The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-10

and n few years ago they reached n
point whero they were willing n consider
euch q project m n private enterprise.
They Nere detsrrcd, however, by fear
Of competing with the 0aehwar HIM
aelf IIaroda Ia the centre ~ q cotton
producing country, che market for The
mill products IL ne hand. and oil tho
conditions were good for profitable
manufacture; but no one wanted Va
oppose himself 10 the 0aekwar Learn
Ing This, that progressive Prince imme.
dlatsly sold his mill In 1890 " passed
Into private hands.
The Baroda capitalists had not made
a reasonable offer for the mill and had
aeen II pass 10 the hands Of rivals from
~Ahmedabad, but thoy would not stay
beaten. They promptly organized a
company and began tho construction Of
another mill, which will soon be In opera.
ton. This was followed by another, Of
which the 0ashwar's son laid the corner
stone. Already two more corporations arc
forming.
The Gaekwaf has not devoted himself
10 encouragement OF the power weaving
business alone. In 1904 he established a
weaving school at Baroda. Numerous
looms were imported, examined, used and
their products compared. Finally a Ba-
roda inventor devised a cheap and effect
i've loom, meeting the needs Of his fellows,
and this, with the consent Of the Gaek-
war, was named In his honor, the
Sayajl loom. Already a private com
pany known as the Sayaji Loom Works,
has been formed to manufacture these
machines, and an effort will be made to
introduce them in the homes Of the people
in all parts Of the State and through
India generally.
In 1890 the Gaekwar established the
Kala Bhavan Temple Of Arts, n Of
the three technical schools in India, the
others being at Bombay and Poona.
In the beginning 1t offered courses in
drawing, carpentry, dyeing, calico print
ing and mechanical engineering. A
training college for men and agrioul-
tural classes already in existence were
amalgamated with it. Each course re-
quires three years study. In 1897 a
weaving class was opened, and in 1902
a course in watch making was added.
This institution has the patronage and
especial care Of the Gaekwar.
In adopting a fiscal policy for the
encouragement Of manufactures, the
Gaekwar accomplished a great tariff
reform in 1904 and 1905. Up to two
years ago import duties were levied on
thirty-six articles at the Baroda and Kadi
district frontiers, and additional octroi
duties were levied IN the same articles
on their entry into towns. In November
Of 1904 all the duties on twenty-eight
articles were abolished, and moderate
import and octroi >imposts were col
lected on the others. The Gaekwar was
warned that this reform might result in
diminished revenues, but in spite of this
possibility he effected 1t. The result
was most satisfactory. Trade and COM
meroe increased in such degree that
instead Of losing, the State gained in
direct income to the extent Of a lac Of
rupees in six months. Asecond fiscal re-
form followed in August, 1905. By this
the octroi duties Of many small towns
were abolished entirely, those of larger
towns we're reduced in number and
limited to a few paying articles, and the
system Of farming customs duties to
private individuals was done away with.
A third fiscal change Of the same kind
is now engaging the attention of the
Gaekwar as he studies our ways and
customs.
These are but a few of the many bene-
fetal acts the Gaekwar of Baroda has
accomplished for his people. They
show him to be possessed of an acute
understanding and a complete knowl-
edge of the needs Of his country. His
people have cause to rejoice in their
ruler.