The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-26
States; Rev. Jenkin Lloyd Jones. OF
Chicago Louis F. Post. OF Chicago.
Worse Than Russian Despotism.

Chicago; Louis F. Post, OF Chicago.
Worse Than Russian Despotism.
In refutauon Of the Presidents as
sertion that British rule In India Is a
colossal success" the letter declares
that, OH the contrary. II is a despotism
worsc than that of Russia, as far as
possible removed from the ideal OF
the government at the head of which
he stands and which he is supposed 10
believe In and represent. The peo-
pie oil INDIA have no voice whatever
in the management OF their own al
fairs The small number OF Indians
on government councils are. with rare
exceptions, appointed by the govern
ment Ihelr functions are merely ad-
visory They have no power In the
management of Indian affairs" Not
tax can be changed, not a rupee OF
the peoples own money appropriated
for any purpose, however urgent, with
out the consent OF British officials.
Even the new reforms proposed by
Lord Morley will effect no essential
change. Lord Morley himself de-
clares III II could be said that this
chapter OF reforms led directly or ne
cessarily up to a parliamentary sys-
tenn for India, l. for one, would have
nothing TO do with IT."
imprisonment Without Trial.
Not only" 1t Is alleged. are the
Indian people allowed no part in shap-
ing the destiny OF their own country,
but even freedom of speech and OF
assembly are permitted only under
the severest limitations and the most
calling espionage, and freedom OF the
press has been taken away. Today
fully one hundred editors are serving
terms OF from three to ten years in
prison, many of them without trial,
without having had opportunity 10
defend themselves. in not few cases
without even having been informed
of the nature OF their offense. The
crime almost invariably charged is
'sedition. In India the mere discus
sion of reforms Is punished by open
or secret Imprisonment. There is no
Indian home that Is not liable at any
hour of the day or night to be forcibly
entered and searched at the insitga-
tion of spying police There Is no In
dian gentleman, however high his
standing or unimpeachable mis- char
acter, who may not at any moment
be arrested and hurried away TO an
unknown prison Nine such arrests
and incarcerations took place recent
ly In single week. Even distin-
guished Englishmen visiting India
have their mall tnmpered with and
are shadowed by the police IL they are
so much as suspected OF any sym.
pathy with the Indian people.
Despotic Censorship of Press.
"All telegraphic and other news
from India Is 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 one
in Mr.. Roosevelt's position, the pro-
test insists. should have adequately
informed himself before undertaking
TO speak on subject affecting the In
terests Of some three hundred millions
Of people. Adequate information Is
available The English Labor party
is taking up the wrongs Of India, de-
termined that they shall no longer
be ignored. Distinguished and able
Englishmen, many of them members
Of parliament who have also had long
service In India, are. In increasing
numbers, espousing the cause or India,
resolved that the truth shall be known.
Sir Henry Cotton, M. p, is quoted
Indian administration as carried on
today is system OF pure absolutism
from the viceroy downward as auto
cratic as that of the Car OF Russia
The idea that the Indian people have
any real share In the government OF
their own country. he pronounces "ab'
solutely illusory" 1ue
seK-Government Practicable.
The letter insists that to assert, as
the President did, that India is in
capable of governing herself is to lily
in the face of history. India governed
herself for thousands Of years. In the
history of India, We find empires as
flustrious and we'll ordered as any In
Europe" The same objections were
made by the supporters OF Lord
North's government regarding the
American colonies-that If left TO
their own direction they would speedl-
" fall into mutual strife. anarchy and
ruin" In like manner when Japan
began her modern career 1t was
generally predicted that she could not
carry on a government under modern
conditions. AT the time England first
entered India, three hundred years
ago. the old Mogul Empire was break.
ing up, new political and military ad.
justments were forming, and the ocun'
try was In a state Of unusual turmoil.
which gave the English their oDpor'
tunity. But this was temporary con-
dition and would have passed as SIM
liar periods In other countries have
passed. For two thousand years India
has been far more peaceful than Eu-
rope There is no record Of Indian