Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-14
MISSIONARY VIEW OF INDIA.
The Meaning Of the Prevailing Unrest
and What May Come of it.

| The account of the recent opening OF
the National Congress in India, from the
| Foreign Missions, Boston. was accom-
panied by note which stated that the
report lis in no sense missionary but
we are happy to give you the facts as
| furnished by one of our representatives in
| the field.
THE present unrest in India has called
| forth SO many gloomy predictions. con-
| corning the future of that country that ID
| Is refreshing to read of the enthusiasm,
| shown at the recent opening of the
Twenty-fourth National Congress In
| Madras. For the first time in its history
a constitution was adopted. and this
marks an important step in the direction
of self-government.T The stormy scenes at
Surat last year, when the Congress was
dissolved in an uproar. opened the eyes
| of it's members to the necessity for q
| written constitution and rules of pro-
cedure.
almost simultaneously with the open
| ing of the Congress the citizens Of Madras
held great mass meeting to express
their appreciation of the schemes Of. re-
form promulgated by Lords Morley and
Mimic. The speakers. representatives OF
Young India, showed a surprising fam-
iarity with Shakespeare. Tennyson. Ma
caulay. Kipling and the Bible The bril-
lancy of their addresses was pretty good -
evidence that neither American Congress
men nor English members of Parliament
can claim monopoly of oratorcal gifts.
I NOR 0ld tnelr speeches. DatOken any Durh-
| ing desire to throw off the British woke.
| On the contrary, they deprecated placing
the ideal of absolute autonomy before un-
developed minds those too young to be
wise and too impulsive to be rational
They admitted that fair share in the
government of their own country had
| been granted by Great Britain who was
credited with having no real faith in q
cult of canteen ballads, or in the tinsel
| Imperialism which tells us that the white
man was created only to hear the bur
dens of the brown A self-government
within the British empire was held up as
noble and inspiring ideal Lord Morley
was spoken of as one who would go down
IN history as the Simon de Montfort OF
the future Parliament and fervent
hope was expressed that an indissolubie
bond of union might always be main
tanned with the mother of all parliaments
In several ways this gathering of pro-
gresSive Indians marks an epoch in the
political life of India. The Curzon policy.
gal and started a boycott of English
goods. was distinctly repudiated. HIS
iordship was held responsible for botn
these grievances. and denounced as q
lingo of the Jingoes. who ran amuck
when he came to India! Concessions by
the present viceroy. who has been accused
of overriding his predecessor and ruling
India from London. were pronounced gem
Importance. They evoked universal and
genuine expressions of public rejoicing
The only note of criticism was sug-
gestion that the appointment of Indian
members to the executive council of the
National Congress should be guaranteed
by statute. and not left to the pleasure OF
the secretary of state for India. The rea-
son given was because we cannot ALWAYS
have Morley at the helm in England
nor a Mimic at the head of the admins,
tration in India The perfervid appeal
of the accomplished president of the CON
gress. DR.. Rash Beharl Chose, for unity
of action. regardless of race or religion.
sounded like an echo from Turkey 1t Is
deeply significant that committee OF
nearly hundred men equally divided pc
tween Hindus, Mohammedans. AMI native
Christians has been appointed to CONSIDER
what can be done to abolish caste. Thus
signs multiply that unrest in India IS
token of healthy growth and not of as Is,
indignation, as pessimists have declared