Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-20

princes. The Maharaja has 100000 subjects
under his rule. The state contains S,1C0
square miles. Besides his enormous annual
income the Gaedwar of Baroda possesses
jewels which have been valued at between
$50 100000 and 100000. In ordinary
circumstances the wonderful collection lies
in the Nazar Bal on exhibition. But on
state occasions there IL no Indian prince
who is more brilliantly arrayed. Persons
who have seen the Maharaja on dress
parade say that he fairly scintillates from
the crown Of his head down. There is one
mantle shawl which is said to be the
most precious piece of jewelry in the world.
II is made Of woven pearls, with a border
OF diamonds, emeralds. rubies and sap
phires. 1t is said to have been made
originally as a decoration for Mahomets
tomb The piece is valued at several mil
lion of dollars
When he goes out on parade the
Maharaja also wears a diamond cap and
jewelled gloves. Besides these things he
has one gold and one silver cannon, which
are drawn on state occasions by bullocks
with magnificent trappings. Four of these
cannon. two gold ones and two silver ones,
came into the present GaelSwar's possession
when he became the ruler. Within recent
years one OF each was melted down and
the proceeds turned into the state treasury
for the purpose, II is said, OF relieving
famine conditions in Baroda- These guns
are among the worlds most notable curiosi-
ties. The gold one, it Is said weighs 400
pounds, but It has steel casing. which
probably counts for a good many pounds
il took a native workman FIVE years to
make the guns. The bullocks selected to
draw the artillery pieces are the finest
Baroda produces II is estimated that their
trappings alone cost $4,000. The horns OF
the animals are tipped with gold and they
wear gold and silver anklets. The silver
gun is said to weigh S2O pounds.
Something of a RefOrmer.
The maharaja's immediate predecessor
was a picturesque individual known as
Malaha Rao-Glakwar, who, according 10
history, was as Oriental as any man
wanted to be. He was Of the old regime
| and II there was anything due him in
the way Of power or pleasure he saw that
he got It or there was trouble in the land.
! He did not like the British. which he yelled
/ with true Oriental politeness, but one time
after a big dinner at his palace the British
resident and some of his compatriots be-
/ came very IN. The coroner diagnosed II
as poison. and the result OF It was that
|
British resolved then to go in for a safe
and sane administration and chose the
present ruler, who al the time was
a young man Of good habits
| He was taken in hand at once; English
professors came out and educated him:
| everything about him was Euglish-at-
tendants. servants and friends. This was
varied with frequent trips to England. so
that when he did take charge Of the gov
| eminent he was modern in every particu-
lar. He has never lapsed. and since that
time the little state has steadily pro-
| crossed.
The maharaja's first reform was 10
abolish infant marriages. which was a
pleasant little custom which nearly re-
sembled the entry conditions for the F1u-
turity in this country.
He abolished the old style OF special
taxes like the tax for the sacred COW, and
put them all under one head.
He chose a cabinet and placed all de-
partments under a separate minister, with
a prime minister AZ the head OF II.
He removed religious restrictions, and his
present prime minister is a Parsee. al,
though It Is a Hindoo state.
He passed modern laws and established
schools, colleges. museums and art insti
buttons all over his state He ordained 2
compulsory free education law.
In all his buildings. however. the mahs
rajsh sticks to the ancient Indian-sar
Genie architecture, and all the pubh
buildings are in that style.
When It comes to the mahsraja himsel
he may be called veTY busy man X