The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-07-03
Copyright, 1906, by Joseph b. BoWles
-COpyright in Great Britain
All Rights ReSerVed.)

Copyright, 1906, by Joseph b. BoWles
Copyright in Great Britain
All Rights Reserved
''What is truth? ?" asked PLATE, and
hen he asked the question he went
out without waiting for an answer.
The question has been asked many
times and answered in many different
ways. | was reminded of a similar
question When | read over the door OF
a court house in Aligarh, India, the
motto: "Justice is the strength of the
British empire"
No empire. no government, no soci-
ETY. can haVe any other source of per
Inanent strength. Lord salisbury is
quoted by Indian leaders as saying:
''Injustice Will bring down the might
lest TO ruin" and we all believe it.
Wende Phillips expressed it as
strongly and even more beautifully
when he said I'll quote from memory:
you may build your capitals until
they reach the skies, but if they rest
upon injustice. the pulse OF a woman
will beat them down.
But hat is Justice? How varied
are nc "'eN~.S =t,et. "a" sotJe- i.
In tho name of justice. presents his
appeal to his king, ana the sovereign.
il lie be u despOt, may send him to
exile or the prison or the block, and
do 1t in The am Of justice. What is
Jt'SiN'- L no IitS 'NO1' A'NS
ing in my ears during our journey
through Indie.
When | was Il law student, [ read
the speech OF Sheridan at the trial OF
Warren Hastings, and that MASTER
piece of lnN9cllNe was recalled 10
years la-cr. when a colonial policy be-
gan to be suggested in the United
States after the taking of Manila. and
l tried To inform myself in regard to
BRUSH rule in India. The more I
read about it, the more unjust it
seemed. SO nan Americans have,
however. during the last few years
spoken admirably of E~ngland'S colon
ial system that | have looked forward
to the visit to India with increasing
interest because of the opportunity it
Would give me to study at close range
Il question: UI vital Importance to our
country.
| have met some of the leading
English officials. as Well as a number
in subordinate positions; have talked
with edacatcd lndianS-HinduS, Mo
~haiulneGans and Parsees; have seen
the people, rich and poor, in the cities
and in the country, and have exam
lned statistics and read speeches, re
poEtS. petitions and other literature
that does not find its way to the United
States; and British rule in India is far
worse, far more burdensome to the
people, and far more unjust-if | un-
dcrStand the meaning Of the ord
than ] had supposed.
When | say this do not mean to
brinS an Indictment against the Eng
li&h people or to assert that they are
guilty of international WrongdOing.
Neither do | mean to question the mo-
tlFcs of those who are in authority.
1t has been my good fortune to be
come personally acquainted with Lord
Minto. the present VicerOy. with Lieut..
o Frazier, the chief executive of the
province of Bengal, With Lieut.. Gov.
La Touche, chief executive of the
united provinces of Agra and Oudh.
and with Gov. LamingtOn, chief exec
utNe Of the Bombay presidency, three
of the largest indian states. These
men. | am sure. represent the highest
type of their countrymen. Lord Mimic
Is fresh from Canada. where he was
governor general: Coy. Harrington
vas the head of the Australian gov
eminent before coming to India. and
both Cows, Frazier and La Touche
Lave long official experience to their
credit, That they Will be just, as they
understand justice, and do right. as
they see the right. | am satisfied. But
what is justice?
h trouble is that England ac-
CURED India for England's advantage.
not for lndia's, and that she holds
India for Engllnd's benefit, not for
India'S. She administers India with
an eye to E~ngland's interests, not In
Flt :, and she passes upon every QueS-
ton as Il judge WOul We're he permit
tel to decide his own case. The offic-
laIs in India Owe their appointment
directly or indirectly to the home gov
"rnment, and the home government
holdS authority at the Sufferance of
the people of England, not of the peo-
ole of India. The officials who go out
from England to serve a certain time.
n then return. whose interests are
in England. rather than in India.
and whose Sympathies are naturally
with the British, rather than With the
natives, cannot be expected to view
questions from the same standpoint as
the Indians. Neither can these Off
Gals be expected to know the needs
of the people as Well as those who