The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-10
ASIA ron. TIE AslArICs.
Tho Feeling OF India Described by An
Educated Hindu.

Tho Feeling of India described by An
Educated Hindu.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE SUN-Sir: i have
been mAch interested, since coming to this
part Of the world three years ago. IN the
articles which have appeared In The Sun on
matters relating to India. and have been
gratitled to notice more than once contri-
buttons from my countrymen OF India throw
Ing valuable light on important Indian PROB
lens. In your paper Of June 20 appeared a
letter entitled "No General Asiatic Spirit. IN
reply to remark in which it was alleged that
the name of the Mikado Is whispered with
mysterious reverence" In India and Turkestan
alike, and that "all differences OF creed are
sunk under the electrifying influence OF racial
gratitude and pride" The writer tMr. Crosby
Is perfectly right in bringing out the fact that
any idea OF solidarity OF race feeling has no
historic basis for Asia as a whole. SPEAK
from knowledge gathered from private letters
and newspapers sent to me every week from
India. that there is no such mysterious rever-
ence" for the Mikado in that land.
The present war and the victorious career
OF Japan in it have shown to the various
races Of India only the great possibilities that
are in store for Asiatic races II they will sue
cessfully master the principles of material
progress and assimlate the methods of Euro
pean warfare. Japanese victories have
heightened midas respect for Japan in a
limited sense, as being successful adapters
and shrewd users OF the products OF Western
civilization There is, however, not the least
probability of Mikado worship in India. for
India is already overburdened with more
gods than the Hindu cares to look after.
A Japanese gentleman writing to New
York paper some time ago commented on the
fact that although the genius of his people
had manifested itself in masterpieces of art
which have been the despair Of European
would-be imitators. Japan had no recognized
place as a power in world politics; but. now
that che has vanqulshed Western nation
teven yet regarded by England az a serious
menace to her Indian empire) with Western
weapons, she Is accounted great nation.
The fact Is that greatness is measured in the
West by ones ability 10 strike a good, hard
physical blow; whereas In the East gTeat-
ness rests on those immutable principles OF
conduct which have been exalted by the
noblest and greatest world teachers, Gautama
the Buddha and Jesus the Christ tboth Orien-
tails, by the way). 1t il one Of the curious
puzzles of modern times that the spirit Of the
Sermon on the Mount should breathe through
the normal thought and be largely apparent
in the life of the heather" nations Of the
East: whereas might Is right" is the basic
principle Of the christian" nations Of the
West Those Of your readers who wish to
discover a recent illustration of the latter
statement may read an article In the current
number of the Forum, entitled The British
Invasion of Tibet" while those who would
learn What the East Can Teach the West"
can spend profitable half hour in reading an
article bearing that title in Public Opinion
Of June II.
Returning to Mr.. Crosby's letter. however.
while his conclusion that Asia is many-not
one" is sound. he Is not equally fortunate
in the use Of his arguments. He lays too
much stress on irrigation, adding that it
produces "sufficiency." and thus the stimulus
to strenuous endeavor and invention Is lost.
He then assumes an inevitable doom OF
occasional famine" Observant people who
have lived in India cannot help knowing that
midas food supply depends largely upon
the monsoons (periodio rainfa ll) and on the
water supply which results from them. as
well as from the ever melting SHOWS Of the
Himalayns- Irrigation canals which were
constructed under native rule. as well as
those of British origin. are few and far be-
tween. and are not the nanstay Of the agr-
c,ulturist although valuable as aids in the
inevitable DOOM" they are the result not
tan economic policy. pursued by England, in
her administration Of the affairs Of divided
alien populac,s; The history. Of famines in
stands in CHASTITY contrast to the economic
history of India in pre- British times. Evil
Of da
the last decade of the nineteenth century,
and that throughout the famine years, in
spite of deficient rainfall and primitive meth
DDS of agriculture. there was a sufficient
grain supply to feed the wretched, overtaxed
victims of starvation. who suffered because
they had not sufficient money left TO buy the
food.
1t is becoming fashion with many TO take,
a winter trip through AngliciZed portions of
n ASlatlC lands.
are often meant to amuse rather than instruct,
people ever fond of novel modes Of excite
ment, We in India have no quarrel with
such for ppnd r has p ws It,
too busy to reply 10 silly libels on their life
. and manners. Journey through Central
Asia, parts of Tibet and India. does not con-
stitnte a sufficient claim to speak with au-
thorty on the past history and present con-
! ence has forced him to complain that they
! we're travelling for pleasure and that sort Of
! dissipation always leads TO the forming Of
hasty and Incorporate views"
! to detect, for it betrays itself nvoluntarily
| pressons in speaking about the subject in
favor of or AGAINST which it is prejndiced
the article under tbs MT cr9ssy
az sheep" frightened II ndu." "timid BEN
gall, ..seryIle,,. &c May ask in all serious
! ness, OOes ne KNOW tHHt Ill 1lHuuS are nCU
| Bengalis; that there are and always have
! been military races in India. such as the Goor-
| khas the Mahrattas. the Pathans and the
Sikhs. which in the past without European
| leadership and discipline, have achieved and
| still maintain military renown Of which
| any Western nation might be proud9 With
| n discriminating assimilation OF Western
! methods Of warfare they are more than likely
| to prove superior to the Japanese or any foe
! worthy of their steel.
The statement that the man in the Indian
/ bazaar" is tribally near to the Westerner is sub
! iect to a very important mod fcation. The
/ number OF Indian natives who have not
a drop of Arvan blood exceeds the number of
| those who richtfully can claim Aryan de-
| scent, Qualities Of courage and personal
| bravery are as much the heritage NJ the born
soldier Of the Oriental as of the Occidental
sections OF the Aryan race with the difference
| that the Hindu soldier. unlike his Western
brother, has always. been under a severe
moral and religious discipline.
The closing part of the article assumes
that it is a matter of perfect Indifference TO
the Bengal (Which term is presumably used
by Mr., Crosby as a synonym for "Hindu~
always been "timid" and "seryile" under any
could be more erroneous. ANY reliable
| history Of India would have informed Mr..
| Croshy that priOr to the MOhammedan in