Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-10
ENGLAND AND INDIA'S UNREST.

The cablegrams from Calcutta on tho
5th instant report religious and race
riots between Mohamme-
important dan and Hindu. cable
gram from Berlin the
DAspa'cAes' same day announced that
the British government had reached an
understanding with the Sultan OF Turkey
by which the latter would use his inf!u-
ence with Mohammedans to sustain Brit
ish rule In India"
Must we, therefore, conclude that LORD
Morley has discovered the way to divert
midas anger against England by turn
ing it against itself by the application of
the familiar Machiavellian principle of
divide il you would reign"7 Be that as it
may. the Indian question at the present
moment overshadows all others excepting,
perhaps. that Of the Chinese.
At the propagation of the British par
Lament on the 21st ultimo there was spe
cial reference in the speech from the
throne to Indian affairs. First there was
mention of the revolt on the northwestern
frontier. then the famine that prevails in
certain parts of India. and then the king
referred to the absorbing subject of In
Ola unrest which may be cited textu
ally.
II deeply regret that the Internal
- vi PAL Is OI my luuld uOIlltl-
ions has been disturbed by a conspiracy
OF evil-disposed persons against the lives
of my officers and the continuance Of
British rule. But the actions of those
persons. while they have necessitated de-
terrent legislation of an exceptional ma
ture for the protection of life and prop
erty and the maintenance of order, have
also called forth in all parts of India
demonstrations of loyalty to my person
and my government My government has
therefore felt ilrSfifed in
ward the measures that have long been
under their consideration for charging the
share of the Indian peoples in the
administration of the country. These
measures have been laid before you and
earnestly hope that they will be received
in the spirit of mutual trust and good will
IN which they are proposed"
When Lord Morley rose In the house of
lords on December IS to make his prom
ised statement on India
Lord Morley'sthere was an unusually
c4.4. large attendance and the
interest was accentuated
when he declared that: Things were Sc
rious In India, but the anarchists were
few 1t daring. Native opinion was alarm
ed
Lord Morley said that he had appointed
a royal commission to study and report On
the internal relations between the Indian
government and it's subordinate and CO.
ordinate parts. The act Of 1858 under
which India was ruled required revision.
In circumstances SO uncommon obscure
and impenetrable as are the circum-
stances that surround the British gov
eminent Of India, there was the path of
folly which would treat India like Great
Britain: there was the other extreme
which would blow disturbers from the
guns
He deplored such measures as the sum-
mary jurisdiction BILL but the circum-
stances called for the facing of the risks
which it implied. He quoted Sir Thomas
Munroe as authority for saying:
What we are trying is an experiment
never yet tried in the world, maintaining
a foreign dominion by means Of a native
army and teaching that army through a
free press that they ought to expel us
and deliver their country"
Lord Morley said he would bring in a
bill in the next session in which he would
propose to increase the number of legis-
lative councils. change the election
methods, also the financial methods; the
councils were to be empowered to dis
cuss matters Of public Importance and
make recommendations; the power to ap-
point member Of the council to preside
was to be extended: Bombay and Ma
dras would have four executive councils
instead OF two, etc. No parliamentary
system, however, was contemplated: IL 1t
were. he would have nothing to do with
it. Finally on the first opportunity an In
dian would be appointed On the Yiceroys
executive council.
Lord Morley closed by saying that
"they should not take too gloomy view
of the situation" He
Moral Strength believed that their
power was not sap
Neooeo' ped: what was wanted
was moral strength" He quoted from
Mr.. Bright's speech in 1853.
1--WE do not know how to leave 1t, and
therefore let us see If we know how to
govern it. Let US abandon all that sys-
tenn of calumny against all natives Of
India which has lately prevailed. Had
that people not been doc lie, the most gov
ernable race in the world how could you
have maintained your power for 100
years? Are they not Industrious, are they
not intelligent, and are they not, upon
the evidence of the most distinguished
men in India. endowed with many quail
ties which make them respected by all
English who mix with them? The people
of India do not like us. but they scarcely
would know where to turn II we left them.
They are sheep. literally without shep-
herd"
Lord Morley clIeO MdCduldy, VINO SdlQ.
I'VE found a cety in a state of decom-
position, and we have undertaken the
serious and stupendous process of recon-
structing it. India now is like Europe in
the fifth century.
Lord Morley was not an imperialist, but
he affirmed that to preside over this
transition from the fifth century In slow
stages to the twent 'eth-to be the guides
of the people in that condition is, If con-
Quoted with humanity and sympathy and
wisdom and political courage, not only q
human duty and great national honor,
but what it was called the other day, "one
of the most glorious tasks ever confided
to any country.
Lords LanSdowne and MacDonnell fol-
lowed the secre airy for India. The for
mer congratulated Lord Morley and de-
clared that the hands Of government
should be strengthened against the sedi-
tious press of India. Popular suffrage In
India was an exotic idea, and it would
be fatal to give the Indian opposition the
power to GUST government The pro-
posal to extend the councils and appoint
a native in the council of the viceroy was
a tremendous innovation
Lord mcdonnell was in sympathy with
the secretary for India in all except the
matter Of the councils They could not
appoint Nphammedan officer of the
council without appointing a Hindu, and
Lord mcdonnell added: