The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-15
BENEVOLENT ASSIMILATION.

Much has been said in denunciation of
the British policy of assuming practical
control of countries occupied by inferior
races, and efforts have been made to show
that the treatment of such countries and
peoples has been tyrannical and cruel. The
frequent famines in India are cited as the
result of British rule, when, as a matter of
history the famines were more frequent
and fatal before Great Britain became the
master of that vast country. Those who,
after visiting India, have written of the
conditions, even when not friendly to that
power. admit that British benevolent as
similation has resulted in great advantage
to the people of India Attention is just now
called to Great Britain's colonial policy
by the completion of the dam across the
Nile at Assouan, in Egypt. But for Brit
ish domination in Egypt this great work
would not have been thought of. but by
the construction of the dam, mile and a
quarter long. at a cost of s12,5O0OO0, the
irrigation of 100000 acres of land, by
which s13.0O0.0O0 is added annually to the
earning power of Egypt. has been secured.
In 1888 the Khedive Of Egypt signed a
decree abolishing the dual control of his
country by Great Britain and France. At
that time France was in no condition
to resist that action, which virtually made
Egypt a dependency of Great Britain, even
II the country did remain nominally
tributary to Turkey. But, while the allie
glance to Turkey has been nominally
al &c
kept up with much show of authority. Great
Britains financial adviser" with no min
isterial status has been dictator having
absolute control over the revenues and ex-
penditures of the principality. 1t would
be difficult to conceive of a country and
people more hopeless than Egypt and its
people Of thirty years ago. The country
was burdened with large public debt,
while its masses were in a condition of
poverty so abject as to be beyond compre-
hension by Americans. Egypt is now COM
paratively prosperous and bids fair TO reach
its ancient prominence under the sneered-at
benevolent assimilation Of Great Britain.
Before British direction Egypt was liter
ally dying.
Win more benevolent designs than those
which seem to have inspired Great Britain
there can be no doubt that the condition of
the people of the Philippines is already
greatly improved by assimilation, and
will rise to a better civilization as the
years pass. The assimilation may not be as
profitable to the United States as the Brit
ish assimilation has been TO England, but
there can be doubt that II will prove
measureless advantage 10 the Filipinos in
spite OF the predictions TO the contrary
which the few remaining anti-imperialists
are making. because. as they assume
people has been robbed of its liberties and
its right OF self-government.
The incident in Venezuela and the fire.
quent revolutions in other small republics
south of US are calculated to incite the in
quiry whether it would not be much better
for them IL. like other peoples incapable
OF seif-government. they should be placed
under some intelligent authority which
would confer upon them some of the bene-
nts and blessings of Anglo-saxon civili-