The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-03-06
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OF india
fA
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Roosevets Laudatory Characterization Very Severely
Condemned in an Open Letter to Him From I,
Leading Americans. 81
ENGLISH RULE IN INDIA IS A PURE DESPOT|SM
What Edmund Burke Said of 1t in His Famous Speech
the Impeachment of Warren Hastings in the
Eighteenth Century. E

An open letter has been addressed to
President Roosevelt in protest against
his recent luudatory Characterization
OF. British rule in India at tho Metro
politan Memorial Methodist Episcopa.
church in Washington.
Tho protest has II signers. members
of tho Society for the Advancement
Of India and Others including Rev. J. 7.
Sunderland, Hartford: Moorflcld Stor-
ey, Boston, Irving Winslow, Boston;
DIR. Leslie Willis Sprague, New York;
Rev. DR.. II. Hcber Newton, New York.
J. Collins Pumpelly, New York; Johh
j. Murphy, New York; DIR. John Ji.
Girdner. New, York; DR.. John Miltol 4
Dexter, New York: j. II. Poslettwaitc.
New York: Myron II. Phelps, New
York; Rev. Frank O. Hall. New YORK;
Rev. DIR. Merle st. Croix Wright. Nc"
York; Charles b. Soutter, Aiken, s.
c.: Hon, Charles IL, Aldrich Of Chi
Ee4go. formerly solicitor general of the
United StataH, REV. Jcnkfn Lloyd
Jones ana Louia T.. Post 81 Chicago.
In refutation Of the presidents as
sertion that British rule. in India is a
Colossal SUCCESS" the letter declares
that, OH the contrary. It is a. dcspotisnl
worse than that Of Russia, as far as
possible removed from the ideal Of the
government at tho head Of which he
stands and which he is supposed to
believe in and represent. "The pco-
pie Of India have no voice whatever
In tho management OF their own af-
fairs. Tho small number Of Indiana
on government councils arc. with rare
exceptions, appointed by tho govern
mcnt. Their functions arc merely hd-
visory. They have no power In tl,:
management OF Indian affairs" mot
a tax can bo changed. not a. rupee oc
for any purpose. however urgent,
without tho consent of British officials.
Even tho new reform proposed Wy
Lord Morley will effect no essential
change. Lord Morley himself de-
clarcs: 'If it could be said that t.lis
chapter of reforms led directly or
necessarily up to a. parliamentary
system for India, ], for ono. woul'l
have nothing to do with it,
Not only" 1t is alleged, "aro the
Indian people allowed no part IN stap-
ing the destiny of their own country.
but even freedom of speech and Of as
se,nbly arc. permitted only under the
severest limitations and the most gal
ling espionage, and freedom OF the
press has been taken away. Today
fully 100 editors are serving terms 0!
from three 10 ten years in prison,
many Of them without trial, without
having had opportunity to defend
themselves, in not a few cases withou-
even having been Informed Of the ma
tire Of their offensc. The crime al
most invariably charged is 'sedition.
|. "All telegraphic and other newa
from India liz closely censored It Is
said, 'in the English interest" What
is learned by the world is for the most
part only the English view. But onc
in Mr.. Roosevelt's position, the pro-
test insists, should have adequately
informed himself before undertaking
to- speak on subject affecting the in-
tcrests of some 300,0O0,000 of people.
Tho letter insists that to assert, as
the president did, that India is incap-
able of governing herself Is to fly IL
the face OF history. India governed
herself for thousands OF years. III
the history Of India. we find empires
illustrious and well ordered as any in
Europe"
The letter goes on to fatty contra
dict the presidents claim that. Eng
land does not draw penny from Indil
for Eng]isi, purposes. and likens th1
presence Of Englishmen in India tc
that of the carpet -baggers'' in the
South. "Englishmen in India often
speak Of themselves as birds, Of pass.
. r.