The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-06
AT SINGAPORE.
Likes the Town at the Mouth Of
Straits of Malacca.
Howe Says It's the Prettiest
Place He Has Visited.
HONOLULU EXCEPTED.
Botanical Gardens One of the
Wonders of the Orient.
Beast of Burden the Oxen We
See at the Circus.
HONOLULU EXCEPTED.
Wednesday, December 20.

Wednesday December 20.
AT Bombay are the Towers Of Silence.
where the dead are eaten by vuItures:
the natives there believe the earth is
sacred, and that fire is sacred. and that
water is sacred, therefore they will
neither burn their dead, nor bury them
on land or a. sea. At Benares. fire is /
not sacred, and the bodies of the dead
are publicly burned. And the religion
accepted by large part Of the people
OF India is more generally accepted
than any other; could the people of the
world vote on the most sacred spot in
existence, a majority Of the votes. when
counted. would be found to indicate a
place in India where Buddha is said to
have left footprints in stone. In far
away China and Japan are temples to
the Indian god, but the temples in India
are more wonderful, in every way, than
those i'm China or Japan. Mysterious
Mahcmet has left his mark in India.
Tt is believed that Mshomet claimed to
pe prophet simply as a means of ac-
quiring power; he wanted to be a ruler
and knew the surest way to accomplish
his purpose was to found a religion.
Laughed at in the beginning Mahomet
became one of the great rulers and
his followers were the most fanatical in
history. His doctrine united the roam
ing Arabs who had been fighting each
other, and Mahomets victories over the
old world powers recall the recent vic
tories of the Japanese over the Russians.
Millions of his followers are still found
i'm India, which he conquered; indeed,
Mohammedans have spread to our pos
sessions in the Philippines and you
may remember the scandal because our
government Winked at the slavery and
polygamy practiced by them.
Therefore, now that ] am on the other
side Of The earth. 1 do not care to Miss
India. They say I will be compelled to
employ native servant, to look out
for me; that [ viii be compelled to buy
bedding. and carry it with me if
travel by the railways at night. but it
VIII be long time before I visit India
again, and 1 suppose I might as well
make up my mind to patiently wait for
the connection at Colombo. and see
Delhi, and D0nares and Lucknow. and
Calcutta, and other towns and cities
noted in fable, i'm story and in history
II has been said that the people of
India are mysterious people. 1t
might be said with more truth that
they are foolish people: while they
nave Deen Quarrellng over religious
doctrine; over the Sacredness of cows
tallow. they have been enslaved bv a
people who give their attention to
more material and important things
tnan doctrine But a cold blooded
sensible people are seldom as interest
ing as the sentimental fools therefore
no one can deny that India. with IT'S
gorgeous temples and terrible famines.
as Interesting.
Caste. of which you hear so much
from India, was originally nothing
more than a distinction between the
priest. the soldier. the merchant. and
the common labOrer, but the peoDle in
course of time. have made il a narf Of
their religion, and Will die for it; they
think their saints have sometime to
do with 1T. A nursery rhyme ah01lf
Jack and Jill has been made much of
ana images OF Jack and Jill are now
enshrined in gorgeous temples. and
sald 10 be able to cure diseases and
prevent Iamlnes Hundreds of pom
derous tones have been written to
explain the history of Jack and JiU
ana students gravely study these his
tories many years before they are
pronounced capable of enlightenfne
the people as to when Jack and iii
lived. how they originated. and how
they became powerful
A sect has sprung up which saws
that the original teaching about lack
and Jill was all wrong. and many
scholars are finding ancient records
proving new and important things for
the dissenters.
OF course all this is very distressing
to We Americans. who have the true
religion but the poor and mistaken
wretches in India are quaint. and I
fort promised.
India is generally referred to as
Homogeneous land, but it is a couglom-
Grafton Of distinct kingdoms, differing
widely i'm conditions and character.
Under the term Indian are errOuned
numerous races as distinct and individ-
uai rs the Frenchman and the German
the Dutchman and the Greek The
people of India belong to a dozen differ
eut natiQnalities, speak q babel of
tongues and live in a variety of coun-