Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-05
THE RULE OF INDIA
Salient Features of the
Scheme Of Government.
COUNCIL IN LONDON
ADVISORY TO SECRETARY OF
STATE FOR INDIA.
Powers Of the Viceroy-Can OPPOSE Ma
tive Princes and Veto Their Acts
Lord Curxon's Distinction.
By WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

By WILLIAM Z. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald.
AHMEDABAD. India February II, 1904
Before going any farther on our journey
through the Indian empire it might be
ful to know something of the manner in
which 1t is governed. The present form Of
government was adopted In 1858, after the
terrible Sepoy mutiny had demonstrated the
inability of the East India Company to
control affairs. BY an act of parliament all
territory, revenues, tributes and property
of that great corporation, which had mo-
nopoiy of the Indian trade and next TO the
Hanseatic League of Germany the
greatest trust ever formed. were vested in
the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. who
in 1876 assumed the additional title of EN-
press of India This title and authority was
inherited by Edward VII He governs
through the secretary of state for India and
a council of not less than ten members, nine
| of whom must have. served or resided ten
years in India and have not left that en-
pre- more than ten years previous to the
date of their appoin tment.
This council is more of an advisory than
an executive body. 1t has no initiative or
authority but is expected to confer with
and review the acts of the secretary of
state Tor lnoia, who can make no grants or
appropriations from the revenues or decide
any questions of Importance without the
concurrence of a majority of its members
The council meets every week in London,
receives reports and communications from
the secretary of state and acts upon them.
The Viceroy Supreme in India.
The supreme authority in India is the
viceroy, the direct personal representative
| of the emperor in all his relations with is
| 100000 Indian subjects; but as a matter
| of convenience the viceroy makes his re-
| ports to and receives his instructions from
| the secretary of state for India, who repre-
| sents that part of the empire, both in the
| ministry and in parliament. The present
| viceroy is the Rt. Hon George Nathaniel
| Curzon, who was raised to the peerage in
October. 1885, as Baron CurZon of kedles-
| ton. He is the eldest son of Lord Scarsdale.
| was born January II. 1859; educated at Elton
and Oxford; correspondent of the London
! Times in China. India and Persia; elected
| to parliament from Lancashire in 1856, and
| served until 1925: was private secretary to
the Marquis of Salisbury; under secretary
| of state for India in 1Sy1-92; under secretary
! of state for foreign affairs in 1S9o-9S; mar
ried Mary Letter, daughter of Mr.. l.. Il.
! Letter of Washington and Chicago in 1888.
| and was apr cInted yiceroy of India to sue
coed the k.arl of Elsip. September, 1898.
There have been twenty-five viceroys or
| governors general of India since Warren
| Hastings in 1I74. and the list includes some
of the ablest statesmen in English history,
| but Lord Curzon is the only man in the list
| who has ever been his own successor. His
| term expired in September last and he was
\ reappointed for another five years. but
whether he continues through the second
1 term depends upon certain contingencies
! which will develop during the approaching
summer. when he makes his first visit to
| England since he assumed the duties of the
office. 1t Is entirely probable that he will
| remain, because he has undertaken certain
reforms and enterprises that he desires to
| complete.
| His administration has been not only
conspicuous. but remarkable success. AL
| though he has been severely criticised for
| adv iniS five md of 10
official acts have been opposed and con-
| demned, the sources from which the criti-
| cisms have come only corroborate the wis
dom and confirm the success of the acts
| complained Of Lord CORVALLIS, of whom
| we used to know something of in America,
| was twice governor general of India, but
| there was long interval between his terms.
| the first beginning in 1IS6 and the second in
1908 He is the only man except Lord Cur
| zon who has been twice honored by ap-
| pointment to the highest Office and the
| greatest responsibility under the British
crown except that of the prime minister.
The Viceroy's Council.
The viceroy is assisted in the administra-
ton Of the government by cabinet or
council of five members. who are selected
| by himself. subject to the approval of the
| king. Each of the members is assigned to
the supervision of one of the executive de-
| partments, finance. military. public works,
revenue, agriculture and legislative. The
| viceroy himself takes personal charge of
| foreign affairs The commander-in-chief of
the army in India, at present Lord Kitch-
ener, is ex-officio member of the council
For legislative purposes the council is ex-
banded by the addition of ten members ap-
| pointed by the viceroy from among the
most competent British and native residents
Of India upon the recommendation of pro-
| vincial, Industrial and commercial bodies
AT present six of the members are natives,
| as follows:
Raj Sri Ram Bahadur. recommended by
| the council of the united provinces.
| G. X. Gokhal, recommended by the pro-
| vincial council of Bombay
| M. R. Ry Amanda Charlu Raj Bahadur.
| recommended by the province of Madras
Sayyid Husain Bilgrami, director of pub
nc instruction Tor and recommended by the
| Nizam of Hyderabad.
Raj Bahadur Bose, representing the CEN
| trail provinces.
The Maharajah of Darbhanga, represent
| ing the province of Bengal
| In addition to these natives the Calcutta
| chamber of commerce, the Bombay chamber
of commerce, the Bar Association of Indi.
and the Merchants Association have Eng
| llSh-Dorn representatives in the council The
| remaining members are the heads OF the
| various executive departments of the gov
| eminent.
BY these men, who serve for period of
| five years. and whose proceedings are omen
TO the public and are reported yerbati tim
| like the proceedings of our Congress- the
laws governing India are made subject to
|
/ right OF veto, and in turn is responsible TO
1 the British parliament and to the king
Nine Great Provinces.
Thus it will be seen taat the svstar os
| government in India is simple and liberal
| The various industries and financial inter
| ests, and all of the great provinces which
| make up the empire. have a voice in the
| framing of the laws that apply to the peo-
pie at large, but for convenience the terri
| tory is divided into nine great provinces as
| follows:
Madras, with governor whose salary is
$4,000 a year.
| Bombay. whose governor receives the
1 same salary
/ ary $33, 600 49,