Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-09

rS5S===EEz7lALCUTTA, India-The scheme
IN%A XdI OF constitutional reform Tor
lN kyENl India, announced last Mo-
ia YkT vember by Viscount Morley
IA. &IISSI of Blackburn, secretary OF
lE4AzGGA2lI state for India, marks an
epoch in the history OF
British rule in this great Asiatic EN-
pire 1t is the avowed purpose OF the
reform scheme to fulfil the promises
made by Queen Victoria when she as
sumed the rule of India In 1858, ana
repeated later by Victoria as empress
and by Edward VII, to give the IN
dians a large share in the government
of the empire. AS these reforms nave
been long promised, the Briton in IN
dia is insistent to a degree upon ms
theory that the scheme is not advanced
as a result of the unrest" but rather
in spite of disturbances and discontent
Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that
the unrest" had much to do with
bringing England to the point of re-
deeming some of it's old promises. A
tentative scheme of reform was adj
vanced in 1907, full discussion of its
provisions was courted, and the result
was the announcement of the Morley
scheme in November last. The British
parliament proceeded then to wrestle
with it's general provisions and the In
dian government began to prepare for
the regulations which will give 1t ef-
feet.
In general terms, the Morley reform
scheme may be described as a conces-
sion to the natives of India giving
them a voice in the administration Of
government in both legislative and ex-
ecutive branches. The Tory English
protest that 1t goes much too far, and
that it was unwise to grant any con-
cessions when the unrest" Of the
country demanded repression. Lord
Morley, the erstwhile John Morley who
was the only Englishman who did not
dearly love lord" adhered to his
announced policy, however, declaring
that anarchy and disorder must be put
down with the iron hand and that the
reforms must be granted at the same
time.
Under the reform scheme native In
dlans will have both official and nom
official seats in the imperial and pro-
vlncial legislative councils. 1t is care
fully provided that the government
shall always have a majority of the
council. and no provision is made for
the retirement of a government when
it is adversely voted upon In council.
In this all-important respect the re-
form scheme falls short of the self
-
free nation colonies. But II will be
possible under the new regime to have
native majorities In the councils, pro-
vided some of them are attached to
the government
Natives have had seats in the legis-
latiVe councils for years, but they have
not had any power beyond speech
making. Under the new scheme, the
councils will have the right to debate
Z B4,a fo aC matters
not purely imperial. That means that
they may discuss the appropriations for
all Internal expenditures except for the
army and few things over which Eng
land retains supreme and undivided
power.
Another most important concession is
the grant of the right of Interpolation.
That means that native members of
councils may, as of right, ask ques-
tions in council of the heads of the
executive departments and may insist
upon answers which meet the Issue
squarely. Heretofore no Indian has en-
joyed the right to demand of his gov
ernment an account of It's stewardship
in any particular.
The constitution OF the imperial and
the various provincial councils under
the reform scheme will be very COM
plex. There will be a certain number
of official heads of departments who
will have seats ex-officio. Then there
will be members elected by associa-
tions, by chambers of commerce and,
In the imperial body by the provincial
councils. Other members will be NOM
mated, that is appointed, by the vice.
roy for the imperial body and by the
governors for the provincial legisla-
lures.
In the provincial councils there will
be some members elected from the peo-
pie The right of direct suffrage is not
granted to the people as a whole, but
landowners who pay about $4,000 a year
land tax and $1,000 year income tax
will be qualified as electors. This very
limited suffrage is granted only indi-
rectly, as a college of electors similar
to that which elects the president of
the United States is interposed as a
buffer between the people and the
council. 1t is a far cry from such a
system to free representative govern
ment as It is known in America, but
both English and native leaders are
agreed that 1t would be disastrous to
give suffrage to the uneducated mill
lions of India. No such step is con-
templated, even in the program of the
most extreme "Swarai" or india for
the Indians" party.
Ine provision Tor separate repre-
sentation for Mohammedans in these
councils has caused a storm of protest
to go up from the more numerous
Hindu community. The Hindus hope
to get the power given by the reform
and then to settle the case of the Mos
lens in their own way. This very
spirit is the reason the British govern
ment has always insisted upon some
method of assuring Moslem representa-
ton. The Hindus are in the majority