The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-21

preservation of life is observed 50
strictly that even eggs are ab1ured as
f0Cd on account Of the vital germs
which they contain. Such cOns-dera-
ton would seem commendable for It's
compassion were it not for the fact
that a law had to be enacted TO pre-
vent the horrible cruelty Of burning a
widow alive on the funeral pile Of her
husband.
The servants of India Invariably be
long to the low castles, and their fear
Of doing something to offend their su-
periors is noticeable In the hesitation
they always EVlRee in approaching a
person or Ia entering an apartment
occupied by some one whose position
is higher than theirs, Even the serv-
ants in the hotels who ought to be ia
miliar with what is expected Of them
will halt and falter before entering
room when they have been sent for ana
told 10 enter. They bear the evidence
Of conscious inferi0rity in their cring-
ing serv.lity.
The Brahmin IS just the reverse. He
devOutly believes that he was made
from the head of God. and that no
creature on earth is his equal lie
carries himself with an assurance
that would be splendid if it were not
so ridiculous. One Of the greatest Of
fences a low caste Hindu can commit is
to deceive or lie to a Brahmin- This
fav0rite class has been so badly
spoiled by its privileges that those in
even the poorest circumstances carry
themselves like autOcrats.
The entire procedure of Hindu life
is regulated by the rules of caste usage.
and every action of the native is gov
erued by it. The mode of greeting, the
cut OF clothing and manner of wearing
it, the shape of ornaments and style Of
wearing them, the furnishings of the
house, the corner where the hearth and
cooking pots are located, the manner
of going to bed and of sleeping, the
rules of pOliteness that must be OBJ
served no matter how trivial, filthy or
disgusting they may be, all are laid
down by rule. Nothing is left TO
chance. Every action of every indi-
vidual relating TO himself and TO 9TH
ers is inculcated in the law of his caste
/ and there can be no departure from il.
This irrational phase Of the ancient
law is one Of the shackles that binds
India to the dark ages. Until these
| senseleSs customs are discarded there
is little hope of improving the lot Of
the miserable millions that are en-
chained by them.
While the mild and cOwardly Hindu
is ObliviOus to almost any mstreat-
ment or indignity which does not in
volve the question of his caste rites
he becomes a fearless fanatic if his
triba! privileges are interfered with
The gravest disturbances frequently
arise over a dispute of some trifing
character between members of differ
ent castles. Sometimes the sole cause
of a quarrel may be the disputed right
to wear slippers through the streets on
| the occasion Of a marriage procession
or of having a trumpet sound at the
J head of a parade, or again the right to
have certain musical instruments used
/ in observing some ceremonial.
The distinctions between some of the
castles are unusual indeed. For in
stance, musicians are considered in
! ferior because in the act of playing
wind instruments the mOuthpieces are
touched with saliva. ShOemakers
and all leather workers are degraded
! because of handling skins of dead ami
mails, BARRIERS are looked down upon
| because thcy have TO clean the ears of
their patrons. The different castles of
cultivators consider themselves super