Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-08
BRITISH INDIAN RULE
Peace and Prosperity Ascribed
to the English.
MOSLEM LEADERS, VIEW
Speech of League President Review
ing Past and Present.
INTERESTS OF ALL CONSERVED
Best Sense of the Country, He De-
clares, Recognizes Benefits of
England's Administration.
Special Cablecram To The star.

Special Cablecrsm TO The star.
CALCUTTA March SIN his presi-
Dental address to the All-India Moslem
League. at Amritsar, Syed Ali Imam ex-
haustively reviewed the condition Of Mo-
hammedans in India. He remarked that
they occupied a position which had no
parallel in the history of the world
islam" he said "in its world wide
career Of conquest and conversion. met
on Indian soil with resistance which
had little in it of the admirable military
prowess Of the Hindu. What Hindu
chivalry was powerless to protect, Hindu
ehtics. Hindu philosophy and the Hindu
social system had made impregnable.
Centuries rolled by, but the Conqueror
and the conquered in point of nationality.
character and creed suffered not from
their political association. Characteristics
of race and religion and the political
and social ideals of the two presented ir-
| recon ella bilities Joranic teaching throws
open wide the door of conversion with
equal right and liberty. social and po-
| litical TO the newcomer. His entrance
into the brotherhood of Islam is a pass
port to all that is the highest and best
| in that community.
! There must be something imperishablf
| in the cherished beliefs of both commune
ties. Each had so far passionately cluns
| to its own. Indeed, there is much in Hin
| duism that evokes admiration 1t is In
destructiBle 1t is perfect and complete
| in itself. It's foundation is laid in the
| innermost recesseS of the sentiments ano
emotions of its people. 1t is magniii'
| Gently organized system. each part III
| faultless coordination with the rest. Hide
bound. it has lived down the influence
| of ages of alien rule On the other hand
| the vitality and robustness of lSlamlt
/ principles made it impossible for the con-
queror to be absorbed In the civilization
Of the land where he had come to stay
| Under such conditions the fusion of the
| two. Hinduism and Islam, could not be
predicted. The verdict of history is that
| in holding India under subsection for CEN
turtles the Mohammedan held only hel
| body and not her soul. For political
| ends, for the happiness of the country As
| a whole. and the formation OF a flourish
| ing commonwealth. the relation of the
| two communities was anomalous and out
| of joint. The keen-sighted craftsmanship
| of the great akbar saw this and aimed
| at unification by Cancellation. compromise
| and concession in religious. social ano
political directions. A long and tolerant
| reign Of about fifty years proved the
| failure OF the experiment.
Coming of the English.
Mr.. Ali then described the various events
| leading up to the decline OF the Mongu
| empire and the advent of the British
power. that gave the country peace and
| religious liberation. that vanquished the
| forces Of anarchy and disorder, and that
| introduced a form Of government that
| paralyzed the hand of fanaticism. The
coming OF the British into the country
was the signal for Hinduism and Islam to
retire each within its own limits It gave
| the land strong and wel-ordered form
of administration that respects the per-
sonal law and religious principles and
they do not interfere with the general
peace Of the country"
Coming to the present time. Mr.. All
mentioned the high appointments to
which Moslems had been appointed within
recent years. and observed: THE pres
ence of representative MuSsulmanS from
all the different parts of India in our
gathering today is an assurance that the
community has realized it's political re-
sponsibility. and that it is answerable for
its stewardship to the younger genera
ton, both within itself and without. We
Identify ourselves with all that aims at
the general advancement of the true in
terests of the country, who have rooted
conviction that the true interests of the
country lie In the mainte-
nance of cordial relations among the In
dian communities, and that the true poll
teal ideal is the one that aims at peace
full progress or such national character
as subserves the protection and advance
ment Of the interests of all denomina-
tons. | claim for the league RESPONSE
bility for working out political ameliora-
ton not only for the Mussulmans, but
for all races that inhabit our beloved
country. India.
Order and British Rule.
In these days of political tribulation
and unrest. professions of loyalty stand
on slippery ground. But this will say.
that. apart from ethical aspects Of loyalty
to the British crown. the best sense of
the country recognizes the fact that the
progress of India rests on maintenance of
order and internal peace, and that order
and internal peace, in view of the con-
ditions obtaining I'm our country at pres
ent and for a very long time to come.
an immeasurably long time to come. spell
British OccupatiOn-British occupation
not in the thin and diluted form in which
Canada. Australia and South Africa stand
in relation to England, but British occu-
patton in the sense in which our country
has enjoyed internal peace during the
last fifty years. Believe me that as long
as we have not learned to overcome sec
tartan responsiveness Ia RI" above pref
,Idces based diversity OF races, re-
ligiOns and languages. and to alter the
alarming conditions of violent intellectual
disparity among the peoples of India. so
long British occupation is the principal
element In the progress Of the country.
The need of India is to recognize that
true patriotism lies in taking measure of
the conditions existing in fact and de-
voting ones self to amelioraton.'