The sun., 1904-12-17
Tho Awakening OF India.

Tho Awakening OF India.
During the last days of the expiring
year there will be held at Bombay In
India the twentieth annual meeting OF
ths Indian National Congress. The dele
gates composing 1t will be representa-
tive OF almost every race and religious
community in that country. Even the
Mohammedans, who on previous occa-
sions were disposed to hold aloof, will be
more fully represented than usual. Great
hopes are entertained in India that more
substantial results will issue from the
coming congress than from the former
gatherings; FOR these did little more than
formulate complaints against the British
administration and pass academic reso-
lutions.
Stimulated by a number Of retired
Anglo-Indian officials who haye been
conducting an active discussion Of Indian
affairs in England, In the press and on the
platform, it Is understood that formal
request will be presented by this con-
gress on behalf of the people OF India to
the British Government for some kind
Of representative institutions, through
which they shall be able to control in
some measure their taxation and its
expenditure. The president Of the con-
gress will be Sir HENRY j. S. COTTON, a
retired official whose last post. that OF
Chief Commissioner Of Assam, he re-
signed rather than be responsible for
the administration Of the law regulating
labor on the tea plantations in the
province. He is native Of India, and
his family has held continuous service
for five generations in the British ad-
ministration OF India.
For the first time the congress will
make definite dem auds for recognition
OF the rights Of the Indian taxpayers to
exercise some control over the admins
tration OF the country. The indictment
formulated by the advocates of India
against the administration is a formida-
BILE one. As stated by Mr.. DONALD
SMEAToN, sometime Chief Commissioners
Of Burmah, it is that taxation and ex-
penditure are rapidly increasing; that
militarism controls the Government; the
native press is gagged; the public en-
ployment of Indians is curtailed; higher
education is restricted to the rich; the
universities are officialized; the growth
Of the spirit OF municipal government
stifled; the native chiefs and Princes
builied and insulted; local provincial ex-
chequers starved in order to swell re-
serves for imperial expenditure, and the
entire function of government is being
concentrated in the Vioeroy. .>.
Allowing for some exaggeration in this
list OF complaints, there is still SO much
resemblance in it to the picture which
we are accustomed to have drawn for us
of Russian Government and officialdom
that the zemstvo movement in Russia
and the demand for some form of self
government IN India appear TO be natural
condolences. like causes producing like
effects.
In addition, the influences Of the Japa-
nese successes in the war with Russia
have to be taken into the account. They
seem to have infused a more vigorous
spirit into the Indian press, OF late re-
markable for the tone of independence
in its criticisms of the acts OF the Brit
ish administration and the Europeans in
India. The race spirit seems to have
awakened. as it has been moved in China
and the other countries Of Asia.
The circumstances OF India, however
afford no opportunity for any but politi.
cal action on a constitutional basis, and
it is along that line that the most earnest
advocates OF the cause OF India in Great
Britain propose to move. That there Is
need for improvement in tho condition
Of India Is manifest enough when it Is
considered that the total aggregate trade
Of it's three hundred millions Of people is
barely $3.50 a head, and that the whole
Of the land tax, the principal tax Of the
country, is taken TO pay the cost Of mill.
tsry occupation and the home charges
OF the British administration.