The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-12-02
ENGLAND'S RACE PROBLEM.
DARK HUED INDIAN PRINCES
GET COLD SHOULDER IN
MAYFAIR.
Matter Has Serious Political Aspect
And Government Officials Protest
Against Race Prejudice-Suffra-
gettes Still Worrying the Ministry
Late Premier Died q Poor Man.

Late premier Died Poor Man.
London, Nov. 23.-The race prob
lem In the United States always has
been viewed by Englishmen with
good-natured superciliousness. They
didn't take 1t seriously at all, putting
down the considerable agitation over
1t to an American habit Of exaggera-
ton. But now that Britain has q race
problem Of her own, she talks about
II all day and dreams Of 1t at night
The most pessimistic American new
or predicted that the race problem
| would wreck the American Republic.
The prediction Is heard every day over
here that the future Of the empire is
endangered by the British race prob
lem; or, rather, race problems, for
there Is not one but several. There is
one race problem in India, another in
South Africa and still third in Aus
tralia and New Zealand. The Indian
problem is the worst, because it Is
just now most acute. It's ramifica-
tions extend TO the most exclusive
London drawing rooms. East Indian
students of rank who have come to
England to complete their education
complain that they are not shown So
cial consideration, are not treated as
equals by persons in England whose
rank is no higher than their own. The
government recognizes that this Is
true, but realizes its helplessness. Sew
eral Of the high brow" newspapers
have taken the matter up and are
urging British gentle-folks to avoid
social discrimination. There Is no rea
son to regard man as social in
! ferior, they declare, merely because
his skin is several degrees darker thar
yours.
But fret as the government may anC
preach as may the editors, the age-ol,
fact Of racial antagonism is there an,
it Is not going to be effaced by an,
such thing as political considerations
, And the Indian student in Englan
p Is setting about to force social equalit
/ in very much the same way the Am
erican negro who demands socis
/. equality has done-by showing hi
unworthiness of it. At recent meet
ing at which Indian students wer
= specially invited guests they booed an
n hissed the Kings name, and instance
!. have not been lacking Of late in whic
!. they have made themselves offensiv
to English ladies.
;. Australia has been lectured an
:. South Africa scolded because they ar
y not willing to admit Feast Indians an
10 other Orientals on terms OF eQuali,
= great folks who have been doing til
% lecturing and the scolding have bee
arousing undying hatred in the breas
w Of Indian students by treating the
20 as social interiors. 1t Is the ignoral
to coolie Australia and South Africa II
sists upon barring. It is the best GU
~, ture and refinement Of India that Il
,s London smart set has offended, mar
of them capable of tracing their al
cestry back to the days when Englar
~ was a vassal Of Rome. The goveri
az ing class Of England is amazed tn
the colonists should insist on keepil
out the riff-raff Of India, but no
=, back their skirts for fear OF contain
- mating contact with the best India h
"a to offer in the way Of culture and +
n. finement They are very willing
send the "thin red line" to the OF
o posts Of the empire to bear the VIII
q. mans burden, but they don't want t
- burden packed home to their Lond
20 drawing-rOOms.
nd
p The British press showed a gre
'et deal Of interest in the recent preside
tial election in the United States a
I'm gave almost as much space to it
m they did to the woman's suffra
"a movement, though, Of course
ny American campaign could not be
llo lowed to crowd out the essay or ''l'
Ter ters to the editor" After the cal
ely told that Mr.. Taft had been elect
ne the subject was allowed to drop wh
all the editors mulled the matter o,
in their minds. Just lately they hs
'its been coming forth with their serio