The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-01

sio" III Ii iei1SloCS IOlcrducc during tne
last century. and this is as noticeable
in India as elsewhere. Already the
intellectual leaders Of all the sects and
elements Of the Indian population are
mingllng in congresses; conferences and
public meetings. Already national
spirit is growing which, like the ma
tional spirit Of England and America,
disregards religious lines and empha-
sizes more and more the broad social
needs which are common to all; and
with the increase Of general education
there will be still more unity and ma
tional sentiment. Those who make
this argument also forget that as long
as England maintains sovereignty It
will be impossible for religious differ
ences to lead to: war and that differ
ences in council and in congress would
strengthen rather than weaken her po-
sition. -.
!. !. + 49,
But why is there a lack Of intelli-
gence among the Indianss Have they
not had the blessings Of British rule
for several generations9 Why have
they not been fitted for self-govern-
mentT Gladstone, whose greatness of
Europe, said: ut is liberty alone
which fits men for liberty. This propo-
sition, ike every other in politics, has
it's bounds; but it is far safer than the
counter doctrine, wait until they are
How long will it take to fit the In
dams for self government when they
are, denied the benefits of experience?
They are excluded from the higher
civil service (ostensibly open to them)
aminations which make It impossible
for them to enter Not only are the
people thus robbed of opportunities
which rightfully belong to them, but
the country is deprived Of the accumu-
lated wisdom that would come with
service, for the alien officials return to
Europe at the end Of their service,
carrying back their wisdom and earn
ings,. not to speak Of the pensions
which they then begin to draw. s<,' ~
The illiteracy of the Indian people
is disgrace to the proud nation which
for century and half has controlled
their destiny. The editor of the In
dian World, Calcutta magazine, says
in last February's number: = -
| eff India has not yet been fit for
free institutions, it is certainly not her
fault. If. after one and a half centu-
ries Of British = rule, India remains
where she was in the middle ages. what
a, sad commentary must it be upon the
|
When the English came to India this
country was the leader of Asiatic civil
ization and the undisputed center of
light in the Asiatic world. Japan was
! then nowhere. Now, in fifty years,
Japan has -.revolutionized her history
with the aid Of modern arts of progress,
! and India, with. $50 years of English
rule, is still condemned to tutela6e.'T
+ !. +
Who will answer the argument pre-.
scented by this Indian editor? And he
!. might have made, it Stronger Japan
the arbiter' Of her own destiny and the
guardian of her own people, has in
| half a century bounded from illiteracy
to a position where. 80 per cent Of hel
people can read and write, and is now
thought worthy to enter into an Anglo
!, demned to political servitude and sacri
feed for the commercial advantages OF
another nation, still sits in darkness
less than / per cent of her women abb.
to read and write, and less than 10 pei
cent Of her total population sufficiently
advanced to communicate with ,eacl
other by letter OF to gather knowledg,
from the printed page: In the speed
above referred to, Mr. Gokha!e esti
mates that four. villages out Of ever.
this, too, in country where the peopl
stagger under an enormous burden O.
taxation. The published statement 70
1004-5 shows that the general govern
men appropriated but $6,50o,000 70
education. while more than 800, 000,00'
= were appropriated for ,"army ser
vices" and the revised estimate 70
the next year shows an increase Of
,, little more than 100000 fol. educatio,
:, while the army received an increase o
more than $12,00O,0o0.
,, The government has, it is true, bull
number of colleges with none:
raised by. taxation), and it is gradu
,, ally extending the system Of primar
, and secondary schools (also wit.
1taxes), but. the progress is exceedingl
slow, and the number Of schools grossl
inadequate. Benevolent Englishme
!, have also aided the cause of education
. !. by establishing private schools and co!
leges under church and other contro
this way is insignificant, when com
, pared with the amount annually draw
: by England from India. . =
III F.. ~. !. = +
It is not scarcity Of money that Dc
Jays the spread Of education in India
but the deliberate misappropriation- O
taxes collected, and the system whic
permits this disregard of the welfar
of the subjects and the subordinatio
' of other industries to the supposed &C
s. vancement Of another nation g trade
as indefensible upon political and ect
monte grounds as upon moral grounds
If more attention were given to tn
intellectual progress Of the people an
more regard shown for their wishe
it would not require many soldiers {
compel loyalty to England; neithe
z would it require large army to pr,
serve peace and order. If agricultur
were protected and encouraged, an
native industries built up and divers
fed, England's commerce with Indi
would be greater, for prosperous peopl
would buy more than can be sold
India today, when so many of her sor
and daughters are like walkin
shadows.
Lord Curzon, the most brilliant c
India s viceroys of recent years, il
augurated policy of reaction. He nc
only divided Bengal with view
lessening the political influence of til