The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-23

Their diet is chiefly beans. rnlIlet and
coarse grains, with chilli peppers and
other condiments. They seldom have
meat and the castles OF many OF them
are such that they would die rather
than eat beef or pork. They consider
the COW holy. and would as soon think
Of chewing their grandparents as i
tend erlcin steak. They use a rancid
melted butter called ghee.
The Indian farmer rises at dayhreah
and takes with him a snack or cold
food TO the field. At noon his wife
brings him a hot dinner. He eats nrst
and she takes what is left. At home
the people eat Oft the floor. II they
are rich they have several large dish
es; II poor. one or two In addition.
there are small dishes for curry and
condiments. All eat with their fingers
and the men always first.
1t is a well-to-do family that has two
meals a day l am told that not
o~ne-third of the natives can afford 10
eat rice. and that the majoriy live on
flour made of coarse grains. which
they cook up into u~nleaVened cakes
called chappatts.
l have never eaten with the Hindus-
They would not tolerate my touching
their food, for this would make them
lose caste. and lead to damnation.
ndia'S EaInineS.
The whole nation seems to live from
hand TO mouth, and the result is that
@ ~ = - - - &
This has been SO for centuries. One
hundred and forty years ago, a famine
in Bengal caused the death of ten
millions, and seventy-odd years since.
eight millions starved in one pro-
vince. FaGineS are so common that
the British Government keeps a fund
in reserve which it adds to every year.
and it has a regular system of taking
care of the people by employing them
on public works at such times. Dur
- 4G>~- 90, - 1 LOO - tho " ARAA
million rations were issued each day.
and Notwithstanding that. almost a
million people died of disease or starry
alton. The people live 50 closely that
they have TO reserve force. and when
their food is cut down they drop off
like sheep. In some parts of India the
population is SO dense that it does
not increase from year to year, the
natural growth. which goes on over
the rest Of the world, being absent,
A striking evidence of the poverty Of
India Is the absolute lack of comforts
which is everywhere seen. The peas
ants live more like animals than men.
They will sleep anywhere. | see them
lying on the floors of the railway sta
ions With nothing but a thin piece Of
cotton hetween their bones and the
stone. In the towns there are public
lodging places, where the accommoda-
! tiCns cost from / to 8 cents q night
The ordinary farmer saves his cent,
and camps outside. The most common
bed is a rude framework Of wood over
which q netting Of ropes Of the size OF
a clothes line is stretched This IS the
bed of the more favored members Of
the family. They lie upon the bed
spoon-fashien; for if they should
stretch out their legs. their feet would
have to hang over. Sometimes the
children and always the widows sleep
on the floor.
S7nn(itjQnS E~rnprOyino.
| notwithstanding ali this, one Of the
; cabinet ministers of the Viceroy tells
me that the farmers are much better
Continued on pass eight)
off now than they were in the past
Said he:
'The wages have almost doubled in
the past generation. When | came to
India thirty years ago the syce who
took care Of my horses got about SIX
upees (S2) q month, and now | have
| to pay that much for a common SerV-
} ant, and twelve rupee $50 or more
for one Of the better classes. A good
farm hand can now get as much as
sixpense a da4 in most localities,
while in the Punjab at harvest, he VIII
get a shilling and three pence. In fact.
we are short of labor, and have hardly
| enough to harvest the crops. The
| farmer raises a large part of his own
food and he is now profitinS by the
prices of gram. ON the other
hand the professional men, ClefhS I1iu
employees of the government, nave had
their incomes materially reduced by
the rise in prices Of goods Of all kinds.
This is one of the causes of the un-
rest.
Poorly Paid Clerks.
This remark of the official reminds
me of an incident which occurred at
the postoffce here this morning. /
was waiting to register q letter, when
/ heard a quarreling among the clerks.
The noise was so great that l went to
the window and looked in. | saw
there q big fine looking habu or ma
tive official dressed in a long white
coat and gold turban. cuTsing a lean
Hindu in j cheap garb OF white cot
ton. The babu shook both his fists
in the little mans face, and denounced