Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-18

own country. to Judge accurately of the
condition Of the laboring classes. The en-
pire Is so vast and so diverse in all it's fea-
lures that a statement which may accurate
ly apply to one province will misrepresent
another. But. taking one consideration
with another, as the song says, and draw
ing an average. 1t is plainly evident that
the peasant population of India is slowly
improving in condition. The scales OF
wages have undoubtedly risen; there has
been an improvement in the housing and
the feeding OF the masses; their sanitary
condition has been radically changed. al
though they nave fought against it, and the
slow but gradual development of the ma
terial resources of the country promises to
make the improvement permanent.
This statement Is confirmed by an in
crease In the values of land both city and
farming, throughout the entire empire. The
reports Of transfers show that notwith-
standing the depressing effect Of successive
famines and plaques. which wiped out the
entire resources of millions of people. there
has been an advance of not less than ID
per cent in real estate values, and that the
borrowing power of the land owners Is
greater than ever. This is no doubt due to
a-considerable degree to the generous pol
Icy Of the government in dealing with the
farmers and other land owners who SUI
fered from the famine. In the year 1902
alone land taxes to the amount Of $500, 900
were RENTED to farmers who were unable
to pay them without selling their little
property, and during the last five years,
since the famine of 1897, more than ST., &c.,
600 has been advanced by the government
for the purchase of seed and cattle. An
other reason for an increase in values has
been the wise and comprehensive poilcy OF
the government in preparing to meet fam
inc emergencies in the future and in revis-
ing the rent and tax laws so as to make
the rights of the tenants more secure and
protect them against extortionate exactions
Chief Source Of Revenue.
The chief source of revenue in India from
ancient times has been a share in the crops
of the farmers. The present system has
been handed down through the centuries
with very little modification. and as three
fifths of the people are entirely and directly
dependent upon the cultivation OF the land.
the whole fabric of society has been based
upon that source of wealth. The census
gives III, 10000 people as agriculturists.
of whom 131 100000 till their own or rented
land, Is, 75O, coo receive incomes as landlord
owners and 1S,6O0.O00 are agricultural Ia
borers The landlord caste are the de-
scendants of hereditary chiefs, OF former
revenue farmers and persons OF impor-
lance to whom land grants were made In
ancient times. Large tracts of land In
northern India are owned by municipalities
and village communities, whose officials re-
ceive the rents and pay the taxes. Other
invaders and conquerors Of the country. 1t
Is customary in India for the landlord to
receive his rent in part of the crop. and
the government in turn receives share Of
this rent in lieu of taxes. This Is an an
cient system which the British govern
ment has never interfered with, and any at
tempt to modify or change it would un-
doubtedly be resisted. At the same time
the rents are largely regulated by the taxes
These customs, which have come down
from the mogul empire, have been defined
and strengthened by time and experience
Nearly every province has its own and
different laws and customs on the subject,
but the variation Is due not to legislation,
but to public sentiment The tenant as
we'll as the landlord insists that the assess
ments of taxes shall be made before the
rent rate is determined. and this occurs In
almost every province, although variations
in rent and changes of proprietorship and
tenantry very seldom occur. Wherever
there has been change during the present
generation 1t has been in favor of the ten
ants.
The rates Of rent and taxation naturally
vary according to the productive power of
the land, the advantages of climate and
rainfall, the facilities for reaching market
and other conditions. But the average tax
represents about two-thirds of rupee per
acre, or q cents in our money.