Evening star., 1907-08-18
INDIA IS RESTLESS
SedItlon a Constant SpeCtor
With the Government.
ACTIVE NATIVE PRESS
One Editor Recently Sent to Prison
for Year.
MA T I'VE
AMENDING THE COUNCIL LAW
Gospel of Insurrection Being Con-
stantly Preached by University
Graduates and Others.


Special Cahlegram 10 The Star.
CALCUTTA. August 17.-As a result OF
the lieutenant governors recent visit TO
Simla. action Is now being taken To prose-
cute a few Calcutta ne wspapers which are
openly seditious. Several newspapers were
recently warned by the chief secretary OF
the danger they were ircurrng. but never
theless. continued % recommend open re-
sistance to the government. They have,
consequently, been prosecuted. and judg-
ment in one of these cases was delivered In
the police court this week. The editor Mr.
Dutt, youthful university undergraduate,
was sentenced to one years rigorous i'm
prisonment. The magistrate pointed out
that the distribution OF 1000 copies at one
cent each evidenced an intention to stir up
the lower classes TO violence. The accused
stated that he believed that what he had
done wss for the good of his country The
courtroom was crowded and the prisoner
seemed pleased with the sentence. He re-
ceived hearty 'Good-byes from many
friends and sympathiZers as he left for the
prison.
1t is understood .ha; the bill presented by
Mr.. Morley in the house OF commons to
amend the law to the council OF India
gives effect to the intention OF the govern
ment, announced by the secretary of state
for India. to alter the constitution OF the
council of India sitting In London by the in
element. In his speech several weeks ago
MIR. Morley expressed the view that the
time had arrived when the secretary, OF
state might safely, wisely and Justly nomt-
nate one, and it might be two Indian MEM
bers of the council. and. while refraining
from discussing the question at that mo-
ment, he added: Il may have to come TO
parliament later but | think IT right to say
that 1t is my intention, realizing how few
opportunities the governing bodies have OF
hearing the voice Of Indians" Mr.. c. J.
O'Donnell promptly placed upon the notice
paper motion for the rejection Of the
measure at its second reading stage, his
contention being that bill of such immense
importance ought not to be brought In at
the fag-end of session, but at time
which would permit the fullest discussion
concerning the form of Indian administra-
ton advisable in London. Mr.. o ODonnell is
strongly in favor OF two native members be-
ing appointed on the council of India sitting
in England, but he desires to have some
guarantee that they shall not be mere nomi-
nees of the governm mt in power, but shall
really represent educated opinion in India.
View of the Native.
An Englishman who has seen great deal
OF the people of India and who is at the
present time in intimate contact with them
believes that there is too much OF ten
dency to think that the drastic measures
recently adopted by the government have
effectually knocked sedition on the head.
1t is the policy OF the native spers to pre-
tend that the viceroy's action the out
come of panic. and that there never was
any danger Of a rising in the punjab.
Englishmen. of course are very easily
persuaded that "all is quiet" He con-
tinues: l am confident that the bulk of the
Indian people are not hostile to us. But
one must remember that they made OF
infiammable stuff. and that the agitator is
dangerous kind of tirehrand The
restrictions that have been applied to his
actions should be enforced as vigilantly and
irntAa zlta.l f1sa ln hot fnyh
ing in docks or below deck a ship. The
check that we think has been imposed on
sediton by the recent firm, If tardy, meas
of the government is probably only
apparent. Semi-offcial reports are to the
effect that tranquility is restored. but
the agitators are no doubt buster than
ever now that greater precaution is neces-
Sary In engineering diSaffection. II is true
that an embargo has been placed in public
meetings IN certain prescribed areas, and
local governments have been empowered
to prosecute in the case of publications
which tend to arouse the disorderly ele-
ments Of society and to tncite them to
concerted action against the government.
But this cannot check the insidious diffusion
of poison.
In Rawal Pindi
No doubt news has reached England that
the villagers in the neighborhood of Rawal
Pindi have been taught that the plague
which is decimating them is caused by
secret agents or the government VINO ara
paid to poison the wells with a view to
exterminating the landowners and claim
ing the land. Thus new bogey has arisen
in the we'll posoner." In the presence OF
such phantoms it is easy to understand
that the honest and credulous cultivator is
ready to listen to the gospel openly pro-
claimed in Rawal Pindi that, death being
common to all and in close attendance
everywhere, it Is just easy. and II any
thing more pleasant, to die in the act OF
splitting a few white mems skulls to
succumb to plague in ones bed. 1t
this spirited propaganda that first awoke
the government ont Of its lethargy. The
harvest of disaffection Is not confined to
districts where the people have any
definite grievances against the govern
ment, as in the Cherab valley, but 1t 10
sporadic. and springs up in every de-
tached corner that may have been in
cluded in the tour OF political mis-
sionary."
The of the Beers puzzles the In
dians They cannot understand why the
Englishmen give with hand and with
hold with the other They try to make
political capital out of 1t. and attribute II
to bad faith. IF the Beers are given self
government, they say, why not we?'
The hopeful views expressed by Lord
Curzon of Kedleston in his recent speech
in London have created a good impression
In this country.