The Washington herald., 1909-02-08
Nsz Y1s. Feb :. las
East Indian Affairs.

Editor The Washington HerEio;
The view OF East Indian Affairs recently
contributed TO your columns By your
correspondent IN London IS not SO clear
10 an American observer. Queen Victoria
declared Cand none can doubt the sincerity
OF her words that the government would
ne administered in ths spirit OF gen
erosity. benevolenee. and religious feel
Ing - that our subjects Of what
ever race or creed be freely and I'm
partially admitted 70 Offices IN our service
TIE duties Of which they may Be qualified
By their education, ability. and integrity
duly 10 discharge - This was IN
1855.
II 1879 Lord Lytton, then vicsroy OF
India. declared n s state paper: 7 DO
not hesitate 70 say that both the gov
ernments OF india and OF England appear
70 me. up 70 the present moment, unable
70 answer satisfactorily the harge Of
having taken every means in their power
or breaking 10 the heart the words OF
promise uttered TO the ear
Lord Moriey's proposal. TO replace the
AaANi-na4l- cAALA-A4c-A q ACo-4 A0C4 " eULA NOA
respondent. with a representation invested
with real influence IN legislation and IN
important executive function. seems to
stamp insincerity on what has been done,
while It seeks to give efficacy TO the
royal promise Of fifty years ago.
Admitting some advantages in the Ra-
ture Of police regulation following the
Pax Britannica. the suppression OF Thug
gee. Of self-torture, self-immolstion, and
so forth. the effect OF foreign rule on the
character. national and individual. and on
the general prosperity, seems quite an
other matter.
Observers naturally question. with
Bishop Heber, whether any advantages
compensate for the degradation of a
whole people IN political, social, and ma
teTial being.
The number OF natives IN government
employment as stated IN these letters.
illustrates the bishops saying. when we
learn that the average compensation OF
the Hindu In government employ is
about go against s607 FOR the foreigner.
The half-5reed comes in for something
like sSl. Nor is there any lack OF edu-
Gated and competent natives trained for
svch avocatiOns.
Meredith Townsend. in Asia and Eu-
rope. speaks OF the gradual decay of
much OF which they were proud-the slow
death, which even the Europeans per-
ceive. Of the Indian art, Indian culture.
Indian military spirit. architecture, en-
gineering, literary skiH-aH are dying out,
so that now Anglo-Indians doubt whether
Indians have the capacity TO be archi-
tects. though they built Bensres. or engi-
neers. though they dug the artificial lakes
os the TanjOre.
IN the early part OF the lest century
Mr. William Thackery. Of the board OF
revenue. IN Madras, wrote in an official
report: In India that naughty spirit.
Independent and deep thought. which the
possession OF great wealth sometimes
gives. ought TO be suppressed We do not
want generals. statesmen. and legislators.
We want husbanGmen."
As Mr.. s. K. Boys, retired on pension
in 1ss9 wrote: For some reasons X is
not desired for the present that the stand
ard OF comfort should be very materially
raised
Il is not apparent that the native ought
to be grateful for railways partly .n aid
OF military strategy for his suppression.
built By foreign capital. stocked ar twice
their cost. and then taken over. cut Of his
taxes, at 70 per cent Irrigation Is car
ried on where rivers abound. and & profit
on the undertaking Is secure. while on
The central plains, where six feet Of
water falls IN short time and runs of,
the construction OF reservoirs is neg
Iected. Sir Arthur Cotton demonstrated
that Il IS possible to save these regions