Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-12-26
WALES ENJOYS
TRIP TO INDIA
THAT MOST INTERESTING
LAND.

Calcutta. Dec 22.-Of the greatest
of the central India states the prince
of Wales will see much during his visit
TO GwaliOr. At IndOre he has receiv-
ed not only ruling chiefs, but also
many of the proud representatives of
ancient lines whose kingdom now con-
sists of but few square miles. with
a microscopic revenue of a few hun
dreds per year 1t may be said of cen.
trail India that it is chiefly character
lied by states carved out by generals
whose strength enabled them to eman-
cipate themselves from the control of
the peshaw, or by adventures and
soldiers of fortune. The chiefs of the
Mahratta states represent the former
class; the founders of Bhopal and ia
ora were examples of the latter.
Holkar Chief Place.
Leaving aside for the moment Oval
iOr, HOlkar holds the chief place
among the Mahratta chiefs. The state
is under the management of a council
of regency during the minority of the
young chief who is at present study.
ing at the Mayo college at Ajmere.
His father, Maharaja Shivalji Rao
Holkar Holkar, abdicated in 1908, af-
ter reign of 16 years which can hard.
ly be characterized as successful, es.
pecially before 1899, when his person.
al rule gave way to that of a council
appointed by himself, but acting in all
important matters under the advice of
the British resident. When the coun-
Gil of regency, now acting under the
same advice of the British resident
When the council of regency, now act
ing under the same advice, hands ov-
err the state to the young Mahajara
on attainment of mis- majority, he will
find himself in possession of we'll
ordered, prosperous and wealthy state,
the future of which must depend on
the degree to which he has taken to
heart the teachings he has received.
The other principal Maharatta king.
doms are Dhar and the twin states Of
Dewas, with their common capital, it.
self indicative of the extraordinary in.
termixture of central Indian territor.
les.
Only Feudatory Princess.
BhOpal and JaOra represent states
founded by Afghan Adventures, and
the ruel of the former. whose name
was the first to be called in the Dur
bar, is unique as the only lady amongst
the feudatOry princes. She is the third
Began in succession, and it will seem
quite novelty when Bhopal comes in
the next generation to be ruled by
Nawab instead of by Began.
The great characteristic of the three
Processes of BhOpal has been their
intense personal loyalty to the Brit.
ish government. The stern and mas
terful Sikandar Began was able to
give practical expression to this senti
ment in the dark days of 1857. Her
daughter, the Shah Jahan Began, was
ever ready with offers of troops for
service in Afghanistan or elsewhere
and eagerly accepted the suggestion
of the maintenance of regiment OF
Victoria lancers as her contribution tC
the imperial service corps. The en-
lightened and charming lady who un
der the title of the Sultan Johan Be
gam, who succeeded her in 1901, falls
no whit short of her predecessors in
her devotion to the British govern
ment, whose appreciation of her many
good qualities was evidenced in the
: unhappy days when evil influences
estranged her mother from her
Pay Homage to Heir.
OF the Hindu states. the remnants
of ancient kingdoms, there will have
been many representatives to tender
their homage to the heir of their EN-
peror. From the north there will have
come chiefs like the maharajah OF
| Rop1ah nd t1n hnodc Of tho DOLL
hand states, whose subjects, unlike
those of the Mahratta and Mohamme
dan municipalities, are mainly of the
same race as themselves. From the
south will no doubt have come the
: chiefs of Barwani, Jhabna and Aliraj
pur. whose people comprise a large
! proportion of Bills. From the cen
: trail plateau there will have been the
: representatives. of such states as Rut
: lam, Narsingharh and Rajgarh, the
l survivals of the kingdoms from which
were carved those of the conquerins
Mahrattas, as we'll as some descend
t ants of those ancient owners of vii
lagos, who, when elected by the in
, vader, We're still powerful enough tt
exact the compensation which was
5 guaranteed to them forever by the
new British power in 1918.
Have Limited Power.
D No less marked is the variation ir
l the degree to which the paramount
, power interferes in the internal af
, fairs of the different states-GwaliOr
Indore, Bhopal and others who are
, as free from interference as Haidara
> bad or Mysore except in the case o.
: persistent misrule or of minority
, theirs of less importance are more
closely controlled and the powers O.
, their rulers do not extend to life ant
: death in criminal matters. In some
q o fthe smallest the chiefs can only b.
entrusted with power to settle thu
minor judicial affairs of their sub
, jects, and whilst enjoying the consid
GRAFTON and title of princes, they oC
cupy in reality the position rather o
: owners of estates with magisteria