Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-11-17
WEST INDIA IS
ENTHUSIASTIC
HOW PRINCE OF WALES IS RE.
cElvED IN HISTORIC
LAND.

Su|Io, NOV. 1b-feTHdpS HUI
since former Prince of Wales land
Ell in India 80 years ago-King Ed
ward Villas anything occurred of
this sort which has attracted the en-
thusiasm that is being attracted by
the visit of the present prince and
princess of Wales. For exactly 80
years have elapsed since King Edward
VII. landed there as prince of Wales
and heir apparent of Queen Victoria.
who only assumed the imperial title
a year later. The horizon of the vast
majority of the inhabitants of India
is very narrow one, stretching no
farther than the personality of the dis
trlct officer, often not so far as that.
Governors, commanders in chief and
viceroys the cOuntrymen may have
heard Of, but they are generally mix.
ed up in his mind with some confused
idea of the British raj" the existence
OF which he recognizes with perhaps
more Indifference than active interest,
so long as he is left alone.
Ruler a eeneficent Deity.
With the sovereign and his family
eAAS NOoC 10 uAACaCuI, dAu IAOIc d. e
few villages where there is not some
definite conception of the KAISER and
his son the "shahzada." The idea of
personal ruler is familiar one to
every Indian, often perhaps almost in.
separable from that of benificent
deity, to whom is due a reverence and
an active loyalty which can hardly be
felt for representatives not of royal
Tn <ho h,,11 rs ~,
idea of constitutional monarch is in
| conceivable, and in British India the
superior is regarded as the sole foun
tain of all administration.
In great cities among the educated
classes and feudatory princes there Is
of course a clearer understanding OF
the position of the emperor and his
representatives, but the active feeling
of loyalty towards the sovereign and
his family is no less marked Thus
to all classes, the visit is source OF
genuine satisfaction which will be ex
pressed everywhere in the welcome
prepared for the prince and princess
whether in British territory or in the
states of those chiefs whom they can
find opportunity to visit. Outside In
dia the tour will arouse an interest
not always felt in the great peninsula
which contains nearly three-fourths
the total population of the British
empire.
Many Changes in 80 Years.
Many changes nave occurred in the
30 years since the last visit of prince
of Wales to India; perhaps none is
greater than the increased facility oil
communication due to the extension
of railways. The mere statement that
in 1875 India had only 1000 miles Of
railway, whereas she has now over
$4,000 does not convey the signifi
canoe of this extension half so well
as the constant instances of places
visited by rail in 1905, which could
only be reached by more primitive
conveyances in 1875, or had to be
cmittedfrom the program on account
of their great distance from rail
way. Indore, the first hating place
after leaving Bombay, will be reach
ed by train. 1t was visited in 1875
but the railroad was then only at Mar
bada river, whence to Holkars capita
there was long drive up the "ghats,
which mount to the plateau of centra
India, 1900 feet above the sea. It il
only within the last few years tina
the next stopping place, Udaipur, ha.
been connected by rail with the MAR
line atthe famous and romantic hill
fortress at Chitor. In 1875 Jaipur com
municated by rail with Agra, but fo
many years after that there were nj
railways nearer to Bikanir than thu
terminus of the branch line to tn,
great salt lake Of Sambhar.
Now the line has been continued tt
Bikanir and on the Bhatinda, in tn,
Punjab. Until they leave Bikanir OF
Nov q the halts of the royal part,
will, after leaving Bombay, have beer
all in the territory of feudatory chiefs
.ahore, the capital of the Punjab, will
occupy five days, and on Dec. 2, Pesh
awar, the most northerly stage in tai
journey, will be reached, point ia
beyond the railway in 1875. At Raw
alpindithe prince will witness the ma
neuvers 70 large force, European an,
native, of the Indian army. It hal
beeninte nded to carry out these il
the more historic neighborhood of Del
hi but unfortunately the drought ha
rendered this impossible in countr.
SO dry that even in a normal seasol
special arrangements for water woul'
have been necessary. The next sta,
will be at Jammu, the winter capi
tai of the maharaja of Kashmir, VIII
will only just have been restored b,