Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-11
NEW ERA IN INDIA.
Projected Reforms in the Light of
Late Outrages.

From the London Chronicle.
Their exceIlencies. quite unmoyed.
drove on. completing the prearranged
program" So Reuters correspondent, In
describing the attempt on the life OF the
viceroy at Ahmedabad. There Is gen
eral feeling Of deep thankfulness that the
attempt was foiled, and OF admiration for
the GOODNESS which Lord and Lady Mimic
displayed. This, however. is only what
is a matter OF course among the rulers
of India. The conduct OF their excel
lencies is the same that has been dis
played in all branches of the British
service during these dangerous times in
India. The policy OF the physical-force
party is as foolish as it is wicked They
suppose that by outrage and assassina-
ton they can inspire such terror as shall
strike down the British rule. They do
not know the British race.
Their excellencies, quite unmoved.
drove on The words are political al
legory, as well as statement Of personal
fact They are as true of Lord Mintos
policy throughout of his movements
at Ahmedabad Saturday. When the
physical-force campaign was opened
there was the danger of a surrender; II
was advocated in some quarters in the
and the governor general put the danger
resolutely behind them. The weak pol
Icy, they both instinctively felt, would be
to be coerced by bombs and murder clubs
into dropping their ''prearranged pro-
gram The strong policy was to go
steadily through with 1t. They drove on.
quite unmoved." and two days after the
bomb throwing at Amhedabad the viceroy
made an epoch in the history of India by
issuing regulations for giving effect to
the scheme of reforms approved by the
British parliament this session.
We are opening very important chap
ter in the history of the relations of
Morley. when first unfolding the scheme
of reforms at Westminster. The papers
issued by the government of India at
Calcutta Saturday fill in the details of
the chapter. The reforms, though they
go further than some reformerS dared to
hope. are not revolutionary: they are
logical development of principles already
admitted. and necessary sequel, in the
sphere of administration, to u policy de-
liberately adopted in that of education.
You cannot instll ideas and encourage
aspirations among the educated classes
of country without being driven TO
give scope for those ideas and satisfac-
ton to those aspirations.
The new order Of things, though not
revolutionary, makes large concessions
and involves great changes. The coun-
ellis become largely elective. With the
exception Of the viceroy's council the
official majority upon them disa ppears.
Finance is admitted within the scope Of
their discussions. The peoples of India,
through representatives elected by GER
tain categDries OF them, thus obtain a
real and effective share, through discus
sion and Interpolation. in the admins
tration of the country. The difficult
problem of securing due representation
Of Mohammedans has been solved by the
Indian government in a way which en-
titles the scheme. says Amer Ali. To
"a fair and sympathetic trial. The re-
forms WILL OF course, not mitigate the
hostility OF the physical force party-to%
cope with that party is matter not OF
politics but OF police: but it is not I'M
reasonable to hope that 'tle new chap
ter VIII enlist the sympathetic co-opera-
ton eff all loyal and reasonable re-
formers.