Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-12-14
CIVIL RULE IN INDIA.
The Service for the Government II
Competitive and Reasonably
Well Paid. z

y
Competitive and Reasonably
Well Paid.
''The Indian civil service" said R. I
Ashford Berkeley, of Bombay, India, lis
the best and highest paid in the world
and is competitive. Naturally only the
cleverest boys from the great public
schools get the. appointments. Great
fanaticalfeeling exists in India between
the Mohammedans and Hindoos, which
occasionally culminates in riots so Sc
rious that the rioters have to be fired
on by the British soldiers. But this is,
of course, only done when it is absolute
ly necessary. I believe that the natives
thoroughly recognize the benefits OF
English rule, as railways have opened
up the country and English capital has
started factories and various industries.
India is to-day beautifully irrigated,
one ditch alone being 5000 miles in
length. The production of all kinds OF
cereals is on the increase and our grains
are shipped to all parts of the world.
Sinde, which but few years ago was
barren desert, has through irrigation
now become a beautiful grain-produc-
ing country, and through Karrachee
ships large quantities of wheat to for
eign countries. The poor ryot (farmer).
under our rule, can now earn living,
whereas previously if he got anything
more than a bare subsistence the ra-
jahs or their agents swooped down on
him and took it away in exactly the
same manner that the mandarins now
do in China. India. is a magnificent
country physically and during the cold
season it is visited by large number
of Americans, and all I have met ex-
press themselves as charmed with it.
With it's famous mutiny scenes and
many of the Mogul emperors hundreds
of years ago, it is historically coun-.
try of absorbing interest. Authorities
sly that life in those parts of India as
yet undisturbed by the Cacausian in
vasion is going on in precisely the same
way that it was thousands of years ago.
They are a wonderful race. Schools
are on the increase and some OF the
natives are extremely brilliant and we'll
educated men, recognized the world over
as authorities in the particular lines
which they have chosen.
"The fanaticism of the people is no.
where displayed more than in the case
of the fakirs, fanatical people, who
have devoted the rest of their lives to
God. This devotion takes peculiar
FORMS. Some of them think it a fine
way to crawl through the rest of their
lives on their stomachs, and never again
do they rise from this posture. Another
holds his arm aloft until it withers and
remains immovable in that position.
have seen man sitting on sharp spikes,
who had been so sitting without moving
for years. They are, too, wonderful con-
jurors. I have seen the mango tree
trick, where the seed is planted in the
ground, the tree sprouts into life, at
tains it's full growth and gives forth
fruit of which you partake, but it is
only an immensely clever trick and not
case of wholesale hypnotism, as many
people have maintained.
"The roads throughout India are so
good that you can ride bicycle from
one end of the country to the other.
"My business not only carries me
from India to this country, but to Japan
as well. was at Yokohama, Japan,
when Capt. Charles Vernon Gridley of
your navy died. It was he who fought
the Olympia, Dewey's flagship, in the
great battle of Manila bay. If ever a
man gave his life to his country's serv-
ice Capt. Gridley was that man. And if
die he had to, it seems almost a pity
that death could not have come to him
but short month sooner, and his life
gone out amidst the noise and excite
ment of battle. When he went into the
fight he was very i'll and knew he was
practically signing his own death war
rant, but he felt it to be his duty, and
as such he did it. Already almost for
gotten, it seems pity and a shame that
the memory of this gallant officer
should not have received better treat
ment at the hands of his countrymen.
While; of course, I am an alien, I knew
Capt. Gridley well, and was at his
funeral. I would dearly love to see
something done to rerpetuate his name
and fame and there could be no more
opportune time than the present."-N.
Y. Tribune.