon The duties OF that
Office without mlsgivings. That Is quite true.
The Indian Vlceroy is. in fact, the king u
realm OF more than .UD.O0J.OOv population.
With the single exception Of China. i IS by
far the greatest State in the world. IL Is
great thing 10 be- the head OF such people. 70
serve their interests. 10 promote tnelT we.,arc
II they are attacked by the plague. he must
defend them. II famine come. he must feed
them. II creed dissensions arise he must sub
due them And in 10 land OF earth are these
three evils 20 often active. Moreover, the mass
Of these people are in a primitive social ana
industrial state lie must carry on the work
Of education and civilization. There IS no other
monarch of the world upon whom rests task
anything Ike this IN magnitude.
Then there IS the question Of frontier de-
fence. IN ages past tribe after tribe has swept
down through the khyber Pass 70 royase and
10 subdue Turk Afghan and Mosui have
made the North Of India their prey. Today. as
FOR wears past the incursion " another and
more potent foe ! feared. Whether or not
the fear j we'll founded does not matter. The
demand of the empire j. for defence against
even the slightest possibility OF such Invasion.
4 gigantic system Of defence has been adopt
ed the maintenance of which i sore burden
upon India Some OF the tribes appreciate -
need. and even rejoice in H. To The Ghoorka
and Sikh the blasts Of war are the very breath
~ life But elsewhere away down IN the Dec
can and Carnatic. are millions who care FOR
none OF these things. The frontier is 70 them
- remote as not 10 concern them. Yet the
burden falls upon them. too. and az II they are
often inclined 10 revolt. II S for the Niceroy
to make II plain 10 them that Madras and Sinia
are parts Of the same whole and that all. from
the Ui-doo Koosh 20 the Ghauts, are alike COT
cerned in maintaining the safety and the in
,egrity Of the empire.
The world will watch with peculiar Interest
the manner IN which Lord Curzon performs his
task. From Warren Hastings down there has
scarcely been one with greater opportunities.
1.,.o-o bova hae, mono with higher Intellectual
eouinrneut. We shall sec how his temperament
and iudgment and courage stand the test Or
bis energy and ambition there can be 10 doubt
II ;s not beyond possibility that his name Will
ono day be ranked with those Of Mayo and
Dalhous,e. There + reason 10 hope and 70 e1-
nee. that Il will Re placed by virtue OF his
own doings at Calcutta, high on the roll %
British sovereirns ot the old Empire ot the