The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-07

study, teach and receive aims. By the
right of birth they are the lords of crea-
ton and the rest must support them
There are something like twenty millions
of them in India, and they are the vam-
pires of every community. They suck
the blood of their fellows. who are bound
to support them. They bless, curse, teach
and govern the other Hindu castles. They
are the authority upon all matters, re-
liglous and social. They are the brains
of the Hindus and are among the leaders
in the great unrest of today. They hold
their position on account Of the reverence
and canctity with which they are re-
garded. and for this reason they object
to our civilization as the ruination of
caste. They preach against railroads,
because In them al lgrades of society
must mix, arguing that such contamina-
ton will lead to damnation.
The second great class was the war;
riors. From these came the Rajputs
and others whose duty 1t was to fight.
This class has largely lost it's prominence
since the advent of the British. 1t is
supposed to have sprung from the arms
of the god Brahama.
The third class was the Industrial part
of the old population, which contained
the laborers farmers, herdsmen and mer-
chants. This sprang from the belly and
thigs OF Brahma. 1t is a leading caste
now. 1t comprises the largest part of
the Hindus, and its members are found
everywhere throughout the peninsula.
Tho fourth and last class was the
Sudra, condemned to do the dirty work
of the community. It was the servile or
slave elias sand such 1t is today. 1t
sweeps the streets and does the sea-
venger wor I have a Sudra at my hotel
to keey my room clean. He is so hum
BILE and servile that he never looks up
n he nh 1,,.
He carries the water and does work
which the other servants despise. Others
of the Sudras are cowslunners and corpse
bearers and some are employed as bar
bers. In addition there are thousands
of subcates, SO that every one has his
place and his own special job.
The Power of Caste
1t Is impossible for stranger to I'M
derstand how the Hindus look at caste
matters. They accept their position in
society as a matter of religion, and do
not hope to alter 1t. All castles are hered-
itary. The son of Brahma is bound
to be priest and the son of a Sudra a
Sudra. The poorest Brahman always
considers himself at the top of the heap,
and he would spurn millionaire of any
lower class han his own. What Is more,
the millionaire would stay spurned I
was talking the other day with one of
the chief officers of the British army in
India about this matter. He said:
mo matter how rich or how powerful
a native becomes. he cannot rise above
his caste. Take the Moharajah of Gwa-
lior, he is one of the highest of the native
rulers, and vast sums flow into his cof-'
fers. He has big country to govern,
and his subjects are millions Neverthc-
less. the poorest Brahman among them
would not give him his daughter in mar
riage, and venture the rajah would give
all he had If he could raise his caste. He
would pay untold fortunes to be made a
Brahman,' but that cannot be bought. We
have other raJahs of such high caste
that the majority of their subjects dare
not come near them. I cannot describe
caste; it has existed for ages and It is
strong today" sstss, ~ I'll
The Marriage of Brahmans M
The rules of caste are strict as<to mar
riages, and this Is especially so as to thS
Brahmans. The daughter OF a pork-pack-
ing millionaire could never marry a duke
in this country. The Brahman thinks he
condescends IL he looks upon a woman
of a caste below him, and as a rule
marriages are made only in the caste and
in the divisions Of the castles to which
one belongs. This leads to the union Of
cousins, and the consequent degeneration
of the race. fA ~
As to marriages. the code of Manu- Is
rigid, especially as to the selection Of q
| wife by the twice-born. There are cer-
f, tain families which the Brahmans must
| avoid no matter how rich they may. be.
| The code advises him to wed female
| free from bodily defects, one with small
teeth and soft limbs, a moderate quantity
of hair and the gait of an elephant. Let
him beware of the maiden with reddish
hair or who has no hair at all or who is
sickly or red-eyed. He must marry in
! his own caste, but not to- one Of the
same family on the fathers side. Re-