The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-10


tons of those Indian patriots who are
demanding autonomy are not altogether
sentimental distractions There are GER
tain reforms in government which the In
dams desire, which the English Will not
give them, and which may be hoped Tor
only after India has become self-SOV-
erning section of the empire.
First Of these is a decree OF divorce OF
the executive from the judicial power.
Abuses arising from the investment in
one man Of the power TO interpret the law
ana administer its Judgments would pe
likely to arise IN any country. where
the holder of that joint power is an Eng
hshmaB, confident Of his racial and in
tellectual superiority, placed over peO-
pie Of extreme sensitiveness, the oppor-
tunity for trouble is multiplied. The In
tegrlty OF the judge does not alter the
case-the total lack Of sympathy between
him and the people brings about misun-
derstandings and a train Of consequent
evils.
The second most important reform de-
manded by the Indians, and not hoped
for until self-gOVernment is granted, is
tariff reform. The Indian tariffs are now
levied for revenue purposes only. and in
such fashion as not to initiate against
the interests of the English manufactur-
ers. The Indians demand the institution
of a protective tariff.
They wish to encourage the growing and
manufacture OF cotton In India by i'm
posing nigh duty on cotton goods from
England. The refusal Of the British gov
eminent to consent to such tariff was a
large factor in bringing on the "swadeshi'
boycott. Indians organized themselves
into unions and mutually pledged them
selves not TO buy or wear "beiati, or for
eigH-made goods. Boys in the streets
stripped ignorant coolies Of their lOin
cloths because they were "belati.' Such
boys were sent to prison for six or eight
months, but that could not end the boy
colt Women were brought into the
unions, and in India, as in all the rest of
the world, the women are the shoppers.
They Joined the "sWadeshi' unions all
over the country and refused TO purchase
English-made goods.
The result has been a revival in native
industries, but the leaders admit that the
boycott is but a poor substitute for a pro-
tective tariff Given the right TO impose
tariff duties against England, well as
against the rest of the world, the Indians
believe they can establish d great manu-
featuring community, relieve the crowded
agricultural districts and make new
prosperity for the people
Then they would give their own repre-
sentative assemblies entire control Of the
finances of the country. The control Of
financial legislation by the house Of COM
mons in England and the story of how
that power was Wrested from the crown
and the lords is the measure of the liberty
of the English people. For violating that
lean constitution sought to give entire
control over the revenue to the lower and
more representative branch of congress
In India the people hope for that power
because Of the imposition upon the Indian
taxpayers Of imperial expenditures in
which the Indians have no interest, and
in the benefits of which they do not share
The self-gOverning British colonies pay
practically nothing toward maintaining
the imperial army and navy. Only dur
ing the recent war scare have Canada and
Australia and the other free nations
come forward with prOffers of battle
ships. The English home government
cannot demand contributions from its
Self-gOVeTning colonies
India. on the other hand, pays, not
only for the troops which maintain order
within the country, which Is a proper
charge, but they also pay a vast amount
of money for purely imperial purposes
Two-thirds of the army expenditure in
India is used in the maintenance and pro-
lection Of a Scientific frontier" This
means that India is paying for English
extension of dominion over the crest Of
the Himalayas, and for Englands per
ennial fear of the Russian advance. The
scientific frontier" is in theory one
marked b. nature, but it has been ad-
vanced further and further into the heart
Of Asia as opportunity has offered.
Furthermore India has had 10 pay the
cost Of three disastrous expeditions aimed
at the conquest Of the uncOnquerable Al
has been spilled in these vain wars de-
spite midas PEACEFUL attitude. India
also paid for the foolish war with Thi-
bet, an attempt to establish q British
re sident in Lhassa and pave the way for
British annexation Of the western de-
tendencies Of the Chinese empire.
Shortly after the Civil war in America
England launched punitive war against
Abyssinia, far away in the heart of Al
RIGA. 1t cost an immense sum Of money,
and part Of the cost was charged to In
ola under the plea that the necessity Of
the war had arisen chiefly from the eT-
feet which the immunity Of the king Of
Abyssinia would have on the eastern
mind, and, therefore, on the interests
OF the Indian empirei'
The Indians object to paying enormous
taxes to support armies which are not
employed in India : behalf. 1t isn't In
dia which seeks to extend the Indian from
tier over the mountains; II IS England.
The Indian native troops proved their
bravery and loyalty in South Africa in
the war against the Beers, they proved
their devotion TO the empire on the march
to Picking I'm 1900. and there is not the
slightest doubt today OF the loyalty or
the Sepoys. But the taxpayers are not
epared 10 be so loyal
Another thing which would follow close
upon the heels Of autonomy. say the ma
tive leaders. would be the establishment
Of a system of free schools for primary
aduca ton. attendance 10 be- MADE COmDui-
sorry in as many districts as possible The
native state of Barods. under the rule
Of the enlightened Gaekwar. has free edu-
cation with compulsory attendance. Brit
ish India ought not to lag behind a ma
tive state. say the leaders Of the reform
movement.
More important. perhaps, than all these
things is the question of irrigation. The
government now spends gOodly amount
of money on irrigation, but it is always
a minor consideration. The military es-
Enlistment gets what 1t asks for, and
the balance is divided for other purposes.
The Indians declare that II they are Civ
en- the right of self-gOvernment they will
devote the greater part Of the surplus
revenue to Increasing the fertility and
productivity of the land. and leave the
imperial art of war to take care Of it.
self.
In the last debate on the imperial
budget, j. Dadabhoy, a Parsee non-offl-
cial member of the council quoted VIII
liam Jennings Bryan's criticism of the
British government in India on this ques-
ton Mr.. Bryan's article. headed Money
for an Army, None for Irrigation" print
ed in the New York Sun about two years
ago. is still a live issue OF debate in
India The native Indians point to it as
proof Of their assertions; the English ex
plain that Mr. Bryan was deceived into
81 .fo ~ affairs and