Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-24
TALKS TO NEWSPAPER MEN
Much Interested in the Cause of Edu.
cation.
WILL HAVE FISH COMMISSION
Induces Government Official to Re-
turn With Him to Baroda-Com-
ments on Washington.

His highness the Maharajah Gaekwar Of
| Baroda entered The library OF his apart
ment in the Shoreham. where half a dozen
| newspaper men awaited to interview him.
punctuaily at 10 am. the hour arranged
yesterday by his brother and secretary.
Sampatrao Gaekwad
His highness, after smiling and shaking
hands with each one in acknowledging the
introductions made by his brother, sat on
divan, and began to speak of his Inn
pressions of Washington.
washington Is beautiful city, he said
so beautiful, so quiet with its long streets
shaded both sides by handsome trees
that would at once mark it as my favorite
place In the world were l to look for a
city in which to settle. The quiet is allur.
| Ing 1t Is not neutralized by the noise
and discomforts Of business centers The
only business Washington has is the great
| est of all business-statesmanshi 1t is
conducted, too, just quietly as the citys
| quiet
Was your highness pleased by seeing
| our legislative body at work yesterday?'
| he asked
Yes very much So although legislation
| is conducted more less on the same scale
| here are elsewhere-Berlin, Vienna. London
| and Paris" Here the maharatah found
occasion to praise the satrical efforts OF
John Sharp Williams, the minority leader.
| Will Establish Fish Commission.
"As regards the fish commission" he
| continued, Il have learned much. I find
that the study of fishes is unusually in
terestIng and useful. Yesterday I made
| arrangements to take a representative Of
! the fish commission to Baroda with me,
where he will establish suitable place
modelled after your own fish commission.
| Il expect, besides, to call at the Agricul-
tural Department Agriculture is the
| backbone Of my country. While we are
somewhat interested in engineering. and
have several schools over there. believe
| complete courses in agriculture and its
branches Will be the most helpful to my
people"
The Gaekwar is also interested in
| schools, and intends to visit many as
| he can. Il may be prevented from max
| ing detailed study during this trip by
the warm weather. For this reason I
| shall not extend my trip south, and as far
as known 1 shall visit Denver and San
| Francisco my way west.
| "At all events shall make another visit
| TO this interesting nation some time soon
| Six weeks or two months is not SUFFICIENT
| time to devote to a trip whose purpose IS
| self-e,sucntional. especially in such large
| place as the United States. There is Ger
iainlv much to see here said his high
| ness, laughing
Education in Baroda.
| The Gaekwar of Baroda began early TO
make a special study of the needs Of his
| state He decided that public schooi
| system was absolutely necessary. He said
| that there are laws in more than half Oh
| his dependent states which provide Ior
compulsory education. Il have estabhshed
a mans college, a woman's university and
he ftv of
| The city has been changed from an anti
quated and slovenly Hindu town into
modern city, with fine public buildings and
spacious parks.
Tn another interview the maharajah said:
IT intend to adopt whatever l find that
| Is good and leave you everything that -
bad. There is one thing that the introduc-
| ton of the American school system VIII
do in Baroda, and that Is II VIII tear oo"h
the barriers of caste
II want it particularly understood that.
while India has clung to the caste system
because It was national inheritance gen.
Grafton from generation, IT does not pre-
! vent a man rising by his own merit to the
| highest place in the state. caste rules 10
day in theory, rather than in practice In
| social matters
Speaking OF politics, the GaekWar OF ba-
| roda said:
II would not mind having a republic II
| 1t was a good one, but education Is neces-
| sary first, and it is not an easy tas9 10
| educate millions of people. At present L
make the laws. / have the power OF ne
| and death. l sit as justice at our courts
| sometimes. I take, If choose, advice from
my cabinet l reconsider my own decisions
when l find their views are based on good
grounds.
Opposed to Child Marriages.
Child marriages and matrimony were next
spoken of. The maharajah stated that his
wife was thirty years old and was not an
noyed at the inquisitive question. His
daughter is fourteen, and she is engaged
to be married.
81 do not believe in early marriages.
said the prince. People should not marry
before they are sixteen and even eighteen.
For this reason / am delaying my daugh-
ter's marriage.
You ask about missionaries. Well,
our people, just like any other people, want
to be let alone the subject of religion.
They hold certain beliefs as sacred ana
they will not be changed. Their philosophy
is the Indian philosophy, and this is fine
ries we would be perfect. think we should
leave a mans religion to himself. Religion
to me is a study, and therefore school
for thought.
..The uplifting of the people along the line
Of education is the work we have to face
In India. We are a hard-worHng class {,
We have energy and we are trying. but as
yet we have not learned how to advertise
/ believe in advertising. When we know
how we may accomplish more.
81 expect to be here not many weeks
more" his highness said in closing Prob
ably not over six weeks.
To Be Guest of the President.
His highness and his brother will lunch
with the President Saturday. Secretary
Root, Secretary Taft and Mr. Townley.
charge danfaires of the British embassy,
will be the other guests.
For today the plans are not made. Her
h3ghness tho maharani Is indisposed. and
a doctor attended her this morning.
Yesterday evening the prince and hts wife
went to d theater. while Sanpatraf Gaik-s.
wad went to a Ma1bnic lodge. and Later