The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-01-28

might possess or talent which he might
develop. The perspective of the indi-
vidual is so restricted that he natural
1y lacks enterprise. Without reward
there can be little stimulus to endeav-
or. AS a consequence the Indians are
a dull, spiritless race, plodding dumb
ly onward without the zest that makes
free men take issue with their fellows
, and enter into the battle of life with
vim and assurance.
Inasmuch as the English have ruled
in India for more than a century it
seems that something should have
been done to break down this anti
quated scheme of classifying the popu-
lation. That they have not done so is
explained by the fact that they them
selves practice the caste system. In
many respects English social usage is
as inconsistent as the age-worn tradi-
lions of India. Although the wealth
and prestige of England has been Gre
ated and maintained by her shippers
and merchants, the official class holds
itself aloof from the former for no
other reason than that they are en-
gagged in trade.
An instance in illustration occurred
while I was in Calcutta. A young
1iobiiIdu III SoOd SldIIuliS WdS enter
tanning his brother from England, and
was very much embarrassed when the
visitor was refused admittance to the
club on the ground that his occupa-
ton was not acceptable. The brother
who had entree held an important Of
fetal position, while the one refused
was an expert machinist. The latter
came out from England to overhaul a
TalJlahIa that IL
He knew his business SO well that he
did not have to soil his hands to locate
the trouble and correct it. His posi-
ton was far more important and his
salary much larger than his brothers,
and he was even more deserving be-
cause he had educated the clubman
with wages earned at the bench while
he was a journeyman machinist quail
flying himself to become the expert for
the great firm which he represented.
ENGLISH CASTE USAGE.
Could anything be more NONSENSE
cal than the distinction which was
made between these men of the same
family? Yet this is an actual example
of the way the British practice the
caste system among themselves ANY
young clerk drawing enough pay to
buy dress suit can frequent the clubs
OF the gentry, but the most deserving
man will be unblushingly denied adj
mittance if his business is not what
English tradition recognizes as polite.
Quite recently the best oarsman on the
crew at Oxford College was not per-
mitted to go in the finals because it
was discovered that his father kept
drug store and was therefore mot
gentleman" 1t is the name and not
the character or merit of the man
which establishes caste according to
the British code.
SO it is not surprising that the Eng
fish have looked upon the caste evil in
India with indifference. During the
century that they have been the mas
ters of India's destiny. they have quite
shirked their responsibility in this re-
gard Whether their reason for not
abolishing this Ubiquitous institution
has been fear of the consequences the
might involve, or mere indif-
ference to the well-being of their wards
the indictment remains that British
rule has not corrected the monstrous
ills of paganism. They thrive under
the Union Jack today as in olden
times before the idea Of the equality of
man had been evolved.
FREDERIC .J. HASKIN.